Sydenhurst Ramblers Hockey Club 1962-3 to 1994-5

By Chris Terry

It would a very great shame if a period of Ramblers history, spanning some 32 years and over 600 matches, were to pass into oblivion without permanent record.

Long periods of Rambler’s cricketing history are well documented but not so its winter activities. At various times, Sydenhurst have played soccer, golf and hockey. Irregular soccer matches were played in the 1960’s on an axis between Crawley and Gurdons (King Edward School, Witley). Brook/Rambler’s golf was regularly played at the West Surrey Golf Club. In 1962, it was decided to organise regular winter exercise for Rambler’s cricketers at cricketing venues, in the form of Sunday men’s hockey. Hockey, like cricket, requires good timing and good footwork and seemed an ideal way of keeping the club fit and social in the winter.

In 1962, money was tight. Most people earned around £10 per week. One could buy 16 litres of petrol for just under £1 and cigarettes were 22p for 20 (4/6d). So, things had to be done the hard way. Each Rambler surrendered a white cricket shirt, which was dyed bottle green, in a cauldron, in Gerry Cogger’s garden. Rambler’s roses and silver tankards were cut out of curtain material and hand sewn on to the shirts.

The first match ever was arranged against Cranleigh C.C at Cranleigh, courtesy of Bob Attwell, a Cranleigh pharmacist and CCC secretary. Bob was trying to do exactly the same as the Ramblers planned to do and was equally successful. The Rambler’s first ever side contained two ex-Welsh Internationals – Bill Reynolds, Sunday captain of Brook CC and Stanley Morgan, a Guildford Solicitor. The side also included two people who had never played hockey in their lives - namely, Gerry Cogger (inside left) and Roy Hardy (right wing). Hardy scored the Rambler’s first ever goal and Sydenhurst duly won their first match.

At least four of the original Rambler’s are still playing, 40+ years on. They are Nick Pearse, Adrian Stevenson, Tim Reynolds and Peter Gordon. In no time, the Ramblers had a full Sunday fixture list of 22 matches per season, against such cricket clubs as the Hampshire Hogs, Fareham, Vickers, Middleton, Surrey University, Charterhouse School, the Old Cranleighans, Guildford, Surbiton, (thanks to Johnny King, the Ramblers CC's first treasurer). Cheam, Guy's Hospital et al.

Home matches were played at Rodborough Secondary School, where the Headmaster was persuaded to allow his pitch to be used in return for its being properly cut and rolled. To that end, the Ramblers purchased a Dennis motor mower, which 'Ritchie' Richardson rebuilt. This 15cwt vehicle would then be driven along the road to Milford each weekend. Gordon Batchelor would lend his Churt based Zodiac to tow a 5 ton agricultural roller up Brook Rocks to Milford. Home teas would be produced by the Star Inn or the Winterton Arms, the latter having an additional attraction, in the form of a bar maid, called June. During one mid-winter visit to the Winterton Arms, the Rambler’s encountered a rugged individual whose car wouldn’t start. After pushing the car up and down the pub car park in the dark and in the freezing cold, without success, the Rambler’s suggested that the driver turn on his ignition. This he did and the car fired instantly. The driver was a certain Jimmy Young, MC and Bar. He had been a goalie in the Great Britain Olympic hockey squad in 1948. So began a long period during which Jimmy occupied the Rambler’s goal, with his twin hallmarks of a pipe in his mouth and a beer mug in his hand. Other very effective goalies included Ron Perrin and Roger Scott. On one occasion, at Vickers, Weybridge, Adrian Stevenson took the Ramblers' score into double figures. Roger was confident enough to wander off the field and to come back with a cricket score board on which he recorded - much to the consternation of the opposition, the score as it increased goal by goal. The fixture - like the one which Roger arranged against Mitcham CC, was never renewed!

In those days, Cheam was regarded as one of the best sides in London. The Rambler’s played them away and beat them 2-7. That particular result was published in the “Times”. The Rambler’s had arrived! As with the Ramblers' annihilation of Mitcham CC (315 in 2 hours against Marriat) and Brook's annihilation of Kew, this inaugural fixture was never renewed. London sides seemed jealous of their reputations!

The Rambler’s twice entered the Thanet International Hockey festival – playing, on one occasion, virtually the full Dutch International side and acquitting themselves extremely well. Regular players, at that time, included Jeremy and Chris Browne, Nic Harper, Nick Pearse, Roger Perrin, Charles and Robert Secrett, Pat, Chris and Jonathan Terry, Peter Hodges, Michael Gauntlett, Bob Bogdon, Adrian Sweitzer, Steve Dove-Dixon, Nick Roberts, Mike Whicker, Jeremy Reynolds, Hugh Jenner, Alan Lloyd-Edwards et al. The captains were Nick Pearse, Roger Perrin and Chris Terry. Jeremy Browne was the Treasurer. “Big” Mike Gauntlett was President and, while attending his first ever hockey match at Middleton, he was delighted to pick up a cricket fixture that we still enjoy today. Useful recruitment areas for new cricket and hockey players included Charterhouse, via Bob Bogdon - himself a Blue; Parkside via the Perrin brothers; RMA Sandhurst via a chap called Bradley; the Guildford Law School via Alan Lloyd-Edwards; and the Army, initially via Brig. Mike White – but later via Len Sanderson, Lewington and Steve Dove-Dixon. After 16 years at the helm, Chris Terry handed over to Tim Reynolds, who ran the side for a further 16 years. Sunday hockey (like cricket) was eventually wrecked by league hockey and cup competitions. The Rambler’s played its last hockey match in 1995.