Plaque

First Test Match in England

Inscription

This plaque honours the match played between England and Australia at The Oval from the 6th - 8th September 1880. The first test match on English soil. England won by five wickets. W G Grace scored 152, becoming England's first centurion.
Surrey County Cricket Club
D.R. London S.E.5

The "D.R. London S.E.5" is puzzling. The Oval is in the SE11 post code, not SE5. Possibly "D. R." is an organisation, based in SE5, that was involved in erecting this plaque, but we can't think which.

2025: We thank Jon Surtees of Surrey Cricket who solved the "D.R. London S.E.5" puzzle. This refers to Studio Daniel Reynolds, a ceramicist from nearby Iliffe Yard in Walworth (SE5) who created the plaque.

Site: Hobbs Gates + first Test (2 memorials)

SE11, Kennington Oval, Hobbs Gates

From British History Online: "During the war of 1939–45 the Oval suffered both from bombing and from neglect. It was used as a searchlight site and subsequently set out, though never used, as a prisoner-of-war camp. In 1945, after de-requisitioning, 40,000 turves from Gravesend were laid, and cricket was resumed at the beginning of the season of 1946."

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
First Test Match in England

Subjects commemorated i

First cricket test match in England

Played between national teams, test matches are the longest and considered to...

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W. G. Grace

Cricketer and medical practitioner. Born William Gilbert Grace at Clematis Ho...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
First Test Match in England

Created by i

Studio Daniel Reynolds

A design studio "Specializing in print with over 19 years of industry experie...

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Surrey County Cricket Club

One of eighteen first-class county cricket clubs in England and Wales. It rep...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
First Test Match in England

Also at this site i

Hobbs Gates

Hobbs Gates

See Alpha Rail for a close-up photo of these lovely Art Deco gates during the...

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Nearby Memorials

Oriolet Hospital and Dr Oldfield

Oriolet Hospital and Dr Oldfield

IG10, Staples Road, 91

The plaque is on the site of the hospital's open-air ward block.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass

SW3, Sloane Avenue, Nell Gwynn House

The house was 5 Whitehead's Grove - you can see a short terrace of houses here on this 1865 map.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Doctor Harold Moody - SE15

Doctor Harold Moody - SE15

SE15, Queen's Road, 164

Dr Harold Moody 1882 - 1947, campaigner for racial equality lived and worked here. English Heritage 

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Amwell Society - original location

Amwell Society - original location

EC1, Lloyd Square, St Helena Garden

The names are of three of the founding members of the Amwell Society.  Kindersley designed and carved the stone.

4 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Kenny Everett

Kenny Everett

TW11, Thames Walkway, Behind Broom Road

These plaques were originally located on the buildings of the Teddington Studios in Broom Road. The studios were closed and demolished in...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator