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With Hampshire connections?
This is a photo which a pal of mine found online of the PORTSMOUTH & DISTRICT CRICKET ASSOCIATION side from 1931. According to the Hampshire County Cricket Guide the Association oversaw club matches in the local leagues of which there were four divisions in the 1930s. Oddly, Div One included Winchester Sports but most sides had ‘Pompey’ names (Hilsea, Milton, Stamshaw, Buckland, RN even local brewers Brickwoods).
I’m guessing then that this was probably a representative (‘best of’) side and I’ll do some digging to see what I can discover. The names are below and a couple interest me in terms of Hampshire. Might A Wood be the son of the Portsmouth man of the same name who played briefly for Hampshire around 30 years earlier? He was at one time secretary to Conan- Doyle and said to be the ‘model’ for Dr Watson.
Then there is the captain EG Rock. I know that David Rock’s father Don was a prominent Portsmouth cricketer so I wonder whether this might be his grandfather? Interestingly the Guide in those years published names and addresses of all the county’s members but I can’t find any of these men listed in the Portsmouth section (there are four Allens including a Lt-Col but I know nothing of them).
R Cresswell (Asst Hon Sec), W Barwick (Life VP), S Allchurch, GE Hodgkinson, J Roberts (VP), F Forward, SW Ventham, P Cook, H Scarlett (Hon Sec)
CV Payne, A Wood, EG Rock (captain), M Dean (Life VP, Chairman), Lord Mayor (Councillor W Gleave JP), WE Hartfall (Life VP), A Broadbridge (vice-captain), SH Dee/Doe, L Welcome
A Hewett (umpire)
Incidentally, I don’t know the ground but pretty sure it’s not the US Ground.
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Hampshire Cricket History 
Very interesting Dave. I wonder if the F Forward is any relation to Charles Forward who played for Hampshire second XI in 1990?
Comment by Alex Mckinlay January 10, 2023 @ 9:28 amAlso, there was a Freddie Forward who played for Pompey in the 1930s.
Comment by Ian White January 10, 2023 @ 2:32 pmIn 2002 Charles Forward played for Hampshire Cricket Board v Staffordshire in a List A (C&G Trophy) game. The Staffordshire captain that day, Steve Dean, is the father of England’s ‘Charlie’ Dean
Comment by Dave Allen January 10, 2023 @ 4:59 pmMany thanks both – Terry Crump sent me this information: “Clarence Victor Payne (C V Payne in the photo) was my Headmaster at Mile End House School, Portsmouth, having taken over from George Lewin Oliver (one of the founding members of Pompey). I also think that CV Payne played for South Hants Touring Club”.
SHTC is now Portsmouth CC – playing still on the seafront – and it leads me to wonder whether CV Payne might be related to Gary Payne who went to Portsmouth Grammar School, also played for SHTC and twice for Hampshire in the 2nd XI Championship in 1975.
Comment by Dave Allen January 10, 2023 @ 4:23 pmThe trees and buildings make me think it’s Portsmouth and Southsea CC ground inside the grounds of St James’ Hospital
Comment by Michael S January 10, 2023 @ 9:01 pmGood thought Michael. I’ve been checking the Evening News Archives but found nothing yet.
Comment by Dave Allen January 10, 2023 @ 9:49 pmOn Cricket Archive there is a scorecard for a match in July 1931 between this team and Hampshire Club & Ground (12-a-side) at the US Ground but the Portsmouth team is completely different. One man in the photo, Payne, appears in the same match five years later, played at Alexandra Park, Portsmouth.
Comment by Dave Allen January 11, 2023 @ 7:44 am