With peace came the revival of the Beverley in 1919. "At a meeting of the members of the Beverley Cricket Club, held last month, it was decided that the Club – which has suspended its activities during the war – should be re-started." Even more significantly, "owing to the ground at St. Stephen's not being available, it was decided to accept the terms of the County Authorities for playing matches at St. Lawrence. Evening practice will also be held there."^[1] The connection with Hackington, where the Club had originated in 1835 and where it had 'returned' after 1870, was thus ended, although a few Beverley members continued to play for a St. Stephen's side – described in 1925 as "this old established club" – and Aubrey Lester was their vice-captain in the mid-twenties.^[2] By a roundabout route, therefore, the Beverley Cricket Club was once again associated with the County Ground.

Undoubtedly the Club's reputation and the standard of cricket played were enhanced by the move, but the change did bring some problems. In the first place, the St. Lawrence Ground was only available on Thursdays. When, therefore, 3rd. XI, evening or Saturday matches were arranged they almost invariably had to be played 'away'. Occasionally the City Council's Recreation Ground was used, but this was not particularly satisfactory. As Alfred Divers pointed out at the 1926 dinner:

"they had had trouble to get a ground and hoped that the City fathers who were present would see that the Recreation Ground was put into better condition for cricket. On the last occasion he was up there the pitch was in a very bad state, very bumpy and apt to be dangerous..."^[3]

An alternative, tried in 1939, was to use Kent College during the school holidays as a home ground, but this could only be a partial solution to the problem. Many members must have agreed with Laurie Kemp at the Centenary Dinner in 1935 when he said: "I hope that by the time the second centenary comes round, we shall have a ground of our own".^[4]

The other major problem the Club faced was financial. "Cricket at St. Lawrence was an expensive item," explained Charles Baker, the 'A' team captain and a bank clerk, in 1923.^[5] Surprisingly, it was only in that year, when there was a deficit of £22, that a serious effort was made to put the Club's finances right. The annual subscription was raised from 5s. to 10s.6d.; there was sudden expansion in the list of Vice Presidents, recognized as a valuable source of income; and the annual dinner was revived. Above all, however, the Club was rescued by the fund-raising efforts of "that versatile humorist" Leslie Goring, and especially by his concerts, such as one at the Foresters' Hall in February, 1924, which made a profit of £10. By 1925, Alfred Divers was able to report that the finances were on a sound footing thanks to Goring's achievements, and it was in recognition of this that Goring, alongside Divers, was made a Life Member of the Club in 1926.

With its new ground and stable finances, the Beverley was able to play its part in the growing popularity of all kinds of sporting activity in Canterbury. Bowls (the Canterbury Club grew from 67 members in 1919 to over 90 by 1936), athletics (the Canterbury A.C. was formed in 1926), golf (the course at Old Park was opened in 1927), tennis and cycling all prospered, and there were "signs of a decided boom in village cricket" in 1921.^[6] In 1919 and 1920, the Beverley ran only one team. Then in 1921 a second side, playing on Tuesday evenings, had seven fixtures. In 1922, a Thursday 2nd. XI was organized for a few matches and the evening team now moved to Saturday. By 1923, both the 1st. and 2nd. XIs had full fixture lists, and although only four Saturday evening games appeared on the fixture card, it was "hoped to arrange more Matches later on".^[7] Then in June of that year, the Kentish Gazette commented:

"the idea that tennis is attracting players from the joys of cricket is refuted by the experience of the Old Beverley Club on Thursday last. On that day the popularity of the national summer game was emphasized by that Club turning out no less than three teams – a happy state of affairs which is unique in the long history of the club... The membership of the Beverley Club this season is the largest since the war, and is rapidly reaching pre-war figures. Cricket lovers will be glad to hear of the success of one of the oldest – if not the oldest – Club in the country. Floreat Beverley!"^[8]

For a while the Beverley certainly did flourish. In 1924, there was a full programme of matches for three Thursday teams, as well as a few evening games, and in each of the next three years Alfred Divers was able to report a record membership of the Club. To accommodate these players, the Saturday side – now playing in the afternoon – had a full fixture list in 1925, and in the following year there were at least seven mid-week evening matches. For two or three seasons, therefore, five teams were organized. In the event, it proved difficult to sustain this level of activity, and by 1929 there was a return to just two Thursday teams, a Saturday XI and four evening matches. This remained the basic pattern throughout the 1930s, although there was a revival of the evening team in 1938 and 1939, probably through the efforts of the captain, Ernie Baldock.

