Wisden
1912

Obituaries in 1911

MR. EDWIN AUSTIN ABBEY, R. A., the President of the Artists' C.C., died at Chelsea on August 1st, aged 59. Although only a moderate player, he was fond of the game, and at his house at Fairford, Gloucestershire, had a private ground. He was born at Philadelphia, Pa., on April 1st, 1852.

MR. FRANCIS ADAMS, who played for New South Wales v. Victoria at Sydney in 1859, died on February 10th, aged 75. He was uncle of Mr. F. A. Iredale.

MR. W. ANDREW, who represented Hampshire in a few matches during the seasons of 1897 and 1898, died on March 30th. As he was born March 22nd, 1869, he had completed his forty-second year at the time of his death. A native of Bournemouth, Mr. Andrew made his first appearance for Hampshire during the Bournemouth Week of 1897, when he scored 24 and 10 against the M.C.C. and 14 and 11 against the Philadelphians. A few weeks later, after scoring 22 and 54 not out against Sussex at Brighton, he played a fine second innings of 106 against Warwickshire at Southampton, adding in partnership with Mr. A. J. L. Hill 222 runs for the fourth wicket. Their fine batting brought about a creditable draw after the game had appeared to be hopelessly lost. At the close of the season Mr. Andrew stood second in the batting averages of his county, having scored in all first-class matches 272 runs with an average of 30.2, in addition to taking eleven wickets at a cost of 34 runs each. Far from realising the promise of his first season, Mr. Andrew proved completely unsuccessful in the seven matches in which he represented the county in 1898, scoring only 43 runs in twelve innings. Twelve wickets fell to him at a cost of 21 runs apiece. He did not play for the county again.

GEORGE ARBER, who died at Malvern, on June 22nd, aged 71, was for 39 years professional and groundsman at Malvern College. He was born at Cambridge on June 12th, 1841, and played his first match at Lord's for Colts of the North v. Colts of the South, in May, 1869, when he obtained eleven wickets for 49 runs. In Scores and Biographies he was described as a fast round-armed bowler, and an average batsman. For some years he appeared occasionally in the Worcestershire eleven.

taking twenty-nine wickets. In addition to being Captain of the Eleven, he was also Head of the School--a distinction, we believe we are correct in saying, which has been gained by only three others, namely, Messrs. H. J. Torre, C. S. Roundell and Herbert Leaf. Proceeding to Cambridge, Mr. Boughton obtained his blue as a Freshman, and played in three matches against Oxford--in 1836, 1838 and 1839. (The sides did not meet in 1837.) In five innings he scored 67 runs, but was only once on the winning side. After leaving the University, Mr. Boughton played in comparatively few great matches, but he was fond of recalling that he fielded in the famous single-wicket match between Mynn and Felix at Bromley in 1846. He had been a member of the M.C.C. since 1845, was an original member of I. Zingari, and served on the first Committee of the Surrey County C.C. For very many years, too, he was on the Committee of the M.C.C., of which club he was also one of the Trustees.

THE RT. HON. FREDERICK ARCHIBALD VAUGHAN CAMPBELL, third Earl Cawdor, was born on February 13th, 1847, and died on February 8th. He was President of the M.C.C. in 1908.

THE REV. EDWARD MAULE COLE, for 45 years Vicar of Wetwang, York, died at Wetwang Vicarage on March 30th, in his seventy-seventh year. In his younger days he was a cricketer of some repute, and he was a member of the Yorkshire Gentlemen's C.C. from its formation in 1863, being also for some seasons an occasional member of the eleven. In 1866 he made his first and only appearance at Lord's, scoring 0 and 1 not out for the Yorkshire Gentlemen's C.C. v. M.C.C.

H. H. THE MAHARAJA OF COOCH BEHAR died at Bexhill on September 18th, after an illness of some weeks. He was born on October 4th, 1862, and was therefore in his forty-ninth year at the time of his death. A fair cricketer, he was also a great supporter of the game in India. One of his sons, Prince Narayan, has been seen in the Somerset eleven.

