On Page 3 of the first volume of Harold Lymbery's Diary he describes 
his father (Walter Roe Lymbery) founding the Notts Forest Cricket Club 
"… which became famous in Nottinghamshire. They went on a tour in the Dukeries
and Derbyshire every year and still do. They have now been 22 times and
during all this time my father has been captain and the mainstay of the Club".

If this were written in 1892, it would imply these Dukeries Tours commenced 
in 1870, and thus the formation of the Cricket Club must have been around that 
date. Apart from these Diaries and the Photographs no other written 
records appear to have survived which would help pin down the formation of 
the Club. One of the photographs taken outside a "Lion Hotel", probably the 
one in Worksop, Notts, has the caption:


"25th Annual "Dukery" Tour - 1898"


This implies a start to these tours in 1873, slightly at variance with that
stated by Harold in his first diary, and is probably more accurate. There is
in the possession of Judy Clifford's (nee Lymbery) family a beautiful framed
presentation portrait photograph of Walter Roe Lymbery (Harold's father),
with a brass commemoration plaque on the bottom, which reads:

"Presented to Mr. W R LYMBERY
by the Members of the Nottm Forest CC on the
completion of 50 years as Hon. Secretary, Treasurer
and Captain.  April 1921"

A reasonable guesstimate therefore of the foundation of the Cricket Club
would thus put it at 1870 or 1871. 

Walter Roe Lymbery was also a Founder Member in 1865 of Nottingham Forest
Football Club, and was the Club's Chairman and Secretary 1866 - 1868
and it's first Captain.