Glenside Hospital Museum volunteer Evan Jenkinson talks to former nurse Stephen Evans about the social and therapeutic benefits of the hospital’s cricket club
CRICKET was a popular activity at Glenside Hospital from its inception in 1861 to its closure in 1994.
Its impact is remembered well by Stephen Evans, who joined the hospital as a registered mental nurse in 1976.
He was 23, and quickly got involved with the cricket club, which he said was “just a knock about, but really important”.
The pitch used during Stephen’s time between 1976 and 1992 featured a square that had been laid down using coke filings from the hospital’s boiler room in the 1950s, which patients rolled as part of their active work.
He said: “It was so good and quick, and high – a beautiful pitch. Gloucestershire’s second XI even played on it a couple of times.”
Stephen remembers a teammate making 96, and a game of aiming at the oak tree on the far side of the pitch.
He also remembers playing on a hot dry day in the summer of 1976: “For some reason me and another lad were the only two who could bowl, and must have done around 20 overs. I felt like I’d lost about 20 lbs.
“We played many local sides: Portway, Southmead, Stapleton and Frenchay.
“They’ve sadly built over the old pitch at Southmead, where I was lucky enough to hit my one and only 50 for Glenside.”
There was also a resident football team, Glenside St Gabriel’s FC; many men played both football and cricket, as well as for local rugby sides such as Ashley Down Old Boys RFC, with whom Stephen is still connected today.
Sport supported the hospital’s “moral treatment method”, and also brought together the hospital community, and local society.
Whether on the pitch, in the clubhouse (also built in 1950s) or on the sidelines chatting with patients, staff or family and friends, the sport created many happy memories, with many games so popular they sold out.
Stephen said: “We had some great times, with annual dinners the standout. The vicar here at the time did an absolutely tremendous after dinner speech for us. His speech was hilarious, and he’d come and watch a lot as well; I’ll never forget that.
“Cricket was the enjoyable community eventpeople of all walks in the hospital, from senior management to humble workers elsewhere, could play and enjoy, be treated as equals and given opportunity.
“It epitomised all that was good and I loved it while it lasted.”
• Glenside Hospital Museum is open on Wednesdays from 10am-1pm and Saturdays from 10am-4pm.
For more details visit glensidemuseum.org.uk.