Kelly's Paddock  Minmi

Kelly's Paddock - Minmi Ranger's First home Ground?

Kelly's Paddock was mentioned in two accounts about the formation of the club as the place where prospective players were asked to attend for practice. A third account mentions Brown's Paddock as the ground. We have no evidence where Kelly's Paddock was. 

We know that cricket and other activities were also played on Kelly's Paddock. In 1892, Kelly's Paddock was described as 'the old cricket ground, Kelly's paddock'. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, Thursday 1 September 1892, page 3)

A 1883 newspaper article located the new cricket ground was about a mile from the town on an area of 10 acres. This area was probably what would later be referred to as Brown's Paddock. This does not rule out part of this land being Kelly's Paddock. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, Thursday 1 September 1892, page 3) (Also, an article about the formation of the club from 1940 refers to Brown's Paddock being used for practice and not Kelly's Paddock. (Newcastle Sun, 1 October 1940, page 8) 

We know that by 1892, the cricket was still using Kelly's Paddock. The Newcastle Herald reported that Minmi cricket cricket played the first match of the season with a scratch match between two teams from their own members. At 2.30 pm the teams finished the game so that they could go along and watch the rugby game between Minmi and New Lambton. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 20 Sep,1892, page 3, &14 Sept 1982, page 8).

It was also referred to as Mr. Kelly's Paddock': Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW: 1876 - 1954), Tuesday 26 February 1901, page 7 and was large enough to accommodate a 150 yard long training track for the local fire brigade. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate NSW  1876 1954 Monday 1 November 1897 page 3)

We also know that the paddock was somewhere on the northern side of the town:

'That part of the Maitland-road between the Bonnie Doon Hotel and the railway, which was unoccupied a few years ago, is now largely built upon on each side. Kelly's paddock in this vicinity, which was required for a reserve, has been pegged out, and it is considered that this area will be shortly settled upon.'  (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 22 September 1904, page 7)

The current Minmi Sports Ground has been suggested as a possible location of Kelly's Paddock.  However, this was a slaughter yard and an article in the Newcastle Herald from 1893 shows that it was still being used as a slaughter yard at that date. This means it could not be used for football, cricket or any other of the social and sporting activities reported. (Newcastle Morning Herald 23 December, 1893, page 8)

Minmi cricket teams also used Kelly's paddock as their home ground.  A Newcastle Morning Herald article reports that the 'the old cricket ground, Kelly's Paddock' will again be used for the summer 1892/93 will as their home ground. (Newcastle Morning Herald, 1 September, 1892, page 3) Another article from 28 June, 1887 advised that Minmi will play Greta Blue Bell club on the cricket ground, Minmi. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 28 Jun 1887, page 8) 

Also, the football field was orientated east-west. A newspaper article from 1886 reported that Minmi had won the toss and decided to play with the sun in their eyes during the first half. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate 22 July 1886, page 8) Another article from 1890 reported that Minmi, having won the toss decided to the western goal. (Newcastle Moring Herald and Miners' Advocate, 27 August, 1890, page 3). 

The club did make use of Brown's Paddock. Perhaps this is the Minmi Football Ground. Brown's Paddock was around Brown's Model farm on the flat, swamp land north of the town and near the rail line to Hexham. A report of the Rangers and West Wallsend game in 1892 describes supporters going 'down to the grounds.' (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 28 Jun 1892, page 3)

As early as January,1883, Minmi Athletic Sports were held on the 'on the new cricket ground about a mile from the town' which had been cleared and fenced. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 27 Jun 1883, page 4) The Minmi Athletic Club in 1886 held its annual gathering on the 'running track within the enclosed paddock set apart by Messrs Brown as a recreation reserve and unquestionably the paddock is a splendid piece of land, and very suitable for cricket, football, running, & the great drawback being the distance from the town proper; but I suppose on account of the ranges surrounding the township this was the nearest land suitable for the purpose.' (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 22 Nov 1886, Page 5) This descriptions points to the ground being located on the low ground north of the town. An account of the July 1886 Minmi home game against the Sydney team, Wanderers, reported the 'deplorable condition of the Minmi ground after late rain, which left water laying six inches deep in some parts of the ground. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 19 Jul 1886, page 5)

Another newspaper article reported that the 'Minmi football ground is some distance from the town'. However, this did not stop a large crowd from attending in June to watch Minmi Wanderers(green shirts) and Minmi Squashers(white and pink shirts) play out a draw on the Minmi Football Ground. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 23 Jun 1908, page 6) In 1908 the same two Minmi teams, replayed a third grade final there. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 9 Nov 1908, Page 3) An article previewing the game clearly makes the link between Brown's Paddock and the Minmi Football Ground:

In Brown's paddock, Minmi, to-morrow, the Squashers and Wanderers will meet again to decide supremacy in the 3rd grade final. On the last occasion they met on the same ground, an even contest resulted, which pleased the spectators immensely. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 6 Nov 1908, Page 3) Another article, on 26 October, 1908, reported the last 3rd grade game of the regular season between Minmi Squashers (white shirt with a pink sash) and Minmi Wanderers (green shirt) was played on Brown's Paddock.

We can conclude that Brown's Paddock was Minmi Football from the middle of the 1880s to the early 1900s. Newspaper references to Kelly's Paddock begin in 1892 and the last reference is in 1907. There is no evidence Minmi Rangers used Kelly's Paddock for games. It was used for cricket matches. We are not sure of the exact location of Kelly's Paddock, but it was probably on or near Brown's Paddock.