Image: Somerset cricketer Marcus Trescothick
A Somerset cricket legend has been honoured with a set of cricket-themed doors at the church in the village where he was born. The oak doors, which feature cricket bats as handles, have been installed at St George’s Church in Bicknoller in memory of Harold Gimblett. Harold played for England in the 1930s and remains Somerset’s leading run scorer, with more than 21,000 runs. David Knight, a member of Bicknoller PCC, helped co-ordinate the design, construction and installation of the doors in conjunction with Somerset County Cricket Museum. A special service was held to mark their official opening, with the doors dedicated by the Revd Nicky Morgan and officially opened by another local cricket legend, Marcus Trescothick.
Here the story is shared in full by Bishop Nigel Stock, Associate Bishop in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, who reflected on Harold's life during the service:
Harold Gimblett Commemoration
Harold Gimblett was born and brought up in Bicknoller and became Somerset County Cricket Club’s most prolific batter. His first class cricket aggregate was 23,007 runs. A record that is unsurpassed to this day. He played for Somerset between 1935 and 1954 and if the war had not intervened he would have had an even higher total of runs.
When the doors were dedicated and officially “opened”, St George’s was filled by members of the Cricket Museum and Cricket Club and by parishioners, and most welcome of all by members of Harold Gimblett’s family.
David Knight the member of Bicknoller PCC who had co-ordinated the process of the doors construction with the Cricket Museum introduced the whole ceremony and welcomed Dr Peter January Chairman of the Trustees of the Cricket Museum . Peter January put into context Harold Gimblett’s achievements which were remarkable by any standard. He was the equal of the great cricketing names of his generation and in his flamboyant and daring batting surpassed them all.
Harold’s life, sadly had a tragic side. He suffered from mental illness for the greater part of his life. The extrovert flamboyant cricketer was afflicted by inner demons which led to depression. He was also destined to play his cricket as a professional in the dying years of the “Gentlemen and Players” or “Amateurs and Professionals” and his personality never did learn to accommodate the structure and hierarchy of the cricket of his day. It should lead us to continue to reflect on the pressures on great and talented sports people and what they must negotiate to bring us the pleasure of watching high achievement.
The Revd Nicky Morgan dedicated the doors and then the ribbon was cut by another great Somerset cricketer Marcus Trescothick who behind Harold Gimblett is the second highest Somerset run accumulator. (Though be it noted Marcus Trescothick scored 51 centuries to Harold Gimblett’s 49!)
In later life despite his afflictions Harold supported others going through similar difficulties to himself and for a time was a Samaritans volunteer. He found solace in the Methodist Church and his brother Dennis who was ordained in the Church of England wrote of Harold’s sense of God the creator of all.
In his day Harold Gimblett’s name was known throughout Somerset even by non-cricketers! As the generations have passed his fame has receded so it is not before time that a memorial has been finally established in the Church where he was baptised. His brother Dennis in Harold Gimblett’s biography wrote “He brought pleasure and joy to so many. No one can deny that the game was enriched by the way he chose to play it.”
The plaque on the memorial doors aside from the obvious information and acknowledgements says quite simply: “The finest apple to grow in a Somerset orchard.”
The sense of warmth and appreciation by all gathered in St George’s Bicknoller was a fitting tribute to a Bicknoller boy who went on to achieve great things.