MR. DARNLEY CAMPBELL DACOSTA, of Barbados, died in England on August 26th. He was a great lover of the game, and did much for its welfare in the West Indies.

MR. PERCY WILLIAM DALE, for over seventeen years joint honorary secretary with Mr. A. J. Darnell of the Northamptonshire County C.C., died at Abingdon Park Parade, Northampton, on March 31st, after a few days' illness. He was born at Uxbridge in Middlesex, on June 9th 1862.

MR. GEORGE COATBRIDGE, who died suddenly at Sunderland on November 20th, in his sixty-sixth year, played for XVIII of Sunderland against the Australians in 1878, and in many matches for Durham County.

THE HON. T. MAYNE DALY, K. C., President of the Winnipeg Cricket Association and Vice-President of the Canadian Cricket Association, died suddenly of heart failure at Winnipeg on June 24th.

MR. DARNTON CHARLES DAVEY, a member of the South African team which visited England in 1894, died suddenly at Durban on October 7th. He was born at Mansfield on July 7th, 1856, and educated at Colchester, where he learned the game. Emigrating to South Africa when about twenty-four years of age, he soon made his mark in the cricket world there, and in March, 1883, played the highest innings of his career, making 177 not out for Winburg v.Brandfort. He was a fine free bat, an excellent field anywhere, and in his younger days a slow bowler of considerable ability. In more than one Currie Cup Tournament he scored well for Natal, and he was third in the averages for the South African side in England in 1894.

MR. JOSEPH DAVIS, who died in Sydney on May 18th, aged 52, was at one time one of the best-known cricketers in New South Wales. His best innings was probably his 85 for New South Wales against the Hon. Ivo Bligh's team in December, 1882, when he made his runs off the bowling of Barlow, Barnes, Bates, Morley, A. G. Steel and C. T. Studd. On a few occasions he appeared in the matches against Victoria, and on the Melbourne ground in December, 1881, made 11 in his first innings and 53 in his second. He was a member of the N.S.W. teams which visited New Zealand in 1890 and 1894, and in the former tour headed the batting averages with 30.55, scoring 275 runs in nine completed innings.

MR. WILLIAM BARCLAY DELACOMBE, by whose death at Derby on October 15th the Derbyshire County C.C. sustained a great loss, was born at Ascension on July 20th, 1860. From 1889 until 1907 he was the Honorary Secretary of the County C.C., and for over thirty years he showed his interest in Derbyshire cricket in a variety of ways. When necessary he would play and captain the Eleven, and would frequently accompany the team on out-matches and keep the score. His appearances for Derbyshire covered the period from 1891 to 1900, and although he was not a great cricketer, he was certainly a useful one. He was a good outfield and a sure catch, and useful with both bat and ball. For Incogniti v. L. C. R. Thring's XI, at Dunstable, in 1897 he took all ten wickets, in doing which he performed the hat-trick. He was captain of the Bruton School Eleven in 1878, in which year he became one of the original members of the Derbyshire Friars. He was 6ft. 5in. in height.

MR. C. E. DUNLOP, who died in London in the last week of August, was born on June 25th, 1870, and had therefore only recently completed his forty-first year. He was educated at Merchiston and Oxford, and played occasionally for Somerset between 1892 and 1902. His most successful season was 1893, when he scored 213 runs with an average of 26, his highest innings being 64 v. Gloucestershire, 62 v. Middlesex--both played at Taunton--and 53 not out v. Kent at Tonbridge. He was an excellent fieldsman.

