Harold Thompson 1936-2001

The death of Harold Thompson in 2001, just a few days before his 65th birthday, brought a deep sense of loss to the people of Forton.

Harold was "Mr Cricket" to around 3 generations of players representing the Shireshead & Forton Club, for he was in his 46th year as Club Secretary and Treasurer.  He was still a teenager and a very good cricketer himself (a notable fast bowler) when he took over these positions in 1955, and at that time the Club had no permanent ground.  Matches were played on a small mown strip within an uneven pasture, and the off-field shelter was a small hut.  In the late 1960s Harold took charge of the move to a new location, the present home of the Club in School Lane, Forton.  Since then the progress has been quite remarkable, for the Club's ground, with its fine pavilion, is one of the best for village cricket for many miles around.  There are 7 teams in all (4 senior, 3 junior) and there have been additions to the tally of trophies in nearly every year for the last decade.  Harold was immensely proud of these achievements, and he was delighted when the Club was Highly Commended in the Best Kept Village Competition -- sadly he didn't live to see us win the main award in 2002.  In the summer of 2000 his illness was already creating great pain, but nothing could prevent him from attending a game when the under-16 team defeated Morecambe to win the Westmorland League's junior trophy.  One of his last practical contributions at the ground in December 2000 was to insert wooden stakes to mark a new boundary on the eastern side, after the purchase of an extension into the adjacent field.

Although Harold's contribution to cricket was such a prominent part of his life, he was also much involved in other village activities, and was always to be seen when practical work was needed, for example on the Playing Field, or in the Village Hall.  He was a loving and proud family man and he leaves a widow, Sylvia, daughters Susan and Julie, sons-in-law Graham and Mark, and six grandchildren. 

Sylvia is here planting a tree in a corner of Clifton Park in memory of Harold, watched by members of her family.