The very first attempt at organising a cricket club in Cheddar was in 1877.  It was known as The Cheddar Valley Cricket Club and struggled along for a couple of years only "in some disorder and with a number of others intruding". 

Then in 1882, the year we recognise as being the foundation of the current club, the local press reports the formation of a team "catering more for the gentlemen than the players" - an interesting statement in itself!

The source for these is the research project carried out by Mr. Brian Austin prior to our centenary year, in particular from local paper archives.  It is clear that the local papers of the time provided a much more extensive coverage of local cricket and the activities of the clubs both on and off the field than is the case today.

From this and other research, an article entitled Cheddar Cricket Club--The Early Years was written by the late John Trower for publication in the Centenary programme.  The article is reproduced in full exactly as it appeared in the original program as it provides an eloquent précis of the early years and is an important part of our more modern history.

READ ARTICLE

Also available is the piece written as a forward to the Centenary programme by the then chairman Bert Gould, whose grandfather graces the picture below. 

This is the earliest known surviving photo of Cheddar CC.
It is the team of 1899.
The original was kindly lent by Mr. Gerald Hopkins.
Note E. Hopkins in middle row

Fixtures in the early years throw up many clubs familiar to those of us playing in Somerset today:  Wells, Wedmore, Weare, Wrington, Wookey, Wookey Hole, Winscomebe, (lots of W s in Somerset - wonder why?) Rooksbridge, Axbridge, Burnham, Glastonbury, Highbridge, Sidcot School,  Clevedon, Yatton

But  other names to conjure with crop up -
Bristol Distillery (all out for 14, (surprise!)
Wells Theological College
Weston-super-mare Kaleidoscopes
Bristol Commercials
Clifton College Employees
Frome Assistants

The results reported for this side are as follows:

May 13:  Cheddar 141 (Lambrick 64) Wells Theological College 52 (Flower 7/38)
May 20:  Cheddar 122;  St Agnes 47 (King 8 wickets)
June 3:   Wedmore 55 & 40;  Cheddar 20 (Curtin 7/6) & 50 for 4
              There were complaints over team selection--some things never change!
June 10: Cheddar 72;  Sidcot School 27 & 36 for 8
June 17: Wells Theological College 140;  Cheddar 121 (Lambrick 56)
June 24: Cheddar 82;  Burnham 66 (Harvey 4/2)
July 1:    Cheddar 64;  Glastonbury 32 (Harvey 5/16)
July 8:    Bridgewater 187 for 7 (Sammy Woods 66);  Cheddar 65 (Flower 43)
Juy 15:   Cheddar 85; Wells 234 for 9
July 22:  Cheddar 42;  Yatton 44
July 29:  Glastonbury 137;  Cheddar 35
Aug 12:   Cheddar 131 (F Bessant 52);  Blackford 18 (Bishop 6/19, Harvey 4/6) & 45/3 
Aug 19:   Cheddar 107 (Lambrick 72);  Weston-super-mare Ramblers 132
Aug 26:   St Agnes 62;  Cheddar 39
Sept 2:   Cheddar 40;  Wells 114
Sept 9:   Wedmore 30 & 32 for 3;  Cheddar 65   

In addition there was a Fixture replacing the Gentlemen Left Handed V. Ladies fixtures which were an annual feature of the mid and late '90s:
Gentlemen in Fancy Dress 88;  Ladies 136