Bessborough Cricket Club News story


Viv Feltham

30 Dec 2011

VIV FELTHAM
By James Wheeler
Club President Viv Feltham sadly passed away on Christmas Day after a short illness. Club legends Graham Sainsbury and Peter Doole have written a fitting tribute to our late President.

GRAHAM SAINSBURY 

Viv joined the club in the early 1950s having joined from Harrow CC with his very close friend Stan Holding. He was a very stylish batsmen and spin bowler who played between the first and second elevens for many years. He Later became a qualified umpire and was the first team umpire for 20 years then first team scorer. He was secretary for some years and president for over 20 years. His greatest contribution to the club was his passion in encouraging youngsters to play cricket.

Around 1964 with John Wickens and Norman Smith the club decided to run a colts team. The first game took place in 1967 in a cut out pitch near where West Harrrow play now. I played in this first game with Charlie Lewis son Robert and Peter Longfield who played for over 20 years for the club. As colts cricket became more organised in Middx

Viv umpired for the County youth squads as well as the ever increasing Bessborough colts club games. He spent many hours transporting team members to and from games.

Largely because of Vivs efforts the Clubs colts sides became a well organised production line for the future of the club. He also financially supported the club in hard times helping get through very tough patches. He was also a wise head and the club owes so much to him. I will miss you Viv as a true friend. God bless you.
 
PETER DOOLE

My first recollections of him is as a 13 year old when I started playing for Bessborough Colts at the end of the sixties. Viv, along with John Wickens, provided the essential elements of enthusiasm, organisation, transportation, scorers and umpires – in other words everything required for us to play and enjoy cricket.

His attitude to cricket was all you could wish as a young boy. Calm and encouraging, he helped inspire me as one of those players outside the ‘star’ group to keep playing and enjoying every game I could, and taught me the main beauty of cricket - anyone with effort and perseverance, or sometimes luck, can affect the result of a game for the better and get the ‘buzz’ that goes with that.

As a team mate later on again he was all you would wish for with his dry humour lifting spirits when, as was often the case then, it was needed.

And finally, after he finished playing in the late 70’s he continued giving his time to the club with his umpiring for both colts and seniors, for many years umpiring six or seven days a week in the summer.

It is no exaggeration to say that without Viv the club would have been much the poorer if it managed to survive at all.

May you rest in the peace you deserve. There rarely can have been a more giving man.