West Indies United: Six decades down and still going strong

South London-based club West Indies United celebrated their 60th anniversary this year, marking six decades as a pillar of the local Caribbean community. The club’s story began back in 1966 when four young Jamaican men working in a factory in Bermondsey began meeting up in Peckham Rye Park to play cricket on a weekend.

Word spread, numbers grew and soon, with help from the factory manager, they organised a game against a team of local police officers which would become the club’s first-ever match. In the run-up to that match, the players approached a gardener at Peckham Rye Park and asked if he could prepare the ground for the upcoming game, paying him six shillings for his troubles. When they returned to inspect the pitch ahead of play, they noticed the letters WIUCC engraved beside the wicket. When asked what the letters stood for, the gardener replied: “West Indies United Cricket Club,” having taken it upon himself to name the team for them. And with that, West Indies United Cricket Club was born.

“It’s a joy that the club is still going,” says Calbert McLean, West Indies United club manager, who first played for them back in 1992. “In my playing days, we had a lot of clubs that were playing at the same time, and for some reason they’re now dissolved, they no longer exist. For us as an amateur club to keep going all these years, it’s an achievement.

“I came over from Jamaica in ’87 and was looking for a cricket club to play for because I used to play cricket back home. I met a guy called Patrick Taylor, who used to be the manager before he migrated back to Jamaica. We were just having a general chat and he mentioned cricket and I said, ‘I need a club’. He simply said: ‘Oh yeah? You can come and join.’”

Nowadays, while the backbone of its members are still of West Indian heritage, the club, who now play across the boroughs of Lewisham, Bromley and Croydon, has around 40 cricketers on its books and fields players not only from the Caribbean but also from South Asian, African and Caucasian backgrounds.

After its formation, the club quickly became about far more than just cricket. At a time when many members of the Black community faced discrimination, it became a place where its members could feel at home.

Over its 60 years the club has played matches across the country in places such as Broadstairs, Birmingham, Leeds and Cambridge, with their coach trips becoming legendary as families, friends and supporters packed onto buses to away games, a tradition that is still carried on today.

“We have an annual fixture in Exmouth, Devon, where we play for the Windrush Trophy,” says Jennifer ‘Jay’ Campbell, who joined the club in 2022 and volunteers her time as treasurer, secretary and safeguarding officer. “I organise a coach trip so supporters can also enjoy the day as it is marked with a festival of celebration. The amount of people that come! I’m hoping we will increase the number of coaches next year.”

Jay, despite confessing to not exactly being a “cricket lover”, is passionate about everything that the club stands for and is incredibly proud of its 60-year milestone and place within the local community.

“It’s a great achievement that the club has been going for so long,” she says. “We hear about people coming together and forming clubs, whether it’s a sports club or just friendship groups, and they start to dissolve. It’s the fact that West Indies United has been going for 60 years despite all the issues that they may have gone through as young men, especially young Black men, in inner-city London.”

West Indies United’s most recent on-field successes include winning the Bertie Joel Cup in 2016, the Caribbean Cup in 2017 and 2021, and the Windrush Trophy in 2024. However, it’s the club’s longevity, resilience and cohesion that should be celebrated the most, with McLean adding: “It’s a sense of community with the players that we have. It’s like a family.”

The club is still in contact with one of the founding members, Lincoln Lewis, who they welcomed back last season and presented with an honorary West Indies United shirt. He was also presented with a trophy to mark the 60th anniversary of the club he started all those years ago with three friends. It was a reminder that once you’re part of the West Indies United family, you’re always part of it.

The club now has its eyes on the future, wanting to attract more younger members to carry on its legacy. “We want to inspire the next generation,” says Jay. “We want to coach young people, develop their skills, build their confidence, and pass on the values that this club has always represented – teamwork, commitment, respect, discipline, friendship, and community. This season we registered an under-16 player and want to see more young people joining. We refuse to let cricket become a dying sport.”

When asked if West Indies United will make it to their 100-year anniversary, McLean doesn’t miss a beat. “If cricket is still being played, we will still be playing cricket.”

If you’re interested in getting involved with West Indies United, you can reach out to the club via email at westindiesunitedcc60@gmail.com or visit wiu.play-cricket.com.