Stewart’s Melville Cricket Club

o the suitability of the Royal High Barnton ground to stage League matches, the difficulty in attracting younger players to the Royal High Club, whereas Stewarts Melville had a suitable ground and were able to continue to supply younger players through the continuance of cricket at the school. Although the barriers of being a 'closed' Club had been withdrawn for a number of years by this time.In the first year of the merger the Club competed as Royal High Stewarts Melville (RHSM), before switching to SMRH the following season. Success was quickly achieved with 4 elevens being fielded each Saturday. The 1st X1 finished 6th in the Scottish League in 1997 and after the Conference League arrangement in 1998 to assist in the formation of the full Scottish National Cricket League from season 1999 onwards, the club are currently members of the SNCL Division 2. The 1st X1 reached the Scottish Cup final in 1997 and won the Masterton Trophy in 1998. STEWARTS MELVILLE COLLEGE F.P. The merger of Stewarts F.P. and Melville F.P.C.C. was agreed at a meeting on 7th March 1973, and the decision was taken to run joint sides in the summer of 1973. The Schools had agreed to merge in the Autumn of 1973. The joint Club ran three Saturday elevens from 1973 and a midweek eleven and social Sunday eleven also played some matches under the 'Trojans' name. The name 'Trojans' coming from a touring side comprising Stewarts and Melville players which functioned in the 1950's and 1960's. Perhaps almost unnoticed the Club incorporated members of the defunct John Watson School F.P. Cricket Club in 1976. John Watsons F.P. Rugby Club had merged with Melville College F.P. Rugby Club in 1971 and with rugby playing cricketers already associated with Stewarts Melville College F.P. it was the natural route for the cricketers to follow. In 1981 a major Club Constitutional change opened the Club to Schoolboys allowing them to be selected on merit for any of the three elevens. Further Constitutional changes have followed over recent years with Club expanding its membership categories, firstly to members of other former pupil Clubs, then limited open membership, to a position where membership was a mixture of former pupils of the School and those who wished to play cricket at excellent facilities. The merger had a price to pay and sadly the excellent playing facilities of Ferryfield on Ferry Road opposite the current Inverleith ground were lost. On the 28th June 1981 the main square hosted its final match before that part of the ground was sold for housing and the second half of Ferryfield was later sold a few years later for further housing. The last match staged being at the time a rare 4th eleven fixture on 9th August 1986. Playing sucess had always been mixed, perhaps disappointing. In 1973 at the time of the merger the East League operated a 'closed league' and it was to be 1975 before promotion and relegation were introduced. Although gaining a 1st Division place in 1975 the Club finished last and were relegated. The Club won the East League 2nd Division in 1976, 1989 and 1985 but on each occasion were relegated again the following season. However, following the 1996 seasons plans were drawn up for the merger with Royal HighCricket Club. ROYAL HIGH SCHOOL F.P. The Royal High School obtained its regal association after the future King Edward VII was tutored by the Rector of Royal High School while he was in residence at Holyrood Palace. It was his mother Queen Victoria who gave the School use of the Holyrood Park ground. This ground is situated opposite the new Scottish Parliament building. Royal High School started using the facilities of Holyrood Park in 1859 and the Royal High School F.P. Cricket Club was formed in 1861. The minute of the original meeting still exists - 3 gentlemen attended a meeting in the Holyrood Park sentry box and duly elected themselves the posts of captain, secretary and treasurer! The Club quickly became popular and large crowds attended matches at Holyrood Park until the First World War. The Club were very successful and regarded as one of the very top sides in Scotland. The most famous match at the ground was probably on 28/29 May 1880 when the Club defeated the full Canada side by 10 wickets. Not only did the Club receive tours but undertook them as well. Tours to Denmark and Germany happened in 1900 with a return trip to Denmark in 1910. The Club continued to play at Holyrood for 60 years with the last match being played on 28th May 1921. The move to Jocks Lodge immediately followed with the first match taking place on the 4th June 1921. They remained at Jocks Lodge until 1988 and then enjoyed a wandering season in 1989 before their new ground at East Barnton Avenue was completed for the 1990 season, beside the Royal High School which had relocated there in 1970. The ground had no facilities such as sight screens and the outfield was never of an acceptable standard for top class cricket. The old Jocks Lodge ground situated on the corner of Portobello Road and Northfield Broadway is now sadly a supermarket. Prior to the 1974 cricket season, both the Royal High cricket and rugby clubs voted for open membership, rather than membership being only open to former pupils of Royal High School.The 'School F.P.' part of the Club name was dropped and the Club then became known as Royal High Cricket Club. STEWARTS COLLEGE F.P. Stewart College F.P. Cricket Club was founded in 1887. The early origins are unknown but by the early 1900's two elevens were fielded every Saturday. Professionals were common in club cricket at the turn of the century and in 1905 the Club employed their first professional thanks to financial assistance from the School Governors. An advertisement, on behalf of Stewartonian Cricket Club, was placed in the Athletic News and this resulted in some 45 applications. The Club continued to employ a professional each season until the start of the first world war. The professional in 1909, F.Barclay, was paid talent money - 10 shillings for 50 runs, £1 for 100 runs and 10 shillings for 6 wickets or more. Two families very much dominated Stewarts cricket from the early 1900s up to the late 1930s, namely Scobie (C.S. and W.M.) and Turnbull (J.B. and