MR. JOHN DUNLOP EDWARDS, a member of the Australian team of 1888, died on July 31st, through a complication of ailments. He was born in Melbourne on June 12th, 1861, and was educated at Wesley College, where the fine form he showed gained him a card of honorary membership for two years of the Melbourne C.C. For several years he was chosen to represent Victoria against New South Wales, but after his removal to Sandhurst (in 1885) he could seldom obtain the necessary leave of absence. For the Sandhurst C.C. during the 1884-5, 1885-6 and 1886-7 seasons he averaged 53,101--for twenty-two innings, ten of which were not out--and 95 respectively. In 1887-8, too, he was again well to the fore, and in each of the last two innings he played for Sandhurst before leaving Australia he was not out, with 254 against North Bendigo and 104 v. Castlemaine. An injury to his hand compelled him to retire in the first match of the Australian tour in England, and his first appearance was at Sheffield, where he showed good steady cricket for 24 against Yorkshire. Though there was nothing brilliant about his ba-tting, he was often of great use to the team. He had good defence as well as hitting powers, and was when set a very difficult wicket to get. In all first-class matches during his career he scored 1,005 runs with an average of 14.35, his highest innings being 65 for Victoria against Shaw's team at Melbourne, in December, 1881.

THE REV. PHILIP REGINALD EGERTON died at Vale Mascal, Bexley, on April 28th. Born on July 14th, 1832, he played for Winchester in 1849 and 1850, appearing in each year against Harrow and Eton and being on the losing side every time. In the four matches he scored 11 runs in seven completed innings, took one wicket and made a catch.

MR. WALLIS EVERSHED, a younger brother of Mr. S. H. Evershed, died on May 8th, aged 47. He was in the Clifton Eleven in 1880 and two following seasons, being captain in 1882, when he was described as A good bat, hitting and playing back very hard, and has improved in defence; he lost his command of the ball at the beginning of the season, but bowled well on several occasions later on; a good field; won the fielding prize. In 1881 he played an innings of 185 against University College, Oxford. In 1882, 1883, and 1884 he appeared occasionally for Derbyshire, scoring 357 runs with an average of 14.87. His best form was shown at the end of 1883, when in successive matches he scored 92 v. Surrey at the Oval and 56 v. Sussex at Brighton. He was born on May 10th, 1863, and played for the Kendal Club from 1885 until 1903.

MR. THOMAS ARTHUR FISON, a well-known figure in Metropolitan cricket circles about a quarter of a century ago, died at Hampstead, on April 14th. For years he was captain of the Hendon C.C., and was in local cricket one of the hardest hitters of his day. Against Highgate School in August, 1879, he scored 264 not out in three hours and a half, hitting a 7, two 5's, nine 4's, twenty-three 3's, and forty 2's. All the hits were run out, and in the score-sheet it was recorded that he retired to catch a train for the Continent. In a match between the same sides at Hendon in 1884 he made 201. Mr. Fison, was 6ft. 2ins. in height, and was a good wicket-keeper. He was born at Romsey, in Hampshire, on October 7th, 1853, and was educated at Mill Hill School.

MR. ALFRED GEARY, who played in four matches for New South Wales against Victoria between 1877 and 1881, died in Brisbane on October 14th, aged 62. In the matches referred to he scored 39 runs in seven innings, and took two wickets for 41. He was a left-handed bowler.

MR. LOUIS GOLDSMITH, K. C., at one time one of the best-known cricketers in Victoria, died at East Melbourne on September 15th. He was born at Melbourne on September 14th, 1846, and was a brilliant, though somewhat uncertain, bat, and a fine field. He played for Victoria in four matches against New South Wales, four against Tasmania, and three against Mr. W. G. Grace's team, scoring in the eleven games 154 runs with an average of 9.05. For many years he was a prominent member of the East Melbourne C.C., for which, between 1867 and 1879, he scored 2,915 runs in 149 innings, averaging 19.56. He was one of the first Australian' batsmen to cultivate the pull stroke.

