Sid Rowles Memorial Cricket Match

 

5th August 2007

 

In aid of the Wherwell Playing Fields  

 

Many in the villages of Wherwell and Chilbolton and the surrounding area will not know why but, every year the Wherwell Cricket Club organises a friendly game of cricket in the memory of 'Sid'. Along with the late Tom Hutton it was their dream to build the new pavilion at Wherwell, long before the huge grants of the national lottery were available. Years of blood, sweat and tears were given by many especially the Playing Fields Committee to ensure it's construction. I'm sure I speak for all those in the Cricket Club and our villages when I say thank you to the Playing Fields Committee for all their continued hard work over the years in support of Sport in our community. Looking to the future I hope that with our continued commitment, we will be able to continue to improve and expand the facilities we have and to increase the level of sporting activity in our villages, for adults and children alike.  -  Richard Rowles (Captain W.C.C.).  

Sid Rowles

 

Sid Rowles, was born and brought up in the village of Wherwell he left the local school at the age of 14 and was apprenticed as a carpenter to Taskers of Anna Valley.  Sid, who developed into an all round sportsman played his first football with Taskers Youth team. He left Taskers to serve for 2 years in the Army Catering Corps where he gained greater football experience in playing with several International players in Army games.   Later he worked with Test Valley Borough Council as a carpenter before joining his brother David at Patchington Estate, Longparish.

 

Finally Sid joined the ground staff at Red School, which became Farleigh School, as a general maintenance man where he was very popular with all the pupils and the school staff and he remained a loyal servant until the day he died. Sid took part in all the village activities, where  his great love was cricket. Sid also took a great interest in the Wherwell Football Club. He played for many years and after his playing days were over he spent a great deal of time as a referee and later still gave the team his sustained support from the touchline. Sid was also a great supporter of Hampshire Cricket and a keen Pompey fan. He also showed a considerable skill at Darts and cribb, winning several trophies in the late fifties, playing for the Home Guard Club.

He was a life member of the Wherwell Playing Fields Association and the Wherwell Cricket Club, which he captained for 10 years. His great ambition was to build a new clubhouse at the playing fields and in this the late Chairman Mr Tom Hutton and Sid worked very closely together.  Perhaps the most important aspect of Sid’s life was that he put so much back into the games he loved when his playing days were over, spending 25 years as a groundsman.

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