In the second half of the last century a Luton Town Cricket Club played regularly on that part of People’s Park known as Bell’s close. Fixtures against the M.C.C. were played there and several of the leading players of the day took part in these matches. 

This Club however, ceased to function in the 1890’s and at the beginning of the 20th Century, the leading Cricket Club in the town was the Liberal Club which played regular league cricket on the Dell, the land bounded today on the North side of Stockingstone Road by the Old and New Bedford Road’s. Until 1893 the house and grounds now known as Wardown Park, were owned by Mr. Frank Scargill, a local Solicitor and Clerk to the Justices who in 1875 rebuilt the house, added lodge houses and laid out the Park then known as Bramingham Shott. The next owner, Mr. B. J. H. Forder, changed the name to Wardown before selling the estate to Mr. Malley Stewert. In 1903 he, in turn, decided to sell the house and grounds and the Luton Corporation finally acquired them both in 1905 for £16,250.00. 

While he was the owner, Mr. Scargill ran his own Cricket X1 which played on part of the ground which is today Wardown Cricket Ground. His X1 had fixtures against all the leading Clubs in the area and Mr. Scargill himself played for Bedfordshire. 

After the purchase by the Corporation, there arose a demand from Luton Cricket enthusiasts for the formation of a new Luton Town Cricket Club and for the development of a ground of a standard high enough to stage County games. Letters in the Luton News recalled the large crowds which in the 1870’s and 1880’s had attended County games played on Bell’s Close and supported the call for the formation of a new club. 

However, some members of the Parks Committee of the Luton Town Council were not so enthusiastic about the possibility of providing such a ground at Wardown. There was a great deal of support among the members for creating bowling greens on the old cricket ground, for they argued that to provide a ground fit for County matches, the wall which enclosed a large kitchen garden would have to be knocked down and the fall of some 6 to 8 feet across the ground would have to be corrected. 

It was further argued that the purchase of the Wardown House and grounds had already cost the council £16,250.00 and that it would cost a further £1500. for the enlarging and levelling to be carried out. 

However, after a long and often heated argument, the Parks Committee finally gave way and in October1905, after a tied vote, agreed that a sum of £500. should be spent to enlarge the ground but that no further money would be made available to do any work on the square itself. 

Towards the end of 1905, a meeting was held in the Council Chamber with the object of forming a new Luton Town Cricket Club. At this meeting Alderman Warren welcommed the formation of the Club saying that “one reason why the old club died out was that latterly there were such proceedings that some people, particularly ladies, felt they could not go and see the play”. Unfortunately, no further details of the nature of these proceedings can be traced! 

It was agreed at this meeting that, as there was no pavilion, a tent would be used for changing and that the annual subscription would be 10s 6d. 

Work began on the ground early in 1906 and at a further meeting held in January of that year it was agreed that a rent of £20 be paid to the Council, that the League would have the right to play at Wardown and that the maximum admission charge to the ground should be 6d. There was to be a close tie-up between the newly formed Club and the Liberal Club C.C. and indeed Ernest Gilder was elected Captain of both clubs. 

The Luton News of March 29th 1906 reported that work on the ground was proceeding well. There had been difficulty with moles but this trouble has been largely overcome as 40 moles had already been killed and were on display at the ground. 

In April, advice on the ground and particularly on the playing square was sought from the Beds C.C.C. professional. 

14 matches (7 home and 7 away) were arranged for the first season, most of them being in mid-week to avoid clashing with the league fixtures. 

The following is an extract from the Luton News just before the season opened. 

“My eyes were opened in a surprising manner when I paid my first visit last Saturday to Wardown Cricket Ground. To see a ground on which Town matches and County matches would be played was indeed gratifying. Under the care of Bert Holdstock, I can fairly imagine the date is not far distant when the ground will look a perfect fixture and I can realise how the Luton public will flock down there in crowds to see the Town matches. 

The first match was played June 6th 1906 against the Manor House School of Clapham before a crowd of some 1500 people. 

The Luton Town X1, however, was an under strength team because several players had league commitments on that day, with the result that the Club was beaten by 80 runs. There was however, some consolation as Foxley of Luton did the hat trick in this very first match. 

In May, Pollett a Bedfordshire County professional, came as coach for a fortnight and Bert Holdstock was appointed as groundsman. 

Two matches played at Wardown during this Season are worthy of special attention. One was a home fixture in June against South Kensington when there was a gate of some 1500. The Luton News reported that the gate would have been much larger had it been known beforehand that Jack Hobbs was playing for the visitors. 

South Kensington batted first and Hobbs, then aged 23, was out to the last ball before Lunch for 116. The Visitors innings finally totalled 210 and with Luton being dismissed for 120, the Visitors won by 90 runs. 

Three quarters of an hour were left for play and in that time, Hobbs made 105 not out including twenty one boundaries. The local cricket reporter, however, deplored the fact that the Luton bowlers “did not take things at all seriously and merely fed Hobbs with full long hops!” 

The second game took place between Bedfordshire C.C.C. and Staffordshire C.C.C. during the cricket week held in August. Bedfordshire batted first with an X1 that included no Luton Town players and were dismissed for 24. 

Sidney Barnes of Staffordshire who played for England 27 times between 1902 and 1913 and once took 17 wickets in a Test Match against South Africa had the following analysis: 

and Staffordshire replied with 174. In their second innings Bedfordshire made 318, Barnes analysis in this innings being: 

In their second innings Staffordshire were all out for 137 and Bedfordshire won an astonishing victory by 31 runs. 

The interest in both Club and County Cricket at this time was shown by a gate of over 3000 for the August Bank Holiday fixture. 

When the Season ended there were some criticism in the Press and in the Town Council of the financial outcome of the Cricket Week with particular reference to the “Umpires and Scorers” fees and the miscellaneous expenditure. 

This matter was finally resolved when the Cricket Treasurer submitted more details of the expenditure showing that the Umpires and Scorers had been paid a total of £18. for the two County matches. 

The first A.G.M. of the Club was held in November when the following results for the season were announced. 

J. Dow headed the batting with an average of 33.60 for 7 innings. P. Platt headed the bowling with 14 wickets for 9.13, while the chief wicket taker was Ernest Gilder with 39 wickets. The total expenditure for the Season was £144. and the Treasurer announced a loss of 16s 1d. 

It was also reported that most of the fixtures had been played in mid 50's and “so opportunity was afforded to those denied the luxury of Saturday Cricket”. 

At this meeting Ernest Gilder resigned as Secretary following a disagreement with the Council over the question of whether Hockey should be allowed at Wardown. Arthur Mander who died as recently as February 1980 at the age of 97, was elected in his place. 

It was agreed at the A.G.M. of the Liberal C.C. held earlier in the year that the Annual Subscription of 10s 6d should be shared between the two Clubs. 

This ended the first season of the new Luton Town Cricket Club.