MR. CLIFFORD EVERARD GOODMAN, the greatest bowler the West Indies ever produced, and a member of a famous cricket brotherhood, died in Barbados on February 15th, at the early age of 40. He was educated at the Lodge School, Barbados, and subsequently joined the Pickwick C.C., which he helped to make the strongest club in the island. In the fourteen important matches--inter-colonial and against teams from England--in which he appeared his fast bowling accounted for as many as 122 wickets. He used his head well, varied pace and pitch with good judgment, had a deadly yorker at his command, and broke in from the off in disconcerting fashion. His height was 6ft. 4ins.

MR. LIONEL GOULY,. a well-known West Australian cricketer, died of cancer at Perth on April 15th. He played a fine not-out innings of 69 against Mr. J. J. Lyons' South Australian team in 1905-6, and made useful scores against the English team in 1907-8.

MR. EDWARD MILLS GRACE died on May 20 after a long illness at his residence, Park House, Thornbury, Gloucestershire. But for the accident that his own brother proved greater than himself, E. M. Grace would have lived in cricket history as perhaps the most remarkable player the game has produced. Barring W.G., it would be hard indeed to name a man who was a stronger force on a side or a more remarkable match winner. Primarily, he was a batsman, but his value in an eleven went far beyond his power of getting runs. As a fieldsman at point--at a time when that position was far more important than it is in modern cricket--he never had an equal, and, though he did not pretend to be a first-rate bowler, he took during his career thousands of wickets. In his young days he bowled in the orthodox round-arm style, but his success in club cricket was gained by means of old-fashioned lobs. Fame came to him early in life. Born on November 28th, 1841, he made his first appearance at Lord's in 1861, and a year later he was beyond question the most dangerous bat in England. It was in the Canterbury Week in 1862 that, playing as an emergency for the M.C.C. against the Gentlemen of Kent, he scored 192 not out, and took all ten wickets in one innings. This was a 12 a-side and one man was absent in the second innings when he got the ten wickets. He reached his highest point as a batsman in 1863, scoring in all matches that year over 3,000 runs.

After the season was over he went to Australia as a member of George Parr's famous team, but it cannot be said that in the Colonies he did all that was expected of him. He was handicapped by a bad hand, but, as he himself stated, there was another reason for his comparative lack of success. At the start of the tour he fell into rather a reckless style of batting, and, try as he would, he could not get back to his proper method. Still, he did some good things, scoring, for example, 106 not out in a single-wicket match. He had not been back in England more than two years before W.G., as a lad of eighteen, began to put him in the shade. The two brothers were in the Gentlemen's eleven together in 1865--W. G.'s first year in the representative match--and had a share in gaining for the Gentlemen their first victory at Lord's since 1853. While he was qualifying as a surgeon E. M. Grace to a certain extent dropped out of first-class cricket, but he came very much to the front again on the formation of the Gloucestershire County Club in 1871. He was secretary from the start, and held his post without a break till his resignation in 1909.

In Gloucestershire's early days he renewed the successes of his youth, batting especially well in August 1872, when W.G. was away in Canada with the amateur eleven captained by the late R. A. Fitzgerald. It is matter of common knowledge that chiefly through the efforts of the three Graces--G. F. died in 1880-- Gloucestershire rose to the top of the tree, being champion county in 1876 and again in 1877. Not till the first Australian team played at Clifton in 1878 did the Gloucestershire eleven know what it was to be beaten at home. One of the greatest triumphs of E. M. Grace's career came in 1880, when, strictly on his merits, he was picked to play for England at the Oval in the First Test Match with Australia in this country. After an extraordinary game England won by five wickets, the task of getting 57 runs in the last innings against Palmer and Boyle costing the side five of their best batsmen. E. M. and W. G. opened England's first innings, and scored over 90 runs together. W. G. made 152, and in Australia's second innings W. L. Murdoch just beat him by scoring 153 not out. Never has a finer match been seen.

