Five from this new body were appointed to meet Dickens the next day and report to the full meeting the same night. The conclusion of that eventful week came with the two minutes of Friday night's meeting. "Secretary reported that the deputation had met Mr. Dickens, who for the sum of £10 has agreed to cancel his agreement". Messrs Hulton and Coward were appointed "to see Mr. Silcock and get his most favourable terms".

This whole episode reflects the feeling for and interest in the village club in a period when Bradshaw's population was more parochial than now. Not only were eight cricket committee men immediately dispensable, but replacements were plentiful. An illustration of this is in the report and balance sheet for 1912 (i.e. two seasons hence) part of which reads:- "the Nomination Sheet for committee for next season is now posted in Mr. Hargreaves shop and candidates names must be posted along with the names of proposer and seconder".

At the first normal meeting of the new committee it was agreed to engage Silcock at the terms he had originally stated, that he should be approached to lay a bowling green, and that each member to take a subscription book out to meet expenses incurred by cancelling Dickens's agreement.

By the second meeting it was as if nothing ever happened, business as usual:

Re 2nd Eleven, Resolve that the club order 14 medals providing E. Cunliffe pays his subscription to the club".

The Bolton Evening News saw enough news value in the week's events to devote almost a whole page of The Cricket and Football Field to the subject.

August 20th 1910

BRADSHAW'S PROFESSIONAL

Dicken's Agreement Cancelled

SILCOCK AGAIN SIGNED-ON

"Oil has been poured on to the troubled waters at Bradshaw. A fortnight ago we intimated that the Bradshaw Cricket Club had signed Ernest Dickens, of Egerton as their professional for next season, and immediately the fat was in the fire.

Silcock at the present moment has taken more wickets than any player in Bolton and District League cricket this season, and the contention of a large number of Bradshaw members was that Dickens was not his equal as a bowler. It is in bowling that Bradshaw have been somewhat weak of late.

Meetings of protest have been held during the week, and the eight members of the committee who voted in favour of Dickens have resigned in consequence of the resolution passed by the members to approach Dickens, with a view to inducing him to cancel his agreement.

A new Committee was formed, and last night Dickens was interviewed and prevailed upon to release the club, upon what terms it has not yet transpired. Immediately afterwards Silcock was invited to re-sign, and appended his signature to the necessary forms for his sixth year at the Rigby's.

THE COMMITTEE EXPLAINS

We are requested to give publicity to the following letter:-

Cricket Dispute at Bradshaw

Dear Editor - You are no doubt aware of the trouble our club is passing through at the present time, caused, we are sorry to say, by a certain portion of our players and members protesting against our action in engaging Mr. Dickens as professional for next season.

A meeting was held irrespective of the club rules, imputations were hurled at the Committee which are entirely without foundation; and we stand condemned by a portion - only a portion - of our members. We agreed to meet a deputation, who, we are sorry to say, did not give us a fair hearing, so the whole matter went before a general meeting.

This was presided over by a chairman who did not give fair comment and the meetings were duly reported to the press. These reports, we think, do not do justice to our cause, in that Mr. Miller's report was not given the prominence its importance demanded.

A certain gentleman stated that the whole matter was cut and dried before it was advertised which he afterwards withdrew, but no mention of this withdrawal was reported.

Again, a member of our Committee was charged with not having paid his subscription when he voted, although they know it is an unwritten rule that members are given to the end of the season to do this, and numerous vice-presidents, players and members have not paid theirs to date.

As these reports are read by the public, who will judge us by such, we hereby enclose a copy of the Chairman's report, together with his opinion of the situation.

We respectfully submit these to you as an independent and unbiased person, in the hope that you will publish in your paper such a fair report of our case as will enable the cricket-loving public of Bolton and District to judge us for themselves.

Yours respectfully,
G. H. DALTON
T. A. WALDRON
GEO. BATESON
EDWIN LEATHER
H. MILLER
WM WHITTLE
P. HINDLE
J. SMITH.