It is clear from the balance of fixtures that mid-week cricket continued to predominate in the Club throughout the inter-war period. The Thursday XI was certainly regarded as the senior team and was probably stronger than the Saturday XI. This remained the case despite the fact that weekend opportunities for cricket – as for other activities – expanded rapidly in the 1920s and 1930s. In particular, "the introduction of the Saturday afternoon closing in many businesses" in Canterbury in 1934 was expected to weaken Thursday sides generally, as several players would no longer be available.^[9] As it turned out, the Beverley was not seriously affected, and despite fears expressed at the time the 'balance of power' continued to favour the Thursday men.

The pattern of the Thursday fixture list changed little. St. Lawrence, Kent College and Chartham Mental Hospital were regular opponents throughout the period, with Herne Bay and Ramsgate Wesleyans joining them in the mid-twenties. There was little travelling involved, as Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Dover and, for a Whit Monday fixture, Kennington, were the most distant venues. The one unusual feature was the number of military opponents in the early 1930s: as well as the Buffs, the Sherwood Foresters, the Lincolnshire Regiment and several others were played. On Saturdays, the picture was very similar. Chartham Mental Hospital were again played regularly, while Charlton Park, Littlebourne, Sheldwich, Kennington, Whitstable and several sides from Herne Bay were the most frequent of the other opponents. If anything, there was even less travel than on Thursdays – at least as far as distance was concerned, for almost all these matches had to be played away.

It is not easy to judge the standard of cricket played, for wickets varied as much as the opposition. In 1923, for example, Beverley made 188 against Chislet on the County Ground (Beverley 188 (O'Shea 80); Chislet 94); but in the return match they were bowled out for 24 and yet only lost narrowly (Beverley 24; Chislet 28).^[10] Totals of over 200 became more frequent, as did individual centuries, with Laurie Kemp and Leslie 'Dick' Divers the most prolific batsmen. Even so, batting averages of over 30 were unusual: for the Thursday XI, Read Gillett headed the averages in 1930 and 1931 with 21.5 and 18, and Bert Hills in 1935 with 18.8. Only Divers for the Saturday side achieved this standard with any consistency. The leading bowlers, on the other hand, not infrequently turned in remarkable figures, such as Jesse Leman's 7 for 14 against Simon Langton in 1922, Bill Parker's 6 for 8 against Broadstairs in 1930 and L.Read's 9 for 18 against the same opposition in 1931, and Parker's 6 for 2 against Whitstable in 1925.^[11]

BEVERLEY v WHITSTABLE, 1925

BEVERLEYWHITSTABLE

R.Gillett, b Bishop19L.Kemp, c Cane, b Sandy..... 2

S.Cripps, lbw Callingham... 14Wood, b Sandy2

A.W.Hills, c Wood, b L.Kemp12Lambert, b Parker0

T.Cane, b L.Kemp26. Major Wall, b Parker...... 2

C.Howlland, b Wall12Bishop, b Parker1

W.Sandy, c L.Kemp, b Wood2Callingham, st Cripps, b Sandy0

W.Parker, b Callingham....... 29L.Kemp, not out2

D.Bateman, c L.Kemp, b Wall2Scales, b Parker0

L.Read, b Callingham......... 13R.Kemp, b Parker0

L.Goring, c & b Callingham13Allen, b Parker0

A.Palmer, not out4S.Brown, retired hurt........... 0

Extras15Extras.. 2

Total151Total.. 11

Parker 6 for 2, including hat-trick

Averages of less than 10 were not uncommon, therefore, as with Bill Sandy's 102 wickets at 9.6 in 1931, and Ernie Baldock for the Saturday team managed this feat more often than not throughout the thirties.