E. M. Grace continued to play for Gloucestershire for many years, dropping out of the eleven after the season of 1894. Thenceforward his energies were devoted to club cricket, chiefly in connection with his own team at Thornbury. Lameness gradually robbed him of his old skill as a run-getter, but even in 1909, 119 wickets fell to his lobs. As a batsman E. M. Grace was unorthodox. Partly, it is thought, through using a full-sized bat while still a small boy, he never played with anything like W. G.'s perfect straightness, but his wonderful eye and no less wonderful nerve enabled him to rise superior to this grave disadvantage. He was perhaps the first right-handed batsman of any celebrity who habitually used the pull. In his young days batting was a very strict science, but he cared little for rules. If an open place in the field suggested runs the ball soon found its way in that direction. Personally, E. M. was the cheeriest of cricketers--the life and soul of the game wherever he played. It was a great misfortune that he could never be induced to write his recollections of the cricket field. His good stories could be numbered by the hundred, and in conversation he told them with immense vivacity.

MR. ARTHUR L. GRAHAM, a well-known Scottish cricketer, died at Blackburn on April 22nd, at the early age of 43, as the result of a railway accident. He was a free run-getter, a good bowler, and a fine wicket-keeper, whilst at short-slip he was quite first-class. He appeared in representative matches against the Australians and South Africans, but will always be best remembered on account of his connection with the Greenock C.C. He was Principal of the Collegiate School at Greenock.

Harry Graham, born at Carlton, Melbourne, November 29th, 1870, died at Dunedin, New Zealand, February 7th, 1911. Graham did many brilliant things as a batsman but scarcely gave himself a fair Chance. Had he ordered his life more carefully he might have had a much longer and more successful career in first-class cricket. His natural powers were great. He did not play with quite a straight bat but he was a splendid hitter with any amount of dash and vigour. When he came to England for the first time in 1893 he was at his best, playing the innings of his life against England at Lord's. No one who saw the match will forget the way in which he and Gregory knocked off the England bowling after Australia had lost five wickets for 75. Graham was very successful all through the tour and headed the averages in all matches, just beating Lyons. However, he was not the same man in 1896 and had to be left out of many matches. He recovered his batting form at home and for a couple of seasons was almost as good as ever, playing two innings of over a hundred for Victoria against South Australia. Taking his career as a whole he was a player of immense possibilities only half fulfilled.

IRWIN GRIMSHAW, of the Yorkshire eleven of the middle eighties, died at Farsley on January 19th, aged 53. He was born at the same place on May 4th, 1857, and always had his home there. Without ever quite reaching the standard expected of him, he was for a few years--1884 to 1886--one of the best batsmen on the Yorkshire side.

Among his other good performances may be mentioned his 77 for Eleven of England against the Australians at Huddersfield in 1884. In all first-class matches during his career he scored 3,682 runs with an average of 18.50.

COLONEL FRANCIS HAYGARTH, an elder brother of Mr. Arthur Haygarth, died in London on April 12th. For some years he was a member of the M.C.C., but his appearances in the field were very few. Among his school-fellows was the Hon. Robert Grimston, with whom he once played against Messing--two against eleven--and beat them. Col. Haygarth was dangerously wounded at the battle of the Alma, and for some years had been quite blind.

MR. H. W. HEDLEY died in the Hospital at Melbourne on November 20th, at the age of 63. On the previous Saturday, though obviously ill, he was reporting the match between Victoria and the M.C.C.'s eleven. Mr. Hedley was one of the best known cricket journalists in Australia, writing for many years in the Melbourne Age under the signature of Mid On. He came to England with the Australian team of 1884, supplying his paper with full details of the tour.

LORD JAMES OF HEREFORD, who died suddenly at Coombo Warren House, near Epsom, on August 18th, was born at Hereford on October 30th, 1828, and was educated at Cheltenham college, on the roll of which he was the first boy entered. He was captain of the Eleven in 1844 and 1845, among his contemporaries being Matthew Kempson, the famous bowler of other days. For some years he was a member of the Surrey County C.C., and he joined the M.C.C. in 1860. In 1889 he was, as the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry James, Q.C., President of the M.C.C. He was raised to the Peerage in 1895.

