History

The earliest we can trace sport back to Adel is evidence of cricket being played in 1876, with the hockey club first playing as a mixed team in 1946, and later the same year forming a men’s 1st XI with an inaugural tour to Aberdeen.

The men’s 2nd XI was formed in 1950, with further pitch landscaping and drainage work taking place in 1959, Adel Hockey Club was originally a semi nomadic side playing at Bedquilts, then Ireland Wood and then Soldiers Field.

The invitation to join Adel gave the club luxuries other clubs didn’t have including changing rooms and high quality grass pitches. Thus regular hockey started being played in 1962 at Adel.

In 1970 we merged with Fulneck Old Boys and the Men’s 3rd XI was formed. A decision was made in 1971 to level, drain and seed the top field to create a ladies pitch in parallel to a ladies section. This was followed by the Mens 4th XI being formed in 1974 and the Ladies 2nd being formed in 1981. The Men’s 5th XI started in 1985 alongside the Ladies 3rd XI, with the Mens 6th XI in 1991 and the ladies 4th XI in 1993.

The club first laid the artificial surface in 1997, and the first game was played on the 29th June 1997.

Adel has a place in history as the site of a Roman encampment (Burgodunum) built on the York Otley road some 2,000 years ago. The Norman Church that abuts our land was built on the site of a pagan temple that could have been used by the Roman soldiers. Links with these two historical events are evident today within the Memorial Hall. Adel Hockey Club adopted a Roman centurion helmet for their emblem whilst the Association and some of the sections adopted the Adel Church door knocker.

The start of the hall as a social centre came as Adel grew in size. One hundred years ago on the east side of what used to be Adel Church School playground, stood a barn like wooden building lit by paraffin lamps and heated by a single stove. It contained one large room with a stage and a small area used as a kitchen. By the end of the 1914-18 war it was in constant need of repair.

Whilst many villagers erected obelisks as a memory to the Great War, Adel with a more practical outlook created two memorials, the stone at the entrance to the car park and the Memorial Hall itself. Funds were raised by public subscription and land was purchased and donated.

This was the start of the Adel Memorial Hall and successive committees and sections have looked to improve and develop the facilities. Below taken mostly from the minutes is a shortened history of some of the major events linked with the development of Adel Memorial Hall and Adel Hockey club.

1876	Cricket is known to be played at Adel.
1919	Approval given to raise subscriptions towards a public Hall.
1922	Memorial stone arrives from Adel woods.
1924	Proposed road extension of Holt Lane to Alwoodly via what is now the Bowls, Tennis & Plastic Pitch (Plans shelved).
1927	Building work starts.
1928	Memorial Hall officially opened Nov. 14th 1928. Badminton section forms.
1929	Football played on cricket field. (Subsequently folds). Adel Church Tennis Club accounts transferred to Hall.
1930	Church Cricket Club move to Hall
1931	Full Time caretaker appointed.
1933	Tennis change from grass to hard courts. Further extension provides billiard room, table tennis room & better kitchen.
1935	Agreed Tennis Pavilion can be built Fishing Section formed. (Never mentioned again).
1941	Sunday tennis allowed.
1945	Adel players start.
1946	Adel Hockey Club start as a mixed team from the Quaker meeting house playing at Bedquilts. Inaugural Archery meeting. Bowling section formed. Green laid at a cost of £793.0s.6d. Green opened 28th June by Sir George Martin. Billiard Room purchased for £1,200.00. Cricket pavilion bought from the defunct Creskeld C.C. for £475.14s 10d. Hockey Men’s Team Formed Hockey tour to Aberdeen.
1948	Archery section founded Cricket Pavilion opened June 26th. Part time grounds man appointed.
1949	Cricket square re-laid
1950	3rd hard tennis court added. Billiard room completed and opened 14th March. Old billiard room now used for table tennis. Hockey Men’s 2nd Team starts.
1955	Tennis and Archery pavilion opened.
1958	Land for existing Hockey & Football Pitches purchased.
1959	Appeal launched for drainage & Landscaping. Hockey & football field purchased from Bray family.  Adel Hockey Club agrees to join Hall when pitches ready.
1961	Fields opened. Timber bowls pavilion erected.
1962	Full time grounds man appointed. First Hockey matches played.
1964	Resolution passed to provide a members bar.
1966	Table Tennis section disbanded. License granted. Lounge bar opened January 13th.
1967	Football starts again after Hockey agree to give up one pitch. Ladies play on cricket outfield.
1969	January E.D.lsle becomes Chairman of Memorial Hall. Adel War Memorial Association comes into being
1970	Main Hall lounge and billiard room all linked. New entrance, showers, changing rooms and new ladies toilet. Adel H.C. merge with Fulneck Old Boys. Men’s 3rd XI Formed.
1971	Decide to level, drain & seed top field to provide a ladies pitch.
1974	Squash courts added. Adel H.C. Men’s 4th XI formed.
1976	Tennis courts re-surfaced. Suspended ceiling put into main hall with new lighting. Cricket Centenary. Dales Council wicket at Adel first used on top pitch. Swimming Club started.
1977	Car Park re-surfaced. Suspended ceiling put into Billiard Room. On field changing rooms with showers and toilets added.
1980	4th Tennis Court added.
1981	Adel H.C. Ladies 2nd XI formed.
1984	Upstairs committee rooms and Table Tennis Room Built. Plastic cricket wicket laid.
1985	Adel H.C. Men’s 5th XI formed. Ladies 3rd XI formed.
1986	29th May cricket pavilion burns down.
1987	New pavilion built.
1989	Men’s 1st XI promoted to Northern Prem
1990	Men’s 2nd XI promoted to Yorkshire Prem
1991	Bar extended with alterations to main door entrance. Adel H.C. Men’s 6th XI formed.
1993-	Adel H.C. Ladies 4th XI formed.
1994	Planning permission re-applied for and is successful.
1996	Grants received from Lottery Sports Fund for £197,700 and from the Foundation for Sports and the Arts for £40,000. Adel H.C. Mixed Team formed.
1997	29th June. Artificial Sports Pitch with floodlights opened
2004	Ladies 1st team promoted to the North leagues for the first time.
2007	A Poll selected for NE Eng and UK Lions, U16 girls win EH National Plate beating Southgate 3-1
2008	Suzy Petty selected for England U16, goes on play u18, u21 & senior GB
2011	I Phillips selected for Wales
2013	EH and NHF grants secured
2014	Artificial sports pitch re-laid & lights upgraded
2016	Investec England Hockey Women’s Team of the Year – Women’s 1st XI
2019	3 large dugouts built and paving to the pitch improved.
2019	Mixed Team reach England Hockey Cup National Finals
2021	New LED lighting installed
2025	Planning Permission for new pitch-side changing facilities approved