In the immediate post-war period the Club was not particularly successful. 1923 however proved a turning-point as much on the field as off. "The past season had been the best they had experienced since the war", reported Bill Parker, with eleven of the sixteen matches being won.^[12] From then on, the Thursday team generally managed to win more matches than they lost, and the 1923 record was surpassed in 1934 when fifteen matches were won, two drawn and only four lost. In the latter season the Saturday XI also did well to win ten of its nineteen matches, and it did even better in 1936 with twelve victories out of eighteen. A feature of the matches in this period was the absence of draws – indeed, from 1920 to 1925 the Thursday side drew only eight of its 95 games, and managed a result in every game in 1923.

Off the field the success of the Club was reflected in the annual dinners, revived in 1922. These were held generally in November at the County Hotel, and quickly proved very popular. As well as Club members and their friends, the guests regularly included the Mayor and other local notables – aldermen, councillors, the Sheriff and even the Chief Constable. The evening's entertainment comprised a series of speeches by Club officials and guests, musical interludes (often featuring Leslie Goring), and occasional special items such as a conjuror, marionettes or the bagpipes. Small wonder that the Kentish Gazette should describe the dinner as "always an outstanding event in the sporting calendar of Canterbury".^[13]

The dinner was particularly effective in consolidating the Club's reputation in the local community. This was helped – indeed deliberately fostered – by the policy of extending the list of the Club's Vice Presidents. In 1895, there had been just two Vice Presidents – Col. Cantis and John Evens, both distinguished residents in St. Stephen's – and these were only gradually added to in the 1900s, in particular by the inclusion of the Mayor, ex officio, in 1910. In the 1920s, however, the Member of Parliament and then the Archdeacon of Canterbury appeared in the list, as did local councillors such as Frank Hooker, businessmen such as Charles Williamson, and even institutions such as the Langton Garage, alongside former players such as Tom Underhill. By 1928, Cllr. Charles Phillips, presiding at the dinner, mentioned that the Club was remarkable in having 30 Vice Presidents. By 1936, there were 40.

The speeches that these many notables made and heard provide an unusual insight into the nature of the Club and the role of cricket in this period. Above all, there were exhortations on the values of sportmanship – "playing the game" and "team spirit". In a remarkable address in 1930, the Mayor, Cllr. Rev. S. Gordon Wilson, stressed that "cricket was a great moral asset... Everybody knew... that the greatest sportsmen in the world were Englishmen, and that the greatest of all English sports was cricket". Ironically, he went on to observe that "cricket and other English games were being taken up in Germany in order develop the spirit of sportsmanship in that country".^[14] Similar themes were developed over the next few years. In 1933, for example, Don Andrews praised the Club Captain, Bert Hills, because he "always played the game in the right spirit".^[15] This rhetoric reached its height in Alderman Robert Arrowsmith's speech at the Centenary Dinner. "I think that the spirit is more important than the winning or the losing of matches – the reputation of the Club and the popularity of the Club...", he proclaimed, and went on, perhaps inevitably, to misquote Grantland Rice:

"If when the one great Scorer comes

To write against your name,

He writes not that you won or lost,

But that you played the game.

– that is the spirit that we want to foster. (Applause)."^[16]

To some extent this language reflected the reality of the Beverley's cricket in these years. Matches certainly remained 'friendly', in every sense. The Canterbury League was revived in 1921 – at first on Saturday afternoons and then, in 1923, on midweek evenings – but it only lasted for a few years and the Beverley was not involved. Later, in 1937, there were discussions about a possible East Kent cricket league, but nothing came of them, and Beverley's leaders would not have approved.^[17] Their 'sporting' approach was emphasized in the match against old rivals St. Lawrence in 1936 – "a few extra minutes being played, as the issue was so open", even though it meant defeat. (St. Lawrence 175-7 dec.; Beverley 171.)^[18] It was partly this, no doubt, that led 'White Horse' – the Kentish Gazette's cricket correspondent – to describe the Beverley team in his pre-season review for 1937 as "a very popular combination – modest in victory, good losers, and always playing the game in the right spirit".^[19] A week later, the Club was doing its best to live up to this reputation. "With their usual sportsmanship, I understand, the Beverleyites wanted to play the game out, although the position was rather an uncomfortable one for them, but they had thoroughly earned a draw, and I think the [St. Lawrence] Thursday captain was right in declining their request". (St. Lawrence 195-8 dec.; Beverley 132-8.)^[20]

