17. Strolling out from Limpsfield

The Limpsfield Strollers were borne out of a long lunch following a washed out match in 1923 and evolved into the Brasenose College Strollers of Oxford University, who still tour as an Alumni organisation to this day

In May 1923, William Stallybrass * led a Brasenose Wanderers cricket team to play against his local side, Limpsfield in Surrey.

[ * “Sonners” to all who knew him, having changed his name from Sonnenschien during the First World War in the face of anti-German sentiment - in much the same way as a certain family from Berkshire would have done ]

As often happens in May in England, it rained all afternoon and the discussion in the newly built British Legion turned to the joys of cricket in the West Country in the sunny days of August “...to teach them Cricket”.

The Limpsfield Strollers were born and the first match was on Monday 13th August 1923 against Exmouth (the pitch is said to have “kicked a good deal”) and five more matches were played at Torquay, Upper Lyme, Bovey Tracey (“crumbly”) , Paignton and Seaton (“bumpy”).

In addition to Stallybrass, who topped the bowling averages on that first tour, other tourists included the headmaster of Limpsfield National School, Mr Leonard Moulding (see elsewhere in this exhibition) who scored a Century at Upper Lyme and Ted Estridge, then Captain of Limpsfield CC and who therefore captained the first two Strollers tours.

Stallybrass’ had notoriously poor eyesight, which to many a player may have been a severe handicap, but 30 wickets for Limpsfield Strollers in 1924 at 9.6 runs and 24 at 16.71 in 1929 might suggest otherwise.

To this day, the touring tradition continues, but gradually the demands of home cricket meant that fewer Limpsfield Players toured and more were recruited from Brasenose until the Limpsfield Strollers became the Brasenose Strollers.

Links between the two teams, including annual fixtures between the two Clubs, continued until well into the 1960’s, where a notable Captain was Alfred Doulton (‘Doulers’) CBE, Headmaster at Highgate School 1954–1974.

By stewardship of funds – and wine – left to the Strollers by Stallybrass in his Will, Doulton ensured that the tours were maintained after the war with subsidies to undergraduates for the train fare to Devon at the end of July and of hotel bills.

Fixtures at Sidmouth, Instow, Chudleigh and always North Devon have remained popular and regular opponents have included the Devon Dumplings and the Free Foresters.
To this day the Limpsfield and Brasenose Strollers flag is black and gold for Brasenose College and green for Limpsfield.

The Strollers are still touring and extant members have let us know that new blood is needed for their late July tours.... “ especially fast bowlers who can also catch anything that flies and knock up a quick fifty from number eight. Last I heard, they were beginning to wonder whether any young talent from Limpsfield might like to put the original relationship back on the field of play. A few days in Devon playing cricket and drinking a bit; could be worse.”