• Everton Weekes dies

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:21 pm**

Former West Indian test batsman and for Bacup professional Everton Weekes has died at the age of 95.

Before my time but my dad said he was the finest batsman he ever saw grace the Lancashire League.

He had some great innings for Bacup and the West Indies. Having reached 95 he seems to have had a good innings in life too.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:23 pm**

This was his batting record in the league, runs and average. They are absolutely astonishing.

1949: 1,470 runs at 70.0
1951: 1,518 runs at 89.3
1952: 1,292 runs at 80.7
1953: 1,322 runs at 94.4
1954: 1,266 runs at 158.2
1956: 1,168 runs at 97.3
1958: 1,033 runs at 93.9

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:28 pm**

R.I.P Everton Weekes

Before my time too, but my dad really rated him.
Remember a great Uncle, himself an old LL stalwart with Rawtenstall, telling me as a young lad, the best bowler he'd ever seen was Sid Barnes and the best batsman, Everton Weekes.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:33 pm**

Alot of people say he was the best of a very good bunch of professionals to grace the Lancashire league
Rest in peace

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:33 pm**

A name that is synonymous with Lancs League cricket and one of the West Indian pioneers like Learie before him.

Great innings Everton Weekes.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:34 pm**

RIP Everton. Sad news.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:34 pm**

Thanks for the stats Tony outstanding batsman rip Everton weekes

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:37 pm**

That's Bradmanesque averages, i can only guess that he didn't have many innings in 1954, mind you if you're averaging nearly 160, you won't need many innings.

Was this on uncovered pitches i'd wager back in the 50's that would've been the case, makes his numbers even more remarkable.

I assume he'll be given some from of tribute before the test match next week, he certainly deserves that honour.

RIP Everton

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:38 pm**

Am just reading a new book Connie by Harry Pearson on Learie Constantine. The 1st great West Indian to grace the Lancashire League at Nelson in the early 1930s. A trail blazer, reputed to be the highest paid sportsman in England at that time and Lancs League cricket paid better than the County game. Everton Weekes and many others followed much later, a joy to watch and nurtured the love of cricket by many on this board.
RIP Everton - Bacup's finest.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:47 pm**

Longsidelenny1882 wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:34 pm
Thanks for the stats Tony outstanding batsman rip Everton weekes

I’d posted them a while ago on a thread so went looking for them. Those averages are incredible.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:50 pm**

The BBC documentary 'race and pace' featuring him and many others from the west indies really is one of the best things you'll see on TV regarding local life up here
Doesn't matter if you like cricket or not,it's still great viewing

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:54 pm**

Rest in peace Everton Weekes

Top stats in the LL especially when you consider the bowlers he will of been facing.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:07 pm**

CBT wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:50 pm
The BBC documentary 'race and pace' featuring him and many others from the west indies really is one of the best things you'll see on TV regarding local life up here
Doesn't matter if you like cricket or not,it's still great viewing

It was the thread discussing that programme where I found the averages I’d posted. I really enjoyed that programme but it did feature Charlie Griffith who I watched at Burnley.

I was talking recently to Jack Schofield who played for Burnley in the 1950s & 60s. He once suggested we played without wicket keeper when Weekes was batting on the basis that he never missed the ball.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:11 pm**

My dad, also, used to talk about him when I was a child, said he was one of the best ever. RIP Everton.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:22 pm**

R.I.P. Everton Weekes .An unbelievable cricketer.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:31 pm**

There is actually a roundabout in Barbados named after Everton Weeks as I remember. One of my dads heroes RIP

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:31 pm**

A legend and last of the 3 'W' Walcott, Weekes and Worrell born within 18 months of each other, within 3 miles of each other and delivered by the same midwife what a trio. RIP Sir Everton.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:43 pm**

LordBob wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:31 pm
A legend and last of the 3 'W' Walcott, Weekes and Worrell born within 18 months of each other, within 3 miles of each other and delivered by the same midwife what a trio. RIP Sir Everton.

I only ever saw Worrell of those three

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:50 pm**

Really sad to hear this news. My dad’s hero and along with my grandfather the conversation endlessly revolved around Everton Weekes. Bacup came to a standstill and there were queues stretching down Lanehead during EW’s tenure. Although I’ve never seen him play,I have always accepted him as an all time great, purely off the conversations with my father. Everton Weekes RIP.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:26 pm**

Great batsman and a gentleman. My dad played against him in LL and always admired him for both his cricket and his sportsmanship.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:34 pm**

Just read he scored 32 centuries in the Lancs league.
Some going that.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:42 pm**

There's an amazing colour film on YouTube of Bacup vs Rawtenstall in 1949, with some great footage of Everton Weekes batting (and a crowd of about 15,000 watching).