This attitude was greatly helped by the fact that a number of players supported the Club regularly – on and off the field – over many years. The Divers family epitomized this esprit de corps. 'Uncle' Alfred, briefly Saturday Captain in 1922 and then an umpire, remained Secretary and Treasurer throughout this period and became the guardian of the Beverley's traditions. At the annual dinners he regaled those present with reminiscences, such as of William de Chair Baker's umpiring, or with the results of his researches into the Club's past.^[21] He was made a Life Member in 1926, and in 1937 he was presented with a pipe smoking cabinet and an illuminated address:

"The members of the Beverley C.C. desire to place on record their appreciation of the invaluable services you have rendered to the Club during the past 50 years as a playing member and, later, as its Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. During these years you have devoted a considerable amount of time to the furtherance of the cause of cricket in this locality, and the energy you have displayed in the execution of the many duties of your office clearly illustrates how thoroughly your heart has been in your work.

The success which has attended the Club, has to a great extent, undoubtedly been due to your painstaking efforts, and it is sincerely hoped that, in company with good health and strength, these efforts may be continued for many more years."^[22]

His nephew Harry had started playing in the 1890s and was Assistant Secretary from 1900 to 1924. He took over the role of Saturday Captain in 1923 and continued in that post until illness forced him to hand over to Ernie Baldock in 1938. His active playing career had thus lasted for forty years. The third generation of the family was represented by Harry's son Leslie ('Dick'). An Old Langtonian, he started playing in 1926 and soon became a key figure in the Saturday side, topping their batting averages more often than not in the 1930s and scoring several centuries. "Divers as usual played some very strong shots in front of the wicket" is a typical comment from the local newspaper.^[23] He also maintained the office-holding tradition, being the Evening Captain in 1931, a committee member in 1932, and the Saturday Match Secretary from 1933 to 1937.

The contribution of Laurie Kemp was, in its way, equally remarkable. He had joined the Club in the 1890s and had captained the side in 1911, but he saved his greatest achievements for the post-war years. In 1920, the Kentish Gazette's cricket correspondent commented on "the remarkably fine batting of Mr. Laurence Kemp" after "a brilliant 133 not out against Chartham Asylum".^[24] In 1921, again at Chartham, he made 126 not out in partnership with Bert Hills, enabling the Beverley to declare at 245 for 1.^[25] And in 1922, he did even better:

"the sensational performance of last week was the mammoth score of Mr. L.Kemp, who rubbed it in to the tune of 181 not out against his old school (Simon Langton). For years the genial 'Laurie' has been a wonderfully fine batsman. Reckoning by years, he ought in the natural order of things to be now in the veteran stage. He declines, however, to allow Anno Domini to get the best of him, and has apparently determined, like old wine, to improve with age. Once upon a time Mr. Kemp was the champion stonewaller in the Canterbury district. One day, however, he discovered that he could get fours with comparative ease and found the process so pleasurable that he has been at it ever since. More power to his elbow!"^[26]

A fortnight later, it was Kent College's turn to be given a lesson in the benefits of experience as he scored another unbeaten century.^[27] A loyal Club member, Laurie Kemp continued to play for many more years and appeared in the 1935 Centenary Match alongside his son Ralph. The latter was also a Beverley player, topping the averages and scoring a century against St. Lawrence in 1933. He then joined St. Lawrence, where he was successful as both player and umpire.

