Banner from sports and pastimes page of the Bucks Herald, 1925.
Sport in Great Linford
The village has at one time or another boasted a variety of teams and organisations participating in sporting activities, including darts, cricket, football and even quoits and skittles. It also seems that each of the pubs in Great Linford had a particular sporting discipline that they were principally associated with. The Wharf Inn was the preferred watering hole of the cricketers (and for a time their club headquarters), The Nags Head was favoured by the patronage (as it still is today) of a darts team, whilst the Black Horse Inn was the home of hunting, including kennels for hunting dogs.
Indeed, given its rural location, in can be of no great surprise to the reader that activities many would now deplore as blood-sports played a large part in the life of residents. Otter, fox and badger hunting all figure to one degree or another in the story of Great Linford, but we can also add some somewhat more unexpected sporting connections to the village, such that a well-known bantam weight boxer trained at the Black Horse Inn in 1902 and that the village was even once home to the cleverest horse in Europe.
Blood Sports
Fox hunters and hounds walking through Great Linford High Street, circa 1967.
Sadly, throughout the country there was once a considerable interest in, and acceptance of, blood-sports. Indeed, newspaper accounts of hunts were delivered in the same admiring tones as would a reporter enthusing on the genteel charms of a game of cricket or an exciting goal at a football match.
However, whilst the accounts of blood-sports carried within these pages shall not shy away from the brutality and contradictions inherent in these activities, it would equally be unfair to unduly vilify those who took part or offered approval. Hunting was very much treated and accepted as a legitimate sport, and Great Linford quite naturally would have had many devotees, especially given that the village was home to one particularly well-known hunting organisation, the Bucks Otter Hunt. To learn more about blood-sports in Great Linford, click here.
However, whilst the accounts of blood-sports carried within these pages shall not shy away from the brutality and contradictions inherent in these activities, it would equally be unfair to unduly vilify those who took part or offered approval. Hunting was very much treated and accepted as a legitimate sport, and Great Linford quite naturally would have had many devotees, especially given that the village was home to one particularly well-known hunting organisation, the Bucks Otter Hunt. To learn more about blood-sports in Great Linford, click here.
Boxing
Harry Ware was a Bantam Weight champion who in 1902 took over as publican of the Black Horse Inn, establishing there a gym, which was promoted as a particularly well-equipped facility for the training of boxers. Sadly, it seems that the project was curtailed before it could establish itself, perhaps because of a tragedy that the family became involved in. Read more about boxing in Great Linford.
Cricket
Cricket seems to have developed in the vicinity of Great Linford in the 1850s, with the earliest recorded match occurring in June of 1852. These first matches appear to have been friendlies between nearby villages (perhaps with a dash of local rivalry added in), but by 1868 we find a first solid reference to a Great Linford Cricket Club indicating that the pastime was becoming more organised. It was not however until 1900 that the North Bucks and District Cricket League was created, with a team from Great Linford amongst the founding members. Click here to read a history of cricket in Great Linford.
Fishing
Fishing competitions in the canal were a regular feature of local life, such as one held on Saturday October 15th, 1887, in which an R. Twigg took first prize for a fish weighing 1Ib 13½ozs. Sadly, we are not told what kind of fish, but perhaps it was cooked up that evening when the competitors gathered for a social event at the Wharf Inn.
Though next to nothing can be discovered about it, there was certainly a Great Linford Fishing Association in existence for a time, with a reference made to it in the August 20th, 1937, edition of the Wolverton Express.
It seems not even war could stop determined fishers (it had certainly severely curtailed cricket and football), as we find the annual competition of the association being held on September 12th, 1943.
The village was also host to other competitions, such as the final of the North Bucks Angling Federation’s annual championship, which was decided at Great Linford in July 1960. Competitions continued to be played at least into the 1990s in the vicinity of Great Linford, such as the C&A National Junior Angling Championship, and surprisingly we even find Sky Sports 1 broadcasting a match from Great Linford in July of 1998.