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 11:25 pm**

So sad to read this news. He was a smashing player and an absolute joy to watch and a real gentleman.
Lancashire League in those days really was something to behold with Weekes at Bacup, Walcott at Enfield, Mankad at Haslingden, Polly Umrigar at my own club, Church, and not forgetting Phadkar at Nelson (?) and that wonderful bowler, Gupte, at Rishton. Halcyon days as a young enthusiast.

RIP Sir Everton and thank you for some wonderful memories.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 11:43 pm**

tiger76 wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:37 pm
That's Bradmanesque averages, i can only guess that he didn't have many innings in 1954, mind you if you're averaging nearly 160, you won't need many innings.

1,266 runs @ 158.2 .... 17 Innings with 9 Not Outs ...

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:15 am**

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:28 pm
R.I.P Everton Weekes

Before my time too, but my dad really rated him. Remember a great Uncle, himself an old LL stalwart with Rawtenstall, telling me as a young lad, the best bowler he'd ever seen was Sid Barnes and the best batsman, Everton Weekes.

Sydney ( SF ) Barnes, was the only player ever capped for England, despite not playing County Cricket. He fell out with Lancashire in 1904, when they offered him £3 pw ( Summer ) and £1 pw ( Winter ). He pointed out that he could earn £8 ( + Bonus ) as a professional in the Lancashire Leagues, just playing on Saturdays and occasional Sundays, as well as holding down his day job as an Office Clerk. They refused to budge, and Barnes never played County Championship Cricket again. Despite this he was selected for 23 of his 27 Tests after 1904 ....

In 27 Tests, he took 189 wickets @ 16.43, with 24 " 5 wicket " hauls and 7 " 10 wickets in the match ". Twenty of his 27 Tests were against Australia, the other seven against South Africa. He last played as a pro in the League at the age of 60 !!

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:18 am**

Oshkoshclaret wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:42 pm
There's an amazing colour film on YouTube of Bacup vs Rawtenstall in 1949, with some great footage of Everton Weekes batting (and a crowd of about 15,000 watching).

Oshkoshclaret!
Thank you for the heads up on the YouTube video.
The Great Uncle I mentioned early in the thread is on that video!
Amazing. It was his last game for Rawtenstall, Joe Middleton!
I'm pretty sure to that my dad, grandfather and another uncle are on it on one of the crowd shots!
Wonderful.
Thanks again.

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:27 am**

Remember as a young boy trying to pat Mr Weekes on the back after he and his fellow opener ( Midgeley I think) had scored some amazing opening partnership at Turf Moor. Everton was kind enough to speak to me. He said Don’t touch me ! True story. I just wish he had been Christened Burnley instead of Everton. I always thought he was the best batsman of the 3 W’s

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:44 am**

Clarets4me wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:15 am
Sydney ( SF ) Barnes, was the only player ever capped for England, despite not playing County Cricket. He fell out with Lancashire in 1904, when they offered him £3 pw ( Summer ) and £1 pw ( Winter ). He pointed out that he could earn £8 ( + Bonus ) as a professional in the Lancashire Leagues, just playing on Saturdays and occasional Sundays, as well as holding down his day job as an Office Clerk. They refused to budge, and Barnes never played County Championship Cricket again. Despite this he was selected for 23 of his 27 Tests after 1904 ....

In 27 Tests, he took 189 wickets @ 16.43, with 24 " 5 wicket " hauls and 7 " 10 wickets in the match ". Twenty of his 27 Tests were against Australia, the other seven against South Africa. He last played as a pro in the League at the age of 60 !!

Sid and my great uncle apparently got on quite well, though for some reason my Grandma wasn't too keen on him.
But whIle not sure exactly what his LL stats now, I dId see they were outrageously good.

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 1:12 am**

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:44 am
Sid and my great uncle apparently got on quite well, though for some reason my Grandma wasn't too keen on him.
But whIle not sure exactly what his LL stats now, I dId see they were outrageously good.

270 Lancashire League matches between 1895 - 1933

1050 wickets @ 8.91 at an economy of 2.42, took 4 wickets in an Innings 123 times, best bowling 9 -11 ...
4,792 runs @ 20.65, 3 Centuries, 21 Fifties and 116 catches

Not too shabby !

