Fifty Years of Hicks Cricketers in the Illawarra and beyond

There are newspaper reports of Cricket in the Illawarra – Shoalhaven from 1856 – the Dapto club was proposed in 1857 and the Wollongong Club was underway – as was the Illawarra Cricket Club. The Fig Tree Club played matches at Lovett’s Fig Tree Hotel in 1858. The Hicks  brothers and their McKenzie in-law’s were playing cricket from at least February 1858 – and family members were still playing cricket half a century later.

• 1850’s
  • 1858 – Henry Thomas and Richard Hicks were playing for Bulli against the Fig Tree team at Lovett’s Fig Tree Hotel in January 1858. Henry Thomas Hicks was part of the Bulli team playing a Fig Tree team at Lysaghts Fairy Meadow in February 1858.
• 1860’s
  • Henry, Richard & a younger brother – perhaps George or James Hicks, as well as John McKenzie were playing in a team led by Henry in January 1860 and roundly beaten at Fairy Meadow (Lysaghts?) then celebrated afterwards at the Cabbage Tree Inn
  • 1861 New Years Day and the Bellambi Cricketers were transported in coal wagons to Bellambi Point near the Jetty for a match between Henry Hicks’ Eleven and Edward Jones’ Eleven – with Richard Hicks as wicket keeper on Henry’s team –  Henry & Richard were playing for Bellambi near the Catholic Burial Ground Wollongong later in 1861 – later in 1861 brother in law Ben Broadhead was there too
  • 1862 – Henry Thomas Hicks and brother Richard had moved to the Bulli Cricket Team –
  • James Hicks was playing for Bulli in 1869
  • George Hicks played for Woonona in 1869
• 1870’s
  • 1873 and Henry Hicks was playing in the Bulli Married Men’s team against the Bulli Single Men – with celebrations afterwards at Floyd’s Hotel and then in a Bulli side against a Wallsend side
  • 1874 – Henry Thomas Hicks playing for the Bulli Black Diamonds at Bulli –
  • 1876 – Twins Charles and Thomas Hicks play for Bulli Black Diamonds at Bulli
  • 1877 – Thomas Hicks playing for the Bulli Black Diamonds at Bulli
  • 1878 – Charles Hicks playing for Bulli Black Diamonds –   then for Clifton against Bulli
  • 1879 – Charles Hicks was playing for Clifton against Bulli Independent Club at Bulli Point – Sandon Point – then in the Bulli Black Diamond team – then Charles with twin brother Thomas Hicks was back with Clifton
• 1880’s
  • The twins Charles and Thomas continued at Clifton in  1880 with younger brother Hamilton Hicks and William McEwen playing for Clifton later
  • 1881 – Twins Thomas and Charles Hicks still playing for Clifton
  • 1883 and some of the Hicks have moved up to the north coast and Thomas Hicks opened for Gundarimba – twin brother Charles was also playing with Thomas for Gundarimba that year –  and also James & Charles were playing against brother Thomas Hicks in 1883 at Gundarimba in an unflattering match –
  • 1884 & 1885 – Early 1884 Thomas Hicks was playing for Bulli – and also up north
• 1890’s
  • 1890 – North Illawarra Council Alderman Henry Thomas Hicks is on the team against Central Illawarra and Shellharbour Council Cricket Team
  • 1898 Henry Thomas Hicks playing for the Thirroul Buffers against the Thirroul Weevi’s at Thirroul
• 1900’s
  • 1901 Alexander Hicks son of HT Hicks elected to committee of Balgownie Cricket Club
  • 1902 Alexander Hicks played for Wollongong against Dapto with brother in law John Payne
  • 1903 Alexander Hicks played against Brighton Le Sands in 1903 – also for a Council Aldermen Cricket Team –
  • 1905 – Henry Thomas Hicks elected to the Thirroul Cricket Club Committee –
  • 1909 – Henry Hicks son of Alexander Hicks playing for Balgownie

No doubt more stories will emerge