Though next to nothing can be discovered about it, there was certainly a Great Linford Fishing Association in existence for a time, with a reference made to it in the August 20th, 1937, edition of the Wolverton Express.
It seems not even war could stop determined fishers (it had certainly severely curtailed cricket and football), as we find the annual competition of the association being held on September 12th, 1943.
The village was also host to other competitions, such as the final of the North Bucks Angling Federation’s annual championship, which was decided at Great Linford in July 1960. Competitions continued to be played at least into the 1990s in the vicinity of Great Linford, such as the C&A National Junior Angling Championship, and surprisingly we even find Sky Sports 1 broadcasting a match from Great Linford in July of 1998.
Football
The earliest known organised football match in the village took place in 1889, which was played against North Crawley, but in 1909 the Great Linford Hornets football team was founded, becoming a fixture in village sporting life for some 40 years. Once described as, “a force to be reckoned with in North Bucks football”, they also had more than their fair share of off-seasons. Click here to read a history of football in Great Linford.
Equestrian pursuits
Horse races were traditionally held at Bury Field, Newport Pagnell from as early as 1771, and possibly earlier still, but in the late 1800s, after a gap of some 25 years, the tradition was revived. Given the close proximity of Bury Field to Great Linford, it seems entirely unsurprising to learn that special trains were laid on to convey racegoers to and from the village. We can also see one prominent Great Linford resident amongst the organisers and officials. Herbert Nathaniel Clode was intimately involved in the creation of the Bucks Otter Hunt, but in May of 1890, he is mentioned in an account of a race day at Bury Field in the capacity of official starter.
On Wednesday January 31st, 1923, almost the entire population of the village is reported to have turned out to witness a race over approximately a mile between horses owned by Great Linford’s squire William Rupert Edolph Andrewes Uthwatt and a farmer, Mr. W. Powell. Swelled by local farmers from across the district, a crowd of upwards of 600 spectators were on hand to see a wager between the two men settled; whose horse was the best? The answer was William Uthwatt’s, by eight lengths.
The Wolverton Express of March 10th, 1944 presents a distinctly chocolate box picture of rural life in the parish, explaining that, “One has only to get into the byways of this part of Bucks to see youngsters and young ladies being taught the art of horsemanship”, adding the intriguing observation that, “there are some pretty bridle-riding lanes that lead from Great Linford, the centre of this activity.”
On Wednesday January 31st, 1923, almost the entire population of the village is reported to have turned out to witness a race over approximately a mile between horses owned by Great Linford’s squire William Rupert Edolph Andrewes Uthwatt and a farmer, Mr. W. Powell. Swelled by local farmers from across the district, a crowd of upwards of 600 spectators were on hand to see a wager between the two men settled; whose horse was the best? The answer was William Uthwatt’s, by eight lengths.
The Wolverton Express of March 10th, 1944 presents a distinctly chocolate box picture of rural life in the parish, explaining that, “One has only to get into the byways of this part of Bucks to see youngsters and young ladies being taught the art of horsemanship”, adding the intriguing observation that, “there are some pretty bridle-riding lanes that lead from Great Linford, the centre of this activity.”
The cleverest horse in Europe
Great Linford was home in the 1940s to “the cleverest trained mare in Europe”, or as least this was the acclamation heaped on the equine star by the Biggleswade Chronicle of August 10th, 1945. The occasion was the performance of horse and rider at the Northill Flower and Gymkhana show, one of numerous events that the horse travelled to in a long career, which included the astounding statistic that it had appeared, “before over two million People, including Queen Geraldine of Albania.” Not bad for a horse that was said to be untrainable.
This astounding mare went by the name of Kathleen Mavourneen, which one can only presume was a reference to the song by Frederick Crouch, written in 1837. The song had in turn inspired a film of the same name released in 1937, which perhaps was a more pertinent motivation for the naming of the horse.
Kathleen Mavourneen had been purchased by a horse trainer named James Barry Gloster, though we do not know when or where. Gloster was born at Horsham and seems to have made a successful career out of his claim that he could break any horse; when asked how he achieved this success, he responded by saying, “I have no secret unless it be that of kindness.”