W.F.). Bill Turnbull was the first club internationalist, and although only playing 4 times for Scotland, he had to turn down several more invitations due to work commitments. The club were one of the founder member clubs of the Scottish Cricket Union in 1909 and also an original member of the Edinburgh League (later East of Scotland League) in 1953. Interestingly this league was first discussed in 1907! Club tours were a regular feature in the club history, with the first being undertaken in 1937 to Dumfries. Ireland followed in 1938 before the outbreak of the second world war suspended these events until 1949 when Strathmore was visited. Tours to Ireland were then regular events during the 1950s and 1960s. The Club's one playing success was a share of the East of Scotland League in 1963 with Grange and with it a share of the trophy which had been presented by J.B.Anderstream an opening bowler for Stewarts College F.P. between the late 1930s and 1950s. The west part of the Inverleith ground on Ferry Road was purchased in 1894 by the Governors of Daniel Stewarts Hospital, from the Governors of the Fettes Trust. The east part of the ground was purchased in 1897 by the Scottish Football Union (as they were known at the time).The Union were the first of the home unions to own and run its own rugby field. The first rugby international was played in 1899 against Ireland and internationals were played there until January 1925 - the last one being against France. The move by the Union to Murrayfield was deemed necessary as there was insufficient land available to develop the ground for the increase in spectators. The Inverleith ground was then sold to the Merchant Company in 1926 and has been subsequently used by Stewarts College and F.P. Clubs ever since. In the early 1900s the rugby ground was also used for cricket. The groundsman at the time was a very keen cricketer and Leith Caledonian Cricket Club were granted summer lease of the ground. MELVILLE COLLEGE F.P. Melville College was originally known as Edinburgh Institution and the School was founded in 1832, although it was to be 1865 before a Former Pupils Club was formed.Cricket was played at the School from the late 1860s and although the origins of how the F.P. Cricket Club came into being are shrouded in mystery, the Club appears to have existed from the mid 1870's. The Percival King Guide of 1879 (the Scottish Cricket Guide of the time) states Edinburgh Institution F.P. Cricket Club was formed in April 1877 with 33 playing members, but played no first-class matches until season 1878. However, records do exist of a match played against Royal High School F.P. in June 1877. In the 1878 season Edinburgh Institution F.P. employed their first professional - T.Mathieson and during the season he took 50 wickets at an average of 4.44. The early years of the Club were relatively successful with a number of matches being won and in 1880 there is a record of a second eleven fixture arranged with Royal High School F.P. second eleven. After a few years, however, the Club ceased to exist - probably at the end of 1883 season. Some documented evidence at the time suggested they folded because they had such a miserable record! However, "Institution" cricketers did play for other Edinburgh clubs and perhaps the most well known at the time was A.S.Cairns, a fast bowler and sound bat who played for Leith Caledonian and latterly Carlton Cricket Club. A.S.Cairns represented Scotland 8 times including his debut match against Gloucestershire in 1891 who were captained by Dr W.G.Grace. The F.P. Cricket Club were reformed in the Autumn of 1899 and two elevens were fielded in 1900. During the period 1900 to 1914 the practice of widening membership of the Club was adopted to include friends of former pupils from other schools. After the war in 1918, the Club reverted back to former pupils of Edinburgh Institution only. When the Club was originally formed home matches were played at Warriston. In 1907 the Edinburgh Institution Athletic Club had gained lease of a ground at Ferryfield and this was subsequently made available to the School and the F.P. Rugby and Cricket Clubs. In 1925 the original leased ground and further land were purchased at Ferryfield at a cost of £5,800 - the money for this being raised almost entirely from a three day Bazaar held in the Music Hall in George Street. The School and subsequently the Cricket Club changed its name in 1937 to Melville College - this was after much discussion over the previous 3 years by the School governors and parents. It was understood difficulties had arisen in England arising from the interpretation of the word "Institution" which conveyed the meaning "charitable" or "Government" and this would handicap pupils leaving School and seeking employment in England! Before and after the war, Bill Laidlaw emerged as one of Scotland's best slow bowlers. A leg-spin googly bowler he represented Scotland 32 times and one of his best performances was 5 for 51 versus the 1948 Australians at Raeburn Place. When regular cricket ceased during the second world war there were some occassional matches played by a combined Stewarts Melville side!!, before regular cricket got under way again in 1947. The Melville F.P. Cricket Club joined the East of Scotland League in 1953 and by the late fifties the golden era of Melville F.P. cricket was beginning. In Douglas Barr, Eric Thompson and Ronnie Chisholm they formed a formidable team and by 1965 all 3 players were regular fixtures in the Scotland side. The East League was won in seasons 1960 and 1967.The Masterton Trophy won in seasons 1964 and 1966 - the 1st and 3rd year of the competition. In 1964 the beaten finalists were Royal High School F.P. Cricket Club and Melville won the match by losing fewer wickets with the scores tied. Had it not been for so many International calls, the East League would have been won more often than it was during this period. Douglas Barr achieved the greatest individual feat of the period when he took all 10 wickets for 24 runs against Leith Franklin in 1962. The Club played its last season in 1972, although one match was played in June 1973 against the School on their Annual Sports Day - a tradition which had gone on for many years.