Charles Marsham

MR. CHARLES JACOB BULLOCK MARSHAM, a member of the family of the Earl of Romney, and brother of the Rev. C. D. Marsham, once the best amateur bowler in England, died on August 20, at Suffolk Street, Pall Mall, after a short illness, at the age of 72. He was uncle to Mr. C. H. B. Marsham, who played an historical innings of 100 not out in the University match of 1901, and of his capabilities as a cricketer Scores and Biographies (vol. 4, p, '167) has the following--"Is a fine and powerful hitter, especially forward, and has made some capital scores for the Marylebone Club and for Oxford. In the field is generally short slip." In 1857 he assisted the Gentlemen against the Players at the Oval. His highest scores in important matches were 50 for M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent, at Gravesend, in June, 1856, and 50 for M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent, at Gravesend, in July, 1857.

Mr. Marsham was born at Merton College, Oxford, January 18th, 1829. An old friend of Mr. Marsham--a famous cricketer-writes about him as follows :--" Numbers of Oxford men will have heard of the death of Mr. Charles Marsham with great regret, and Oxford University cricket has lost one of its keenest, if not its keenest, supporter. The eldest son of the Venerable Warden of Merton, Mr. Marsham lived at Oxford for many years after taking his degree, during which time he rarely missed a match on the 'Varsity ground, and thus developed that strong Oxford partisanship which only ended with his life. Mr. Marsham was one of the original members of the Harlequins, and used to get up the teams to play against the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers till quite late in life. He was president of the club for years and years, and never failed to take the chair at the annual meeting held at Oxford in the May term ; indeed, only this last season he came up specially from Wales in order to preside. But it was not only Oxford cricket in which Mr. Marsham delighted. There was no more constant frequenter of Lord's (he was several years a member of the M.C.C. Committee) and the Oval. Unlike the majority of old cricketers, Mr. Marsham kept up with the times, and never contrasted the cricket of the present day unfavourably with that of bygone years. By generations of Oxford men he was affectionately spoken of as ' Charlie,' and his disappearance leaves a gap that cannot be filled."