Bovey Tracey cricketer Richard Gaywood remembered fondly following his death aged 85

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

TEAM-mates, family members and old rivals have been remembering former Bovey Tracey cricketer Richard Gaywood following his death at the age of 85.

Gaywood – often referred to as Dickie by friend and foe alike – featured in Bovey Tracey sides as a wicketkeeper-batsman across four decades from the early 1960s onwards.

Prior to joining Bovey Tracey CC he played village cricket for Manaton, which was close to the farm he worked on at the time.

“He would have been 22, maybe 23, when he started playing for Bovey in the very early 1960s and finally packed in when he was 62 after he had a hip operation,” said son Nick, who inherited the cricket gene from his father.

“Dad was an opening batsman as well as a wicket-keeper and played in the first team regularly until the mid-1980s.

“When Nigel Mountford came back from Torquay towards the end of the 80s he took over the gloves. Dad carried on playing in the second team, but I remember him covering for Nigel once in the 1990s. He would have been around 57 at the time.”

Dickie Gaywood scored just one century for Bovey Tracey, which was against Brixham with older son Nick at the other end.

“It was the final over before tea and we managed to run a three to get him to a hundred,” said Nick.

Another happy memory for Nick, who will be 61 in April, was the day he scored his maiden half-century in an adult game with dad as his batting partner.

“It was against Okehampton and we put on 138 together,” said Nick.

Mountford, now Bovey Tracey’s president, has fond memories of Gaywood, who was his rival for the spot behind the stumps.

“Richard was a very good wicketkeeper-batsman, who played the game in the right spirit,” said Mountford. 

“He was a true gentleman, both on and off the field, always liked a joke and loved the dressing room banter. 

“When I was invited to join Torquay in 1976, it eased a problem at Bovey as we both wanted to keep wicket. Obviously, only one of us could play as a wicketkeeper.”

South Devon’s Joe Oliver was a contemporary of Gaywood’s and fulfilled the same role as a keeper-batter. He recalls his opposite number with affection.

“Dickie was a fierce but fair opponent and a true gentleman who always played with a smile on his face,” said Oliver.

“Not only was Dickie a good cricketer he was also a talented squash player.”

Dickie was one of six brothers, five of whom played cricket in Devon. Phillip mostly played for Chudleigh, so did Mike, while Brian turned out for Chudleigh and Exeter. Ken reformed Moretonhampstead CC, for whom Nick made his earliest adult appearances.

The entire Gaywood cricketing clan – brothers, children, cousins and nephews – was assembled into a complete cricket team at Bovey Tracey in August 1998 to play in a game celebrating Dickie’s 60th birthday. 

Richard Middleton Gaywood was born on August 10, 1938 in Knebworth, Hertfordshire. Richard was a talented singer who won a scholarship to Llandaff Cathedral School as a chorister. He stayed there for more than two years before returning to Devon and going to school in Okehampton.

The Gaywoods had moved to Devon during the 1950s and set-up home in Moretonhampstead. Dickie got a job at Beckham’s Farm near Manaton where his work exempted him from National Service.

Richard met wife-to-be Angela while working on the farm and the couple married in Manaton Parish Church in 1962. They remained together for the next 61 years and had two sons: Nick and Anthony.

Both sons followed dad into Bovey Tracey teams. Nick went on to play for Devon more than 150 times – he scored a century before lunch in a one-day final at Lord’s – and featured in England Amateur XI sides during the 1990s.

During the 1970s Dickie Gaywood left the farm industry and obtained a government grant to retrain as a carpenter. He made his living that way until he retired.

Retirement included 12 years living in Normandy, where golf became a new passion, before returning to Devon at the age of 78.

“Dad took up golf when he moved to Normandy and played loads up until his stroke when he was 80,” said Nick. “He even had a hole-in-one in France!”

Dickie suffered a stroke when he was 80, which left him less active than he was used to in the final years of his life. He died in Totnes Hospital before Christmas. His is survived by his wife and two sons, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Richard Gaywood’s funeral will take place at the Exeter and Devon Crematorium on Friday, January 12 at 2.30pm. There will be a reception after the service at the Cromwell Arms in Bovey Tracey.