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:03 am**

LordBob wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:31 pm
A legend and last of the 3 'W' Walcott, Weekes and Worrell born within 18 months of each other, within 3 miles of each other and delivered by the same midwife what a trio. RIP Sir Everton.

Good to reference to the West Indies, three W's.

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:08 am**

Oshkoshclaret wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:42 pm
There's an amazing colour film on YouTube of Bacup vs Rawtenstall in 1949, with some great footage of Everton Weekes batting (and a crowd of about 15,000 watching).
[/

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... 949-online

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:09 am**

Oshkoshclaret wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:42 pm
There's an amazing colour film on YouTube of Bacup vs Rawtenstall in 1949, with some great footage of Everton Weekes batting (and a crowd of about 15,000 watching).

Sad news one of the many greats to grace the Lancs League.

Here’s a link to the film. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... 949-online

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:48 am**

The batsman’s name avoids me , but an oft told story about Weekes .He wore a large medallion and if it was really swinging as he charged in you knew to either duck it or hook it or it’s taking your head off !

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 11:36 am**

Just read that he's the only player to score centuries if five consecutive test innings - that was in 1948 before he'd arrived at Bacup.

In the Lancs League

Hit a record 32 Lancashire League centuries
Hit an unbeaten 195 at Enfield in 1949 which is the third highest individual innings.
Hit 1518 runs at 89.3 in 1951 which was a league record until 1991
His average of 158.25 runs from 17 innings in 1954 is the highest of any player who has played 10 or more innings in a season.
Highest career average of 91.60 of players with 50 or more innings
Hit 7 centuries in 1951 which was a league record until 1996

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:08 pm**

I read somewhere, probably on Google, that hewas a guset pro for Walsden and he scored a century and took nine wickets to give them a first trpohy in 70 odd years. Also it said he let one ball go past him, took one hand off the bat and still scored four runs playing for Bacup against Rawtenstall !!!

One of my dad's heroes.

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2020 1:59 pm**

i have a friend called Everton. He is from Barbados and Weekes was his dad's favourate cricketer. He spends his life explaining to people that he is not named after a football team.

Posted: **Fri Jul 03, 2020 4:10 pm**

From Barbados to Bacup.in the 1950's.

Posted: **Fri Jul 03, 2020 5:01 pm**

I watched him regularly as a junior member at Bacup ( I had his autograph on my membership card where did that go?) Opposing teams would bat as long as they could to prevent Weekes knocking off the runs. They rarely succeeded! He developed into a very good spin bowler as well. He opened a sports shop on Market street in Bacup and became a highly respected man in the town. What memories he left us.

Posted: **Fri Jul 03, 2020 10:00 pm**

Bacupboy wrote: ↑
Fri Jul 03, 2020 5:01 pm
I watched him regularly as a junior member at Bacup ( I had his autograph on my membership card where did that go?) Opposing teams would bat as long as they could to prevent Weekes knocking off the runs. They rarely succeeded! He developed into a very good spin bowler as well. He opened a sports shop on Market street in Bacup and became a highly respected man in the town. What memories he left us.

Did he have a partner in that sports shop? I remember my father talking about a partner or the keeper of the shop but cant remember the name. Maybe Kelly???

Posted: **Sat Jul 04, 2020 9:50 am**

I have several books on Bacup, but details of his private life are sparse. Even Wikipedia doesn't mention his wife, only his children. I have this memory of a young woman in the shop who I assumed was his wife. Sorry I can't be more specific. I'm now going to trawl through the 1951 Bacup Times I possess to see if I can discover more. Watch this space!

Posted: **Sat Jul 04, 2020 9:55 am**

P.S. Discovered that he was a married to Joan (there were 3 sons and one daughter) but they were divorced.

Posted: **Sat Jul 04, 2020 10:10 am**

PPS. I have found a notice in the Bacup Times stating that Everton Weekes married Joan Delores Manning on 3 February 1951. The wedding took place in Barbados.

Posted: **Fri Jul 24, 2020 9:37 pm**

Sir Everton Weekes: Bacup to honour West Indies cricket legendhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-l ... -53531361

Posted: **Fri Jul 24, 2020 9:40 pm**

Nice to hear that he’ll be remembered in Bacup

Posted: **Sat Jul 25, 2020 12:43 am**

Who's Bacup?

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