St. Mary's Community Sports Partnership

Our Club is in partnership with St. Mary's RC High School and has a "state-of-the-art" sand filled artificial turf pitch, laid in 2001/2.

Tel: 07736792222

The pitch is available for hire ; contact John Nash on the above number for details.

History

Ken and Nancy Haddock

Ken and Nancy

Chesterfield Hockey Club was first formed in 1899 and amongst the earliest members was a Mr. T.J. Haddock who acted as a club umpire.

The Club temporarily suspended activities during the first World War, resuming in the early 1920's. The same T.J. Haddock was involved again during this period, his name occurring regularly in newspaper reports through to the 1930's.

A second suspension of activities resulted during the second World War, following which, in 1947, the Club as we now know it, was reformed. One of the young men involved was a Mr. Ken Haddock, the Club goalkeeper.

Ken became an active administrator in the Club, holding the office of Treasurer for many years as well as Club Captain. He captained the lower sides for many seasons as the Club expanded and helped numerous youngsters, some of whom are still playing with the Club (and well into the "Vintage" category!). When he ceased playing, he continued to help by umpiring for as long as his eyesight and the health of his wife permitted. In his latter days with the Club, Ken was involved in the planning for our ground at Nethermoor. It had long been his ambition (together with his contemporaries) for the Club to have its own ground and clubhouse.

Ken and his wife Annie, known more affectionately as Nancy, had a son, an Army Chaplain (Captain) then Teacher, who was unfortunately killed in a car accident in the 1950s. They were left with no relatives. Both of them took up art and both displayed some real ability. Ken worked mostly in pastels, a hobby which occupied him increasingly after his retirement. Many still remember his sketching after games at the Civil Service Club.

Ken died in 1991, followed only a few months later by his wife. They had been very close.

A few weeks later, our Club was contacted by the executor of Nancy's estate to say that we had been mentioned in her will. Ken and Nancy had drawn up very similar wills intending to leave the residue of their estate for the Club's Ground Development Fund.

Due to some legal difficulties, the residue of the estate was eventually transferred to the National Playing Fields Association which has ensured that Ken and Nancy's wishes have been honoured.

The Club formed a partnership with St. Mary's school and, with the help of the N.P.F.A., bid and secured Lottery funding to raise the balance of the funds necessary for the construction.

Pitch Plaque

Our Club is deeply indebted to Ken and Nancy and early in 2002, we were able to honour them with the fulfilment of Ken's dreams for the Club, and celebrated the opening of a fine facility in their memory.