Tag Archives: Burn Bullock

Burn Bullock wedding

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Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 11 March 1926

BURN BULLOCK MARRIED

Mitcham Cricketer’s Quiet Wedding at Croydon.

Beginning a New Career in Norfolk.

Owing to the recent serious illness of the bride’s mother the wedding of Mr. Burn. W. Bullock, the well known Mitcham and Surrey professional, and only son of Mr. Burnett Bullock, of Arundel, London-road, to Miss Lilian Card, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E.G. Card, of 4, Langdale-avenue, Mitcham, was a very quiet celebration.

It took place at the Croydon Registry Office at eleven o’clock on Monday morning. The witnesses were Mr. Burnett Bullock, honorary secretary of Mitcham Cricket Club, Mr. E. G. Card and Miss Bullock. The bride was married in her going away dress — a marocain frock (wine colour), fur coat and hat to match.

Burn Bullock could not have won a more popular Mitcham bride. On the Cricket Green she has been the “personality” at the tea tent for several seasons and at the annual meeting of the Mitcham Cricket Club a few weeks ago she was specially thanked for her services.

Mr. and Mrs. Card were in business as caterers and confectioners opposite the Green for about four years, and their shop was the rendezvous of many cricketers. Three weeks ago Mrs. Card underwent a serious operation and is still far from recovered, consequently the wedding was celebrated as quietly as possible. There was no reception.

The same afternoon the bride and bridegroom left Mitcham for Norwich, where the honeymoon is being spent. Afterwards they will go to their pretty home near Old Buckenham Hall, Attleborough, Norfolk, where the bridegroom begins a new career in April as professional to a first class club closely associated with the Norfolk County Club,

The happy and widely popular couple were the recipients of a large number of presents, including gifts from prominent sportsmen in Mitcham, at the Oval and elsewhere.

There is no need to recapitulate Burn Bullock’s cricketing record, which is well known to all local sportsmen and was recently given in full in the “Advertiser.” The regret expressed by London newspapers that Surrey has allowed so promising a young cricketer to be captured by another club is the best testimonial to his cricketing ability. Last season was one of his best, it is interesting to recall that one of his highest scores was against the County he will probably play for later. At the Oval he hit 95 against Norfolk in terrific style. One ball went into the Press box and another into a “pub” ! His highest score is 153 against Cambridgeshire. Bullock spent four seasons altogether at the Oval, first as amateur then as professional. He skippered the Second XI on many occasions.

Just before leaving for Nortfolk Burn told the “Advertiser” that he hopes to play for Mitcham in August.

The Mitcham Cricket Club’s present was a fine pair of entree dishes.

Notes:

The 1925 street directory shows Mr Edwin George CARD at 4 Langdale Avenue.

‘Arundel’, London Road was between where Armfield Crescent is today and the Baptist Church, according to the 1925 street directory, although Burnett Bullock (senior) has moved next door to Milburn House (or was his address reported incorrectly?).

Acme Printing Works (A.H. Ellis, proprietor)
(Arundel), Reverend William K. ROBERTS
(Milburn house), Burnett BULLOCK
(Elm cottage), William CORNISH, nursery-man
Mitcham Baptist Church

Lil Bullock tribute in 1965

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From the 1965 Mitcham Cricket Club yearbook:

THROUGHOUT the 300 years or so that cricket has been played on England’s village greens, practically all the pitches have been put down within a six-hit of a church. The fact that the local inn was usually within spitting distance is pure coincidence! But we
cricketers wouldn’t have it any other way . . .

Mitcham Green has been well served for many years by magnificent establishments like the King’s Head, The Cricketers, The White Hart and The Queen’s Head. But it is the King’s Head with which we are more concerned here for it houses the only female vice-president in the long history of the club – Mrs. Lilian Bullock, or, as she is known to the famous, the infamous and the nobodies — ‘Lil’.

Achievements

Since she came from enemy territory of Enfield, Middlesex, Lil’s acceptance into the world of Surrey cricket was in itself an achievement, but her association with Mitcham goes back 40-odd years to the days when her father was a baker and confectioner almost opposite the King’s Head, and Burn, her husband, was on the Surrey staff at the Oval.

Until his death in 1954, Burn was an active member of our club, being a vice-president, a life member and match secretary. It was undoubtedly his influence which propelled Lil into club activities.

Shortly after they met she attended her first club function, a meeting of the tea committee — and wound up chairman. Those were the days when a band of elegant ladies provided the food and then presented the club with a splendid marquee from the profits.

Burn & Lil took over the King’s Head in 1941 after his retirement from county cricket and coaching duties and Lil has become as big a part of Mitcham as the lavender itself! Her generosity is unbounded.

Great names have appeared on the Green – and in the King’s Head – because of the Wilson Hospital charity matches. Arranged by Burn and fed by Lil would be a fitting description for these fixtures!

Baseball – cricket

Once, in Burn’s absence, Lil arranged a game for a visiting crowd of American reporters against Monty Garland — Wells’ XI. They turned out in ordinary walking shoes, threw the bat away and ran after hitting the ball, broke a lamp on the Green and generally shattered the piece and reverence of an afternoon on the ‘sacred’ turf.

Those days are gone, but Lil’s affection for the club is reflected in the fact that she made her grandson, Nicholas Dawson, a member in 1961 when he was only 6 1/2 HOURS old!

Just the same

All good publicans put out the red carpet for their customers. When you walked into the King’s Head, Burn always made you feel that you were the very person he was hoping to see.

We still get the same welcome – except that now the greeting is a very cheery and very feminine “Hello darlings”. As I said before — we cricketers wouldn’t have it any other way.
R.H.