New Interpretation at the Essex Cricket Museum

The Essex Cricket Museum, officially known as Peter Edwards Museum & Library, has celebrated the 150^th anniversary of Essex County Cricket Club and its own 20^th with a stunning set of eleven new permanent display boards.

The original boards, which had been in place for the whole 20 years, were a straightforward history of the men’s team and some of its leading figures. Since then, the Club has changed out of all recognition and in particular now has a professional women’s team. The boards are designed to reflect these changes and take a thematic rather than chronological approach. Six of them still represent the men’s team, which is only realistic, but there are also boards for the women’s and ability teams, the next generation, grounds and groundsmen. I wrote and selected most of the text and images but had valuable support from other committee members.

We also have a most impressive Roll of Honour – images of over 50 leading players displayed all around the museum above the main boards. This was the idea of our Chairman, John Barker, working with committee member Chris Grant.

We were very fortunate that the original designer, Suffolk-based Ian Drake, is still in business and was keen to do the new boards, which he designed and fitted. We launched them at a Friends of the Museum event on 27 March and everybody was most impressed. One of them just wandered round saying ‘Wow!’

All members of Museums Essex are welcome to visit the museum, on match days or by appointment. Our email is peml@essexcricket.org.uk and address: The Ambassador Cruise Ground, New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0PG.

Written by David Pracy, Hon. Curator, April 2026