Fish Hoek Cricket Club - Snippets from the past

The Fish Hoek Cricket Club is closely managed by team of stalwarts and has always had the support of leading members of the community.

As an example, the Minutes of the Committee meeting of 3rd October 1939, show that Mr Louis Cronwright, (the local dairy farmer who became Mayor of Fish Hoek),a Patron of the Club,would arrange for his horses to pull the heavy roller over the wicket and grounds after the next heavy rains.

Past Patrons of the Club include:

Sir Abe Bailey- who was appointed on 10th Oct 1939

Mr Tromp van Diggelen- (who proposed the Toast to the Club at the Annual Dinner on 30 April 1938)

Mr. A.P.Jones -A famous Fish Hoek Outfitter (and father-in-law of WPCA cricket stalwart Fritz Bing), who,upon acceptance of the invitation in 1939, donated 21/-s to Club funds.

Mr. Max Sonnenberg-A founder of Woolworths and Mayor of Cape Town.

Mr.Rex Walker - Cape Town City Treasurer

Mr. Roy Beamish - A former 1st Team player who became a leading Civil Engineer in South Africa.

The Club has provided a home for cricket lovers in Fish Hoek and the Minutes show that Mr Steve Spengler, who played for the 1st and 2nd sides, was appointed to the Committee in 1938 .He became Treasurer and notwithstanding the disruption caused by the 2nd World War he remained on the Committee even whilst on active service in Abyssinia when the Secretary acted for him.

A replacement was later appointed but in 1945 Lieut.Spengler again figures as Treasurer and he was subsequently granted Honorary Membership (there was no Life Membership category in those days). Steve Spengler was followed by his sons Peter, Robin and Terry.
Terry served the Club as player and Match Secretary and was awarded Life Membership for his services over many years. Terry's son Roger, the third generation Spengler, has followed his forebears and has captained the 3rd side and is still playing.

The problems faced by the Committee of today have not changed from yesteryear and the Minutes of March 1941 record that "--- the attitude adopted taken by certain members at the Goodwood away match led to a vote of censure against Messrs Ross, Warren, Williams and Patterson"(Desmond Patterson died on active service as a fighter pilot in the SA Air Force).
These gentlemen represented old and respected Fish Hoek families.
Another Minute of 3/3/1947 records a report made on the abandonment of the game against Woodstock. The Secretary was instructed to write to the WPCU conceding the match points to Woodstock but requesting the Union to cancel any further matches against Woodstock.

The following Club Members paid the Supreme Sacrifice whilst on active service, namely:

Desmond Patterson
Ronnie Dickson
David Elliot
Raymond Daniels.

The Minutes record that on the occasion of the 1947 Royal Visit to South Africa by King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth accompanied by their daughters Elizabeth and Margaret, the Club arranged a friendly (captained by Phillip Sweet) against crew members of H.M.S Vanguard. The result is not on record but stalwart Mr A.Hartley was complimented upon his effort in raising the sum of Five Pounds for a charitable cause.
On this occasion the Fish Hoek Town Council was approached for the loan of trestle tables, chairs and an urn.

Forty eight years later Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh visited South Africa.
On this occasion the Club played a match against the crew of the Royal Yacht Britannia at Fish Hoek. They were rewarded with a Britannia necktie and a guided tour of the Royal Yacht.

Muizenberg Public School The school was permitted to use the turf wicket on one day a week from 3:30 to 5:15 and whenever necessary for sports meetings.
The science master at that time, Mr. G. (Dook) Dorer, was the school cricket coach and umpire and a great lover of cricket.
He played for the 3rd Side and served on the Club Committee in the years from 1936 to 1944.The minutes of 7/11/1936 show that Mr Dorer offered twenty-one shillings as a donation on behalf of the school for the use of the grounds.
Dook Dorer played the part of a Duke in a Shakespearian school play, but due to the vernacular of the region of his birth in England, he announced himself as the Dook of ……!!. He was fondly known as Dook for the rest of his teaching career.
It is remembered with some humour that Dook taught the senior class how to make "moonshine". The school had been burgled and the science lab was trashed. The burglars left behind a half demi-john of Old Brown Sherry so Dook explained the process of distillation. He made it it clear that if the still temperature went above 80 degrees they would end up with wood alcohol which would make them go blind. The class carefully distilled the contents at precisely the right temperature and ended up with a very palatable "witblitz".

The following minutes are recorded.

25/4/1938 - A letter of congratulation be sent to Alma Cricket Club,that Club having won the Second Division competition with F.H.C.C. being the only Club to have defeated them during the season.

14/11/1938 - The Savannah Dance Band was engaged to play at the Old Year's night dinner dance for a fee of £9/9/0

5/3/1940 - Proposed that the Club purchase 1 Australian ball to be tried out by 1st Team.

7/10/1940 - That Mr Blomkamp purchase 18 Rangroot and 12 Frank Smith balls from Thurstons and also 1 bag lime, 2 pkts of aquamarine wash, 1 lb of tea, 1 gallon oil, 2 pints of milk and 1 Yale padlock with 3 keys.

23/12/1940 - Proposed and carried that we buy 6 Australian balls @ 11/6d each from Logans.

27/1/1941 - Agreed that Mr Blomkamp purchase 6 more Australian balls from Thurstons and a pair of Les Ames gauntlets from Logans at 45/-.