Bob Attwell dies aged 92

It is with great sadness that we have to announce that Bob Attwell, the oldest OCCC member, died on Wednesday, May 19 at the age of 92.

Bob was a part of Cranleigh for his whole life. He was at Cranleigh from 1920 until 1929, and thereafter was an ever-present in the village where he ran Attwell's chemists just off Stocklund Square until the 1970s. He lived his entire life in Cranleigh, latterly in a lovely cottage at the far end of the village, with his wife, Joy, who he first met at the Cranleigh School Pageant in 1927. As recently as a couple of years ago he would regularly cycle into the village to shop and watch cricket on the green.

Bob first played for the OCCC in 1927 while in the sixth form, and his last appearance was in 1970. Many reckon he was the best slow left-arm bowler the school had produced. And although he was regarded as a bowler, at school he was considered all allrounder, often batting as high as No. 3. Bob was in the school XI and a colour for three seasons (1927-29) and was the last surviving member of the side which played against Epsom at The Oval in 1928.

But his real mark was made with Cranleigh Village. He first played as a 14-year-old schoolboy in 1926, and his last season was in 1983 by which time he was 71. One of his final games was against Old Cranleighans on the Lowers that summer. Bob was a well-known and popular player, and his finest hour came in 1956 when he took all ten wickets in a festival match against a Nigel Paul XI which contained several first-class players, including future England captain MKJ Smith.

He also had one other claim to fame, which few knew about. In 1943 he played in a game at Lord's between Surrey and Sussex Home Guards shortly before being posted overseas. During that match was at the non-striker's end when the batsman on strike, former England cricket and football international Andy Ducat, collapsed and died at the crease.