Although no-one is prepared nor can honestly say when cricket was first played in Westhoughton due to the fact that no records were kept, evidence did come to light that a club was in existence in 1864. However, the people who held the reins and the people who still do at this cricket club contend that the growth of cricket in the town was in 1856 and a centenary year was celebrated in 1956.
The 1864 team was not a 'town team' having its roots at what was then the new Albion Mill at Wingates where matches were played including one against Salford. In 1868 the leading townsmen of the time decided to bring cricket a little nearer the centre of the village and gave it a name to remember. Thus the Westhoughton Royal Cricket Club was born.
Matches were played on a field adjoining the vicarage, which later became the Conservative Club's bowling green and tennis courts. The season turned out to be a successful one, the last match of the season being followed by a supper given by the leading townsmen at the Wheatsheaf Inn.
How long cricket was played on the vicarage field remains unsolved as remarks reported at a later date states mat cricket in the 70's was played behind the Victoria Mill, Church Street, and in fact on the Red Lion field.
In 1875 the club procured a new ground at a cost of £30.12s.5d, and a new tent for the sum of £19. The clubs funds were helped yearly by an athletic festival at the end of each season, the one in 1874 making £32 profit. Teams who were entertained at the new ground were Haigh, Lever Bridge, Halliwell, Rumworth, Standish, Horwich and Up Holland.
In 1879 the club suffered a catastrophe and the future looked bleak as they were deprived of their land and faced a season minus a home. Through a never say die spirit and the understanding of other clubs it was decided to carry on and play all their home fixtures away. By August of that year a field was obtained adjoining Kersley Lane, now Leigh Road. The following season, perhaps due to this setback, interest dwindled and the club broke up and for a few years no cricket was available in Westhoughton.
Not to be denied the love of the game, interest again was shown, as in 1882 not one, but two teams were formed. One at Hartcommon was run by Hewlitt Pits whilst the other was run on a more ambitious scale under the presidency of W.W.B. Hulton, Esq, the Hulton Park Cricket Club, playing at Hulton Park.
In 1883 the townsmen and other lovers of the game held a meeting on Aug. 11th. 1883 and an enthusiastic crowd assembled and decided to form a new club. A field was procured and held under agreement the work being let out by tender to drain, level and lay 3,000 sq. yards at a cost of one hundred pounds. Money raising schemes were put into operation during the winter and in 1884 the club commenced its new existence.
Although the club was not a member of the Bolton and District Association, which was formed in 1888 they were allowed to enter the Association knock-out Competition in 1890. Interest was aroused by this competition and in the standard of play in the Association and so the club entered, winning the Championship in 1894 and again in 1898.
During the 1930's Westhoughton had the pleasure of turning out players of County and England quality. Such men as the Tyldesley family who's name became a legend not only in Westhoughton but in every County ground where cricket was played. Turning class players out like a machine, the club produced two more players of merit close to the Dick Tyldesley era, those being Dick Pollard and Billy Farrimond and of most recent times the like of Michael Watkinson who stole a march on his predecesors by becoming captain of our beloved Lancashire.
In 1930 the Bolton League was formed and Westhoughton C.C. moved on to pastures new. Many successes followed, the most notable ones being in 1940/41/42 when the club won the League Championship in succession. It was another 14 years before the Championship flag flew again on Westhoughton's ground.
From 1956 to 1971 was a further long spell, 15 years in fact before the League Championship Cup again got its rub-down by this club.
In fact It wasn’t until 1945 that the club became the proud owners of their present ground which was then known as Bromilow Park, the name being acquired from the landlord of the Red Lion Hotel who in turn owned the land. After the ground had been bought from the second party, this being the council, it was decided to rename it as 'The Tyldesleys' after the great cricketing family.
In 1951 a strip of land between Wigan Road was purchased to give a more direct approach to the ground, the only access then being by way of a path through the Red Lion football ground. With its forward thinking committee, the club had then in mind the building of a new clubhouse, which they hoped would be ready for the centenary year. Plans were drawn up for a new two tier building which would have cost in the region of £6000.
The bottom tier to cost £4000, and the top one £2000 to be added at a later stage when money became available. This project never got off the ground and a tea room built by the help of the supporters club and public subscription took its place in May, 1957.
As Westhoughton was boasting the best tea room in the league, other clubs were moving in different directions. Bars on grounds were becoming the fashion, the profits helping to subsidize the cricket and also act as a social amenity in the close season. Unlike other clubs, a clause in the deeds prevented any beer being sold on the ground. Knowing that the club must move with the times and financial help was needed, the brewery were consulted and agreed to waive the agreement if only their beer was consumed. A tennis club’s changing rooms were bought and the small wooden building, after modernisation etc. became the bar and was opened in Aug.1968.
Although the small bar had served its purpose in supplying refreshments on match days, it was obvious that something better was required.
The club committee, always aware of its members needs, were on the lookout for a larger more comfortable building. In the close season of 1972 the foundations of a new brick extension to the tea room were laid. It had been decided that with more modernisation and an extension, the tea room was the ideal place for the cricket clubs Clubhouse and Bar.
It has served a purpose and that purpose has served them well, and this enthusiasm was also evident on the pitch. Westhoughton can be proud of the fact over the years, they have produced a number of top class cricketers who went on to represent their county and country with great success. The likes of Dick Tyldesley who scored over 6,000 runs and took almost 1,500 wickets for Lancashire, Dick Pollard also of Lancashire and England who scored over 2,000 first class runs and took over 1000 wickets. Also Billy Farrimond, a first class wicket keeper/batsman who also represented Lancashire and England scored over 2,000 runs and claimed almost 300 victims, and more recently, Mike Watkinson who scored over 10,000 runs and took over 700 wickets for Lancashire and enjoyed a brief spell of a hand full of games for England before moving into the role of county coach after retiring from playing.
Many people who have followed cricket at Westhoughton will all have their own memories of players who once graced the playing surface, and many will remember another international sportsman at the Tyldesleys, though he was more famous for his footballing skills during the sixties and seventies than his cricketing ability to many outside the area and that is none other than former Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City and England star, Francis Lee who turned out for Westhoughton after retiring from football.
As Westhoughton Cricket Club had during its time sent individual players to Old Trafford, it seemed that providence had reserved a page in its book that someday the whole team would grace its illustrious turf. This happened on 24th.September l972, a memorable day in the history of the club when out of a competition of 64 clubs, only Westhoughton and Timperly remained to do battle in the final of The Lancashire Cricket Association Knock-out Cup.
Then on Sunday 13th September 1998 a team led by Rod Estwick made a return to Old Trafford and this time returned to the Tyldesleys with the trophy after beating Bootle C.C. in a thrilling final. Yet another memorable and successful occasion for the club, not to mention the seven Bolton League Championships and six Hamer Cup Final wins.
Nothing lasts forever but it’s good to remember how things were without standing in the way of progress, and for the people of Westhoughton, young or old, you can never take away their own special memories of the Tyldesleys.