Cricket archive spanning centuries donated to Scottish library

An archive that logs more than 200 years of Scottish cricket has been donated to the National Library of Scotland.

Provided by Cricket Scotland, the Scottish Cricket Archive is now listed on the library’s catalogue and can be found in its Edinburgh reading room.

It includes a 117-year overview of the sport in Scotland from 1908 until the present day, and also features documents about Scotland’s first match in 1785.

I wanted to ensure that this material was available for consultation in a library, so I was delighted when the National Library of Scotland agreed to form an archive for Scottish Cricket Union and Cricket Scotland material

Neil Leitch, Cricket Scotland

The records cover both the Scottish Cricket Union and Cricket Scotland, including minute books, scorebooks and programmes spanning men’s, women’s and junior cricket.

Research files compiled by historians Sandy Thorburn and Neil Leitch are also safeguarded in the archive.

Also in the papers is a large volume of statistics relating to Scottish teams and players, as well as documents on the formation of clubs across Scotland and their office bearers.

Mr Leitch said: “As historian of Cricket Scotland, over the years I have answered queries by referring to the Scottish cricket records that I held, whilst increasingly over time much material has become available on the internet.

“I wanted to ensure that this material was available for consultation in a library, so I was delighted when the National Library of Scotland agreed to form an archive for Scottish Cricket Union and Cricket Scotland material.

“I would also like to thank former Cricket Scotland secretary Bert Barclay in assisting in this process, by making available the main committee minutes for the new archive.”

Charles Paterson, Cricket Scotland’s head of communications, added: “We are delighted that the National Library of Scotland has agreed to work with Cricket Scotland to archive and safeguard this documentation.

“It’s hugely important that our sport’s long and rich history in this country is safeguarded for the future, and I would like to pay tribute to Neil Leitch and Bert Barclay for their time and diligence on this project.”

An old cricket score book features in the archive (Cricket Scotland/PA)

Rachel Beattie, curator (land and sport collections) at the National Library of Scotland, said: “We’re delighted that Cricket Scotland has chosen the National Library to be the new home of their archive.

“This donation will ensure that this comprehensive record of more than a century of Scottish cricket will be preserved and available to the public to peruse at their leisure.

“This national cricket archive is important for the history of the sport within Scotland. This generous donation complements our existing sporting collections and will further bolster the library’s position as a centre for cricketing history in Scotland.

“The library welcomes research queries about this archive and Scottish cricketing archives more generally.”

Anyone interested in the archives can contact the library by emailing manuscripts@nls.uk.