Thrum Hall

Thrum Hall was a rugby league stadium on Hanson Lane in Halifax, West Yorkshire. It was the home of Halifax RLFC.

tadium

The site, measuring 55,000 square yards and included a cricket pitch and bowling greens. The ground has long since been covered by urban development and the site is currently occupied by a supermarket [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Pictures/10/10500.html]

History

The ground was purchased for £3,000 from a local farmer, Major Dyson.

In 1886, Halifax RLFC moved to their traditional home of Thrum Hall, this would be their home ground for the next 112 years. The first game was played on September 18, 1886 and drew 8,000 spectators.

THe ground hosted the 1914 Challenge Cup final and the Championship finals of 1912, 1929 and 1930.

Thrum Hall was run by trustees from 1921.

Between 1928 to 1930 a speedway track operated at Thrum Hall.

Halifax was hit hard by the financial situation of the late 1960s and 1970s. In 1970, a concert was held at Thrum Hall in an attempt was made to alleviate these financial troubles. Horrific weather conditions meant that only around 3,000 arrived to watch the 'Halifax Pop and Blues Concert' which made a loss of £6,000. [http://www.rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk/subjects/view/becoming-a-director]

Halifax sold Thrum Hall for £1.5 million to the American company Wal-Mart for a supermarket development in 1998, and moved across town to their present home, the Shay Stadium.

Cricket

Thrum Hall Cricket Ground, hosted four first class cricket matches between 1888 and 1897 [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/508_f.html] .

Yorkshire CCC played three County Championship matches there, in July 1888 against Gloucestershire CCC, August 1889 against Middlesex CCC and Kent CCC in June 1897 while they played Essex CCC in a non-championship fixture in July 1894. Kent were bowled out for 74 in their match, with Bobby Peel taking 8 for 93. Peel also bowled Gloucestershire out for just 89, taking 7 for 39, in a low scoring match which Yorkshire won by 3 wickets.