The combination of cricketing skill and loyalty to the Club was exemplified by the four players who shared the captaincy of the 1st. XI from 1922 to 1948 – William Parker, Albert Hills, Wilfred Sandy and Stanley Cripps. Of these the most important was Bill Parker. A former pupil of St. Stephen's School, he had first joined the Club in 1911 and was on the committee by 1914. He was a fairly successful bowler – "trundling his leg-breaks and off-breaks", according to Leslie Goring – and good enough to head the averages in 1925.^[28] More significantly, he captained the side from 1922 to 1928 and from 1934 to 1936, became Thursday Match Secretary in 1929 and was the organizer of the Sussex Tours from their inception in 1931. What was referred to at the time of his death in 1974 as "his old world courtesy" and his "unfailing amiability and gentlemanly manner" contributed significantly to the spirit within the Club. On the death of Alfred Divers in 1946, he was the obvious choice as Secretary and Treasurer, and finally in 1953 he was elected President of the Beverley. His services to the Club were recognized at the 1961 dinner, commemorating his 50 years association, and by his election as a Life Member in 1974.^[29]

Bert Hills was primarily a batsman, although his occasional bowling was good enough for him to head the averages in 1923. He scored 111 not out at Chartham Asylum in 1921, partnering Laurie Kemp in a double century stand, and his 102 not out against Birchington was one of the highlights of the 1931 season.^[30] One of his best performances enabled the Club to defeat St. Lawrence in 1930: "the wicket was distinctly in favour of the bowlers, but Hills overcame the difficulties in great style, his driving being powerful and well-timed" (St. Lawrence 54 (Parker 5-24, Sandy 5-24); Beverley 117 (Hills 62).)^[31] There was "no finer fielder at cover-point", according to L.W.Read, while as a captain, in 1932-33 and again in 1937-38, he was "a quiet, unassuming man who knew how to conduct a team on the cricket field. He never got flustered and always played the game in the right spirit".^[32]

Bill Sandy, an ex-Chorister like several notable Beverley players, was the foremost bowler of the inter-war years and "rendered yeoman service with his invidious slow deliveries".^[33] These leg-breaks – "Sandy's tempters" – usually made him the Club's leading wicket-taker.^[34] In 1931, for example, he took 102 wickets for the Thursday and Saturday sides at an average of less than 10, and in 1933 he took 84 wickets for the Thursday XI alone at 12.5 apiece. He captained the team in 1939 and in the difficult circumstances of 1940. His success was helped by the presence behind the stumps of Stan Cripps, Captain from 1929 to 1931 and again in 1947-8. He was a very useful batsman, but it was his wicket-keeping – he was "very quiet, but his work was full of quality" – that established his reputation.^[35] It is a reflection on the nature of the game in this period – and on Sandy's bowling – that Cripps often stumped more batsmen than he caught. In 1934, for example, he stumped 14 and caught 9, while in 1938 he stumped 15 and caught 11.^[36] "Stumped Cripps, bowled Sandy" was probably the most frequent mode of dismissal for Beverley's opponents in these years.

In addition to these stalwarts, several notable young players appeared for the Club in the inter-war years. The most distinguished was Arthur Fagg. According to Bob Arrowsmith, "Fagg was spotted by Joe Murrin [the groundsman at St. Lawrence] batting in the nets of the Beverley Club at Canterbury; when Joe asked if he made any runs for them, he was told they did not think him worth a place".^[37] In fact, he did play several matches, and in 1931 he made 55 against R.Gillett's XI. His association with Beverley was unsurprisingly brief, however. By the end of 1931, he was already heading the Kent Club and Ground averages and well on the way to his illustrious career, but he did return for the Centenary Dinner in 1935.^[38] During that season, the 1st. XI bowling averages were headed by young Alec Mackenzie (16 wickets at 10.62 apiece). Three years later, he was playing for Hampshire as a leg-break bowler and middle order batsman. After war-time service in the R.A.F., he was a leading St. Lawrence player for some years.^[39] Other prominent young players were Claude O'Shea, who scored several fifties for the Club in 1923, including 96 not out at Chartham, and was given a county trial in 1924; and Norman Else, a former Captain of Kent College and the leading run-scorer in 1933 and 1934, who had a trial for Worcestershire and later played for both St. Lawrence and Brett's.

