09/06/2026
Dear Elton Park CC Followers. Many of you will know already, but if not I’m sorry to announce the death of our dear friend Charlie Paton, one of the Elton club captains, who finally lost his long battle with cancer.
Those of you who joined the club more recently may not know that the kernel of the idea of the cricket club we have today started with Charlie and Rory when they were next-door neighbours on Middle Street in Elton 5 years ago, and it grew over several years from there, with lots of hard work from many volunteers, in which Charlie was instrumental.
Charlie was as decent a human being as you could know: kind, gentle, funny, with a dry sense of humour and a twinkle in his eye; and his wife Charlotte the most wonderful, positive soul, who has been unbelievably strong in the past few years, since Charlie’s diagnosis with terminal non-smoker’s lung cancer. She always kept a smile on her face whilst supporting Charlie and bringing up their two wonderful little girls, living at the centre of the village in every way.
Charlie was a fine bowler, a stylish batter, and a good sportsman all round, having previously captained Burghley before he moved to Elton.
It was in our second season that he had to pull out of some matches with aches and pains, which at the time were undiagnosed as the dreadful cancer we now know it was.
Throughout his gruelling treatment, he kept on supporting the club despite being unable to play, and even a few weeks ago whilst going through experimental treatment in the US, he insisted he wanted to stay on all the club WhatsApps, as he loved hearing about what’s going on.
It is deeply tragic to lose anyone at such a young age, in the prime of their life, with a young family, but a light has truly gone out with the loss of Charlie. We mourn his loss terribly and I’m sure this news will hit many of you hard.
A Memorial Service will be held for Charlie on Tuesday 16th June at All Saints Church in Elton at 2pm, with a reception afterwards at Elton Park Cricket Ground. Black / dark attire. Parking as per the map above. Do come along if you can.