While driving down to Brockenhurst last week I revived memories of a
Sydenhurst Ramblers tour of 1968. The Bramble Hill Hotel at Bramshaw,
near Brook in the New Forest lives on and does not appear to have
changed in 36 years - at least from the outside. It only opens at the
weekends in the winter so I was unable to check the interior. The
turret is still there - I remember that was where Rosemary's room was.
I was sharing with someone elsewhere, at least initially, and that was
certainly what we told her parents!
I am sure the bar is exactly as it appears in an early photo in our
family album. On my way back to the hotel that evening I had proposed
to Rosemary - and been accepted - and the photo is of a motley crew
raising their glasses to toast the occasion (l to r: Andrew Hart,
Leslie Smithers, Roy Hardy, Ernie Bignell, Michael Gauntlett, Rosemary
Atkinson (as was), Hugh Gauntlett).
I remember the tour started with a game against Ernie Bignell's new
home side Ellingham up of the hill above Ringwood. Being short of a
player or two we had managed to enlist the support of a young lad from
the Hampshire ground staff, a promising youngster by the name of Trevor
Jesty. Although he scored 43 his contribution with the ball was not
enough to win us the game and they held out for a draw. The following
day we went to Sherborne but the rains never relented and the game was
abandoned. I don't remember the next game against Winchester, I have a
feeling we gave that one a miss and had a day on our own. Then it was
back to Sherborne again to play the Common Room side which I believe
included the England rugby star Richard Sharp - a full day's cricket on
the school pitch, a delightful setting but another drawn game.
I think I made a very undistinguished contribution to the game and
perhaps my mind had been elsewhere. Anyway it was on the way back to
the hotel that evening, somewhere in the middle of the New Forest -
neither of us can remember exactly where and even whether I even
stopped the car - that we became engaged!
Obviously in much happier mood the following day I scored my maiden
(and only) century for the Ramblers on the County Ground at Southampton
against the Dorset Agrarians - this time Trevor Jesty was in the
opposition. We were never really in the hunt chasing 293 - I can't
remember them being particularly generous to keep us in the hunt - but
perhaps that's how I found myself in the 90s towards the close of play.
I can however remember the ball that got me past 100. Trevor Jesty fed
me a full toss which I very nearly put straight down the throat of mid
wicket - luckily he didn't quite get there and I am still not sure
whether the bowler was being generous or whether it was a deliberate
ploy to encourage a rush of blood! So I got engaged and got my century
but the opposition was disgruntled that I hadn't been more aggressive
and got us nearer to their total - oh well, can't make everyone happy!
The tour was over and it was back to work or rather off to the
prospective in-laws to discuss wedding arrangements. I never went on
another Ramblers tour, and I never got engaged again either.