Chapter 2 - Early Grounds

While the school still continued in existence the 'Collegiate Club' played most of their matches on the school ground in Broomhall Park, but the 'Old Collegians' only played 5 out of 17 matches there in 1884. After losing the school ground the 'Collegiate Club' became a' wandering' club for a few years without a real home ground, although several matches were played on the ground of the Grasshoppers C.C. (later the ground of Lockwood Bros.) and several at Bramall Lane, where the members used to practice with the Bankers. After about three years the Club rented a pitch every other Saturday at Bramall Lane. This was far from satisfactory, as there were usually four matches there every Saturday, but the Club put up with it, because the pitches were the best in Sheffield. Other clubs who played regularly at Bramall Lane at that time, according to J. H. Marsdin, were Shrewsbury, Bankers and Heeley.

When Sheffield United wanted to have sole use of the ground, the four clubs were given notice and Collegiate, in association with Shrewsbury, were lucky enough to get for 1892 the lease of the ground of the Tinsley Cricket Club at Bawtry Lane, as the Tinsley Club had given up. Shrewsbury broke up as a club before the 1892 season started and a few of their members joined Collegiate. Though the high stone wall along Bawtry Road has recently been demolished, the ground is still in existence.

Tinsley 1896. Frank Wood, H. B. Willey.

Tinsley, circa 1912. Rear:-, H. Willey, B. W. Doncaster, J. Ridgway, R. Hargreaves Front: H. Steel

When Sheffield United wanted to have sole use of the ground, the four clubs were given notice and Collegiate, in association with Shrewsbury, were lucky enough to get for 1892 the lease of the ground of the Tinsley Cricket Club at Bawtry Lane, as the Tinsley Club had given up. Shrewsbury broke up as a club before the 1892 season started and a few of their members joined Collegiate. Though the high stone wall along Bawtry Road has recently been demolished, the ground is still in existence.

The 'Report for the Season, 1893' is the only Annual Report before 1946, which has been found and it gives very interesting glimpses of what was happening. It is therefore worthwhile giving almost all the report:-

    'The ground was taken jointly by the Collegiate and Shrewsbury Clubs. Unfortunately before the season 1892 commenced Shrewsbury Cricket Club broke up. Their Committee arranged an amalgamation with Collegiate which did not bring us many members.

    Though we let the ground for Wednesdays during 1892, the year's cricket showed a loss which was cleared by some of the older members.

    During 1893 we could not get anyone suitable to join us at the ground, and though the expenses were rather less we had less to meet them with, so there is to-day a considerable sum due to the Secretary.

    In explanation of expenditure on the ground: it is a good day's work to mow the ground and this has to be done once every week. At least half-a-day's horse rolling per week is necessary, and in a dry season we have considerable expense in watering the wickets for matches. In 1893 we had two nights' practice instead of one in 1892.

    Since last meeting I have had interviews with the Sheffield United Committee and the Bankers' Secretary, and though I guaranteed that their expenses at Tinsley should not exceed the expenses at Darnall, the Bankers' Club did not see that it was worth while to change. The United Committee did not make any definite proposal to me sufficiently early for me to lay the matter before the Club, so we had no choice but to take Tinsley ground for another season. The membership and subscriptions show a slow but permanent increase. If we can once get over the prevailing impression that Tinsley ground is difficult to get to, we shall have a large increase of membership. For people whose business is in the town, it is more accessible than even Bramall Lane.

    There is accommodation for over 100 members, and we have plenty of cricket for as many members as we can get.

    We have about 50 Matches arranged for 1894, including 18 in the Hallamshire League, and 14 in the Rotherham League.

    A comparison with Match List of 1890 will show we now play much stronger clubs, many of the weaker ones having been dropped on account of their bad grounds.'

From this report is seems clear that Collegiate tried to get the Bankers, as well as Shrewsbury, to join them at Tinsley and that the club was still hoping to return to Bramall Lane.