BEVERLEY v KENNINGTON, 1933

BEVERLEYKENNINGTON

L.Divers, c Willis, b Head... 23J.Willis, b Baldock19

V.Land, c Raven, b Head....... 6W.Raven, b Else10

N.Else, lbw Stickels......... 98J.Gilham, b Parker1

S.Cripps, c Willis, b Stickels24R.Wheatley, b Parker........ 26

D.Andrews, c Gilham, b Ruff35E.Ruff, c H.Divers, b Else. 0

W.Parker, c Raven, b Head.. 48J.Stanford, b Else13

H.Divers, not out56E.Stickels, c E.Baldock, b K.Baldock............. 5

Extras24G.Head, c Else, b Parker..... 21

Total(6 wkts. dec.)........ 313H.Martin, b Else0

E.Baldock, L.Jacks, K.Baldock,T.Saffery, c Parker, b Else1

H.Greenfield did not batA.Hobday, not out26

Extras11

Total133

Else 5 for 38

The Club was equally dependent for its success on more modest players who nonetheless contributed a great deal to its well-being. Vic Vaughan, for instance, joined the Beverley in 1922. He was on the committee by 1924 and captained the 2nd. 'B' team in 1925. When his playing days were over, he continued to serve the Club, most notably as a scorer, for many more years. His achievements and his fifty years association with the Beverley were recognized when he became a Life Member in 1973, and he only gave up scoring in 1976. Alf Foster umpired for over thirty years, and was presented with a clock for his services in 1954.^[40] Leslie Goring's fund-raising activities have already been mentioned; even after he left the district, he continued to take an active interest in the Club, watching matches during the Sussex Tour and regularly attending the annual dinners. On these occasions, Don Andrews often played the piano to accompany the singing. He had joined in 1923, became a regular Sussex tourist, and was still playing occasionally in the 1960s.

Perhaps the most important member of all who started playing in the 1920s was Cyril ('Sam') Rogers. He was a remarkable all-round sportsman and sports administrator. As well as playing cricket for the Beverley, he formed a successful soccer club, was Captain and Secretary of the Canterbury Rifle Club, captained the Canterbury Hockey Club 2nd. XI and later umpired for them, and even played tennis for several years. He was associated with the Beverley for nearly 60 years. Never an outstanding bowler, he was nevertheless a very loyal club member. He took a hat-trick in 1947, nearly topped the averages in 1964, and still took a few wickets when he was over sixty. Even more significantly, he was Secretary-Treasurer from 1958 to 1970 and President from 1975 to 1985, as well as being Secretary of the Canterbury District of the Association of Kent Cricket Clubs. He became a Life Member in 1971, and a special tribute was paid to him in 1976.^[41]

In his speech at the annual dinner in 1936, Alfred Divers remarked, in what was by now the traditional way, on the role of cricket in breaking down class barriers.

"It was a social game, because the lord played with the labourer in the villages, and the same kind of thing took place, on a different scale, in their own Club. Those who were well off joined in the same game as those who had to work 'by the sweat of their brows'."^[42]

It is not easy to check on the accuracy of such an assertion, but it would appear that the commercial and professional classes continued to predominate in the Club. Bill Parker, for instance, started out as an apprentice at Hollamby's the tailors, and ended up owning the shop. Stan Cripps ran the St. Dunstan's Nursery, Vic Vaughan was a butcher, Charles Baker was a bank cashier and Cecil Ward taught at the Simon Langton Grammar School. Both Parker and Don Andrews, a chartered accountant, went on to become J.P.s. In many ways, therefore, the Club's membership seemed to reflect the 'shopocracy' that was so important in Canterbury life.