In 1939, he was advertising in the Bedfordshire Times and Independent as follows:
Great Linford was home in the 1940s to “the cleverest trained mare in Europe”, or as least this was the acclamation heaped on the equine star by the Biggleswade Chronicle of August 10th, 1945. The occasion was the performance of horse and rider at the Northill Flower and Gymkhana show, one of numerous events that the horse travelled to in a long career, which included the astounding statistic that it had appeared, “before over two million People, including Queen Geraldine of Albania.” Not bad for a horse that was said to be untrainable.
This astounding mare went by the name of Kathleen Mavourneen, which one can only presume was a reference to the song by Frederick Crouch, written in 1837. The song had in turn inspired a film of the same name released in 1937, which perhaps was a more pertinent motivation for the naming of the horse.
Kathleen Mavourneen had been purchased by a horse trainer named James Barry Gloster, though we do not know when or where. Gloster was born at Horsham and seems to have made a successful career out of his claim that he could break any horse; when asked how he achieved this success, he responded by saying, “I have no secret unless it be that of kindness.”
In 1939, he was advertising in the Bedfordshire Times and Independent as follows:
HORSES, HARNESS, &c.
YOUNG HORSES taken to break in and school, bad-mouthed ones and “pullers" remouthed; special pains taken over NAPPY, VICIOUS, or NERVOUS horses and a cure guaranteed. Inquiries or inspection invited and welcomed. For terms apply J. B. Gloster. Great Linford. Bletchley. Bucks.
Mavourneen was described (largely one suspects by Gloster) as a wild horse that had defined all efforts to tame her, but then there is a strong whiff of the showman about Gloster, as evidenced by the sort of hyperbole that characterised news of the shows he put on, such as can be found in the Northampton Mercury of Friday May 19th, 1944.
The Greatest, “High School” Act in England – Professor
JIM GLOSTER and his EX.MANEATING MARE
KATHLEEN MAVOURNEEN
Fantastic stuff, but was Gloster even a “professor”, or was the title simply a clever piece of self-aggrandisement?
Gloster trained Mavourneen on the village green, not far from the family home, a grand stone built property called Great Linford House that was eventually demolished (probably in the late 1960s) to make way for Church Farm Crescent. Exactly when the Glosters arrived at Great Linford is uncertain, but that a son was born in Warwickshire in 1936 and that we find the family on the 1939 Register (conducted on the eve of WW2) at Great Linford House narrows their time of arrival to a fairly small date range.
The 1939 register describes James as a horse trainer and inventor, the latter for having come up with a number of innovations in horse tack. A newspaper article in 1945 places the family still at Great Linford House and indeed it seems likely they were still there well into the 1950s, with the Wolverton Express of June 22nd, 1956, carrying an account of a display at Stony Stratford.
Mavourneen was now billed as a “famous musical horse.” But what does this mean? The article goes on to explain that the horse was, “the only horse in the world to give a half hours continuous entertainment with no repetition of movement. Unlike other musical horses which dance to a band that follows the movements of the horse, Mavourneen dances to four different gramophone records, and therefore must be trained to rhythm.” The same article also provides the tantalising information that, “she had been in the films twice.” If only we knew which films.
We do not know when Mavourneen was put out to pasture, but we know that by October of 1956, the family had relocated to Pollingfold Manor Stables near Rudgwick in West Sussex, where James carried on his business. He passed away in 1967.
Gloster trained Mavourneen on the village green, not far from the family home, a grand stone built property called Great Linford House that was eventually demolished (probably in the late 1960s) to make way for Church Farm Crescent. Exactly when the Glosters arrived at Great Linford is uncertain, but that a son was born in Warwickshire in 1936 and that we find the family on the 1939 Register (conducted on the eve of WW2) at Great Linford House narrows their time of arrival to a fairly small date range.
The 1939 register describes James as a horse trainer and inventor, the latter for having come up with a number of innovations in horse tack. A newspaper article in 1945 places the family still at Great Linford House and indeed it seems likely they were still there well into the 1950s, with the Wolverton Express of June 22nd, 1956, carrying an account of a display at Stony Stratford.