MR. ARTHUR B. ST. HILL, of Barbados, died on August 25th. He was a great supporter of the game in the West Indies.

MR. W. H. LUNNON, for some years a member of the Buckinghamshire Eleven, died at Bourne End on August 18th. He was a useful batsman and a serviceable fast bowler.

MR. JOHN GORDON MACKAY, who kept wicket occasionally for Toronto, died during the first week of February, aged about 40. He was born at Toronto, but was educated at Merchiston Castle school.

MR. KELSEY WARNER MALLINCKRODT, who died in New York City, on October 23rd, aged 37, played for the United States against Canada in 1903. For XVI of Baltimore against Mr. P. F. Warner's XI in 1897 he took nine wickets for 103 runs.

M. SPENCER MEADE, a fast left-hand bowler with a peculiar spin, was born at Philadelphia (Pa.) on January 19th, 1850, and died there on April 3rd. He figured prominently in the international matches against Willsher's team in 1868 and Mr. Fitzgerald's in 1872, as well as in the Halifax Tournament of 1874.

MR. EDGAR CHARLES MILNER, for many years honorary secretary of the East Molesey C.C, died at East Molesey on April 20th, aged 46. He was a good forcing batsman.

THE REV. JOHN MIREHOUSE, Rector of Colsterworth, near Grantham, for many years a member of the M.C.C., died on January 19th, aged 71. He had missed very few Oxford v. Cambridge matches during the previous fifty years.

THOMAS MYCROFT, for twenty-two years a much respected member of the M.C.C.'s ground-staff at Lord's, and for several seasons a well-known umpire, died on August 13th, at Derby. He was born at Birmingham on March 28th, 1848, and was therefore in his sixty-fourth year at the time of his death. A brother of the once famous bowler, William Mycroft, he never took a prominent position in the game, but he played occasionally for Derbyshire. He was of use chiefly as a wicket-keeper, but as he was contemporaneous with A. Smith and Disney he did not appear regularly for the county. His benefit, at Lord's was favoured by fine weather and realised over a thousand pounds.

GEORGE BENJAMIN NICHOLS, who was born at Fishponds, Bristol, on June 14th, 1862, died of pneumonia at Dublin on February 19th. Playing originally as an amateur for Gloucestershire, he was subsequently for fourteen years a useful all-round professional member of the Somerset eleven. In first-class cricket his highest innings was 74 not out, but in minor matches he was a prolific run-getter, and in 1891 he ran up 311 not out for Somerset Club and Ground v. Glastonbury. After dropping out of the Somerset team he played in a few matches (in 1900 and 1901) for Devonshire.

MR. T. R. NICHOLSON, who had been identified with various clubs in the New York district for over twenty years, died at West New Brighton, Staten Island, on July 10th, aged 51. He was a Derby man by birth.

THE REV. ALFRED EDWARD NORTHEY, of the Cambridge Eleven of 1859 and 1860, died at Torquay on January 24th. He was born at Oakend, near Uxbridge, on August 2nd, 1838, and was educated at Harrow, where he was in the Eleven in 1856 and 1857, in which years the match with Eton was in abeyance: in the former year his average was 9 and in the latter 13. In Scores and Biographies (vii, 197) it is said that he was a good free hitter, and in the field he generally stood long-leg or cover-point. In his two matches with Oxford he did little, scoring only 16 runs in three innings, but he had the satisfaction of being on the winning side on each occasion. During the time he was in residence Cambridge were very strong, among his contemporaries being T. E. Bagge, R. A. Bayford, W. H. Benthall, E. B. Fawcett, F. H. Norman, G. E. Cotterill, J. H. Marshall, D. R. Onslow, F. Lee, H