One who certainly did work "by the sweat of his brow" was Ernie Baldock. A remarkable man in many ways, he first played for the Beverley in 1930, when a gardener at Broad Oak Lodge to Charles Phillips, a former Club member, and in 1936 he became a gardener at the King's School, where he stayed until his retirement in 1971. He was the Saturday side's leading wicket-taker in the 1930s – a slow swing bowler, operating off just three or four paces – and also a useful batsman. He captained the Evening XI from 1936 to 1939, and took over from Harry Divers as Captain of the Saturday XI in 1939. In addition, he was an active Methodist preacher and, as he remarked in his characteristically modest memoirs, published on his retirement, "I have done some work in the Church with Youth Clubs, and other youth organizations". He was always keen to encourage youngsters to play cricket – and to play it in the right spirit. "We played for the love of the game and not so much for the result", he remarked of the Haymakers C.C., a team of King's School masters and boys that he helped establish and that is still going strong.^[43]

For many Beverley players, "playing the game in the right spirit" came to be associated above all with the Sussex Tour. This was started by Bill Parker in 1931, and rapidly established itself as both a cricketing and a social success. An East Kent bus was hired for the week, and although the pattern of fixtures varied from year to year, the team usually spent a few days at Hastings and a few days at Brighton. On the first Tour, the opponents were Hastings Nondescripts, Pevensey and Westham, Maresfield, Worthing and Ashburnham. Soon Rye, Robertsbridge and Ditchling were established as regular fixtures, with six matches normally being played. The whole excursion was fully reported in the local press and events off the field provided an endless supply of reminiscences.^[44] "On the Sussex Tour they had a splendid time socially – (laughter, and hear, hear) – and they had a successful time", reported Don Andrews at the annual dinner in 1933.^[45] And even fifty years later, Ralph Kemp recalled

"the sea sickness of Bert Hills who thought that a steamer trip from Hastings to the Isle of Wight and back would be finished in 2 hours. He returned so green about the gills well after midnight and was unfit for duty the next morning!"^[46]

It was an enthusiastic Club, therefore, that celebrated its centenary in 1935. Disappointingly, the season itself turned out to be one of the worst in this period – none of the teams winning more games than they lost.^[47] Otherwise the anniversary went well. A special match was played on Whit Monday, June 10th., on the Simon Langton School Ground at Nackington, between the Thursday and Saturday sides. Laurie Kemp, the oldest playing member, appeared for the Saturday team alongside his son Ralph, Harry Divers and Ernie Baldock, while Bill Parker, Bert Hills, Stan Cripps and Bill Sandy all turned out for the Thursday team. The latter confirmed their superiority on the field, as Alfred Divers and various other friends of the Club watched.^[48]

SATURDAY XI

T.Evans, b Sandy1

S.Knight, not out27

R.Kemp, st Cripps, b Sandy1417

L.Kemp, b Sandy4

E.Tomalin, b Parker1230

E.L.Baldock, lbw Hodgeman1313

H.J.Divers, b Mackenzie0

A.Lewis, c Parker, b Mackenzie0not out12

C.Dobson, lbw Mackenzie0

J.Millen, st Cripps, b Sandy6

E.Webb, st Cripps, b Sandy0

Extras8

85(for 8 wkts.) 94

THURSDAY XI

A.W.Hills, c Kemp, b Tomalin12

W.W.Sandy, b Baldock3

S.D.Cripps, c Baldock, b Kemp21

A.R.Nash, c Knight, b Baldock22

W.J.Parker, b Baldock5

P.A.Mackenzie, c Kemp, b Baldock11

V.Land, b Tomalin21

J.Hughes, b Tomalin23

G.Hodgeman, b Baldock12

L.Welch, not out3

C.Ward, did not bat

Extras8

(9 wkts. dec.) 141

Later that summer, the Kentish Gazette recalled the foundation of the Club by publishing an article from K.H.Jones – 'Interesting Cricket Relic' – on the Beverley Board, which had recently been cleaned by Frank Wilson, the landlord of the 'Old Beverlie'.^[49] Finally, on November 28th. a Centenary Dinner was held at the County Hotel. 'The Match Book of the East Kent Beverley Cricket Club from the year 1835', which had been acquired by Alfred Divers from the de Chair Baker family, was prominently displayed. Speakers included Alderman R.H.Arrowsmith, soon to become President of the Club, and the Sheriff, J.B.Thompson, as well as the Beverley's two senior members, Alfred Divers and Laurie Kemp, who reminisced about former players such as Tom West and Tom Ireland. The whole occasion, rounded off by songs and other entertainments, proved a great success.^[50]