Mavourneen was now billed as a “famous musical horse.” But what does this mean? The article goes on to explain that the horse was, “the only horse in the world to give a half hours continuous entertainment with no repetition of movement. Unlike other musical horses which dance to a band that follows the movements of the horse, Mavourneen dances to four different gramophone records, and therefore must be trained to rhythm.” The same article also provides the tantalising information that, “she had been in the films twice.” If only we knew which films.
We do not know when Mavourneen was put out to pasture, but we know that by October of 1956, the family had relocated to Pollingfold Manor Stables near Rudgwick in West Sussex, where James carried on his business. He passed away in 1967.
Tennis
Great Linford now has public tennis courts, but there are several interesting earlier connections to the sport. Philip Clayton Gambell, a successful auctioneer, lived at Elmhurst House in the village between the early 1900s until his death in 1954 and was something of an all-round sportsman, having played football for Oxfordshire, Sussex and Berks and Bucks, as well as Newport Pagnell’s oddments hockey club. He also had an interest in boxing, but it was in the game of tennis that he appears to have made his biggest mark, having captained the Bucks team for some time, and occupied the post of Honourary Secretary of the county Lawn Tennis Association. It is said that he entertained Wimbledon stars and played tennis with them on a court in the grounds of Elmhurst House.
Tragedy befell the family in March of 1940, when their 19-year-old daughter Jean died at Darlington. Educated at Roedean, she shared her father’s love of tennis, and had won the Bucks Junior Country Championships, as well as playing at Junior Wimbledon on several occasions. According to her obituary in the Northampton Mercury of March 1st, 1940, she was, “considered to be one of the most promising young players of her sex in the county.” Jean’s funeral took place in front of a large congregation at St. Andrew’s church on February 26th.
Tennis was certainly a sport of interest to the more affluent members of village society in the early 1900s. In August 1905, a charity mixed doubles tennis tournament was held in Wolverton in aid of the Great Linford school enlargement fund. Amongst the players were Miss Bouverie, Miss Uthwatt (likely to be Catherine Uthwatt) and Mr P. Turnbull and Miss Turnbull, the latter two we can presume to be children of the Rector, John Turnbull. The event was organised by Mrs. Uthwatt and Miss Turnbull.
There is another connection to be found with tennis, in the shape of Charles Walter Mead, who had rented the Manor House from the Uthwatts circa 1911-1934. A North Bucks Tennis League was founded circa 1927, and though there is no indication that a team from Great Linford ever applied to join, Charles was prominent amongst those running the league. He and his wife Dorothea were at the inaugural annual meeting; by 1930 he was presiding as its president.
Tragedy befell the family in March of 1940, when their 19-year-old daughter Jean died at Darlington. Educated at Roedean, she shared her father’s love of tennis, and had won the Bucks Junior Country Championships, as well as playing at Junior Wimbledon on several occasions. According to her obituary in the Northampton Mercury of March 1st, 1940, she was, “considered to be one of the most promising young players of her sex in the county.” Jean’s funeral took place in front of a large congregation at St. Andrew’s church on February 26th.
Tennis was certainly a sport of interest to the more affluent members of village society in the early 1900s. In August 1905, a charity mixed doubles tennis tournament was held in Wolverton in aid of the Great Linford school enlargement fund. Amongst the players were Miss Bouverie, Miss Uthwatt (likely to be Catherine Uthwatt) and Mr P. Turnbull and Miss Turnbull, the latter two we can presume to be children of the Rector, John Turnbull. The event was organised by Mrs. Uthwatt and Miss Turnbull.
There is another connection to be found with tennis, in the shape of Charles Walter Mead, who had rented the Manor House from the Uthwatts circa 1911-1934. A North Bucks Tennis League was founded circa 1927, and though there is no indication that a team from Great Linford ever applied to join, Charles was prominent amongst those running the league. He and his wife Dorothea were at the inaugural annual meeting; by 1930 he was presiding as its president.
