The Club was formed in 1913, originally named Blackburn St. James' (affiliated to St. James' Church on Shear Brow.) After competing in the North East Lancashire League, the Club joined the Ribblesdale Junior League in 1922. In the period between the two World Wars a team from the Club also played in the Chorley and District League. The cricket ground was located at Longshaw, better known perhaps as Blackburn Railway Clerks' Ground and now the site of Longshaw Primary School.

In the early 1920’s our benefactor, the late Joseph Bassnett, an ardent cricket supporter, bought a field at Pleckgate. In the late summer of 1923 a summer fayre was held to commemorate the official opening in the presence of local dignitaries. Soon after, the area in the centre of the field was excavated and drained. The new pitch was laid and cricket commenced in 1924.

A tennis section was formed in 1926. A single shale court was built in the area currently occupied by the mini tennis court. A traditional wooden tennis pavilion was erected which became a groundsman's workshop after new changing rooms were built in the late 70’s. It survived until 2011 when it was demolished to make way for a patio area.