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175Years of Trent Bridge
The pavilion was the largest in the UK
when built and, during the First World
War, it was used as a military hospital and
some 3,500 soldiers were treated there
during the conflict.
Despite extensive renovation work carried
out inside the pavilion throughout its history,
it has retained those classic touches that have
helped Trent Bridge become one of the most
aesthetically pleasing venues in the country.
(3) 1928 saw Trent Bridge visited by none
other than King George V, who came to
the ground after opening the University
of Nottingham.
While fulfilling his formal duties that day,
Notts were facing the West Indies at the
Bridge. A royal visit would have added even
more to a thrilling day, bar the fact that the
entourage arrived during play.
This forced the match to pause for the
players to rush into the changing room
before taking to the pitch in club blazers.
The King met both sets of players in front
of a packed audience.
Among those greeted by the King were
a certain Harold Larwood and Bill Voce
(pictured second and fourth right), two
of the county’s most celebrated cricketers
and whose names now adorn the members’
seating next to the Pavilion.
(4) 1903 provided two of the highest
individual batting scores in first-class
cricket at the ground. Captain Arthur Jones
(pictured centrally, wearing his blazer)
scored a colossal 296 in a single innings
against Gloucestershire. Hot on his tail
was John Gunn (pictured below Jones),
who achieved 294 against local rivals
Leicestershire. Gunn also took more than
100 wickets that season.
That season also witnessed the highest team
total in Nottinghamshire’s history - that
same match that saw Gunn dominate with
the bat ended with Notts scoring 739-7d.
His near triple-century was aided by uncle
William Gunn and an unbeaten 104 from
John Dixon, who batted at number six.
These two scores still top the ‘most runs in
a single innings’ at the venue records and
the batsman to have come closest since then
is David Hussey, who hit a mammoth 275
against Essex in 2007.
(5) Trent Bridge has not always been solely
a cricket ground. Notts County’s formative
years were spent here before moving across
the Trent to Meadow Lane and Nottingham
king george v meets the notts players
the notts team from 1903