Somerset first played at Weston-super-Mare in August 1914, their last two games before the Great War (the third was cancelled as the country mobilised) but they returned there in 1919, and until 1996 the festival formed a key part of many people's holiday arrangements as it was located close to the town and the coast.
Clarence Park, which is still used for a multitude of sports, was gifted to the town in 1882 by Rebecca Davies in memory of her husband, and the pavilion, the only permanent building on the ground, dates from that year. It is still owned and operated by the local council. The recdord attendance was 6000 for the match against Hampshire in 1947.
Martin Williamson