Quoits
Quoits is a game that involves the throwing of rings over pegs hammered in the ground. Though it seems likely that earlier versions of the game existed, formal rules were first laid out in 1881, and in 1886 we find a rather amusing notice in Croydon’s Weekly Standard that a “Quoit Handicap” was to be held on August 3rd at Black Horse Field, with prizes to include a goose and duck. The ad, placed by a Sam Gale (presumably the proprietor of the Black Horse Inn) alludes to the existence of a “new quoit ground”, so it seems this was an enterprising attempt to drum up business.
By 1901 the game seems to have taken firm hold in the village, as on Saturday May 11th, a team from the Nags Head visited the Barley Mow in Stony Stratford, where they were beaten 77 to 62. The Buckingham Express gives us the scores as follows.
By 1901 the game seems to have taken firm hold in the village, as on Saturday May 11th, a team from the Nags Head visited the Barley Mow in Stony Stratford, where they were beaten 77 to 62. The Buckingham Express gives us the scores as follows.
| Great Linford | Score | Stony Stratford | Score | Occupation | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W Claridge | 5 | S Richardson | 11 | Publican, Nags Head | 50 |
| F Tompkins | 6 | W Yates | 11 | Coachman, domestic | 49 |
| G Bisnet | 11 | H Hoolton | 8 | ||
| A Bartholomew | 11 | A Dunkley | 9 | Coach Painter | 36 |
| T Leno | 11 | J McCluskey | 2 | ||
| T Riley | 9 | J Fox | 11 | ||
| G Kemp | 6 | W Gollop | 11 | Gas fitter | 36 |
| H Tolley | 11 | H Marsh | 6 | ||
| G Rose | 11 | J Wilmin | 7 | Grocer | 36 |
| A Riley | 11 | G Bates | 1 | ||
| 77 | 62 |
The Nags team was made up of an interesting cross-section of village residents, and perhaps because quoits can be characterised as a genteel sport, most of the identified players were well into their thirties and forties. William Claridge was the publican of the Nags Head, F. Tompkins was a domestic coachman, Alfred Bartholomew was a coach painter at Wolverton Railway Works (and a brother of the photographer Harry Bartholomew whose business was on the High Street), G. Kemp was a gas fitter, while George Rose ran the village general store on the High Street.
On June 1st, 1901, the village put up a Quoits team to play against a visiting team from Stony Stratford, though the home team lost. The Great Linford players then included the photographer Harry Bartholomew, though sadly if he took a photograph to mark the occasion, it has not come to light. Another game of quoits was played in August of 1903, though the reporter from the Leighton Buzzard Observer and Linslade Gazette was gently scathing of the game he observed, noting that though the game was played with quoits, it certainly bore no relation to the game as he understood the rules. Notwithstanding the oddness of play, or perhaps because of it, the team from Great Linford beat the visitors from Fenny Stratford 135 to 41.
In late September of 1901, Mr. Claridge, of the Nags Head, Great Linford, applied for an hour's extension on the occasion of a quoit club supper, so clearly there was quite a dedicated band of players in the village. He did so again in November of 1902, on both occasions being successful in his application.
1901/02 seems to have been a time when quoits became something of a sensation in the village, but equally perhaps a fad that ran out of steam quite quickly. Very little more can be found reported about the game in the village in subsequent years.
Skittles
A team from the Wharf Inn was entered into the North Bucks Skittles League in 1961, one of 15 teams competing. The final for that year was played at the County Arms in New Bradwell on May 8th. Sadly, Great Linford did not carry the day, though W. Spriggs and T. Hefferon of the Wharf Inn team reached the semi-finals.
Whippet racing
The village served on several occasions as a venue for whippet races, such as one organised by the Bradwell and District Whippet Club, which was held on Boxing Day of 1929. The races were held in the Wharf Field, lent for the occasion by Mr T. Ariss. A similar race featuring 20 dogs was held in September of that same year.
Explore the history of sport in Great Linford
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