The progress of the Club in its second century was soon interrupted by war. In contrast to 1914, however, the Second World War did not see the end of club cricket in Canterbury. There was considerable debate on the subject, but "keeping the game alive" was justified in terms of maintaining fitness and providing recreation for those in reserved occupations and for servicemen at home and on leave.^[51] In the first summer of the war, therefore, an attempt was made to continue playing as usual – and the decision seemed to be justified by events: "although having constantly to change the team and occasionally hunt for players, the Beverley Thursday had a very enjoyable season, under the able captaincy of Bill Sandy".^[52] The Kentish Gazette cricket correspondent later reflected on the year with admiration and some amazement. "Local enthusiasm for cricket is such that in spite of the obvious difficulties a full season was played on the St. Lawrence Ground in 1940. Both Beverley and St. Lawrence ran sides, most of the opponents being from the services, whilst the clubs included several players from the Royal Navy, Army and R.A.F. in their teams. When other opposition was not available, the two clubs played each other so that by the end of the season they became very close friends. Play continued whilst the Battle of Britain raged overhead, and Goering's Luftwaffe must have been somewhat disconcerted at the serene scene below."^[53] On Thursday July 25th., Beverley and St. Lawrence indeed played each other on the County Ground during an air-raid warning. The result was a tie.^[54]

BEVERLEY v ST. LAWRENCE, 1940

BEVERLEYST. LAWRENCE

A.W.Hills, c Simpson, b Heyer16G.B.Heyer, b Sandy12

W.J.Parker, c Reed, b Brett... 3O.Goldsmith, c Walshaw, b Sandy0

A.Barwick, c Lovelace, b Brett8R.Mayes, c Parker, b Anderson8

A.G.Walshaw, b Brett........ 20E.L.Baldock, c Parker, b Sandy17

D.F.Andrews, b Brett............ 4G.A.Simpson, c and b Anderson23

J.King, st Rose, b Heyer..... 12P.Lovelace, c Barwick, b Sandy1

R.Moon, c and b Brett......... 0J.H.Hirst, c Andrews, b Sandy0

R.Foster, b Heyer4B.Rafferty, run out7

W.W.Sandy, b Brett............ 1W.Rose, st Moon, b Sandy.. 2

F.Anderson, not out3J.S.Brett, not out0

E.Matson, run out0H.F.Reed, c Moon, b Anderson1

Extras. 4Extras. 4

7575

Unsurprisingly, therefore, it was agreed that "the game must go on in Canterbury" in 1941. To facilitate this, and to overcome some of the problems experienced in raising teams, the two clubs decided to join forces as the 'St. Lawrence - Beverley Cricket Club'. Initially the intention was to run just one side, but it quickly became apparent that it would be possible to run two Saturday sides as well as a Thursday XI, and also – a new departure for the Beverley – a Sunday XI with a limited fixture list. The County Ground had an unfamiliar look.

"For a considerable time the Army occupied most of the buildings, and there were guns, ambulances and lorries in the surround. The Ladies' lavatory at the Nackington Gate was an explosives store, and under the concrete stand there was a control room and air raid shelter. The adjoining hospital had a coal dump and emergency kitchens in the surround, the iron stand was a petrol store and the ground was also used for Home Guard training."^[55]

Yet under the captaincy of Eric Pettit, a former Beverley player, on Thursdays, and Bill Dutnall of St. Lawrence on Saturdays, the new Club proved a great success and continued as a joint venture until the end of the 1946 season. Forces teams, especially from the R.A.F., initially provided the bulk of the opposition, although a few local clubs such as Dover and Barham, as well as Chislet Colliery, were also played. In all, 272 matches were played by the combined club: 159 were won, 57 lost, 1 tied and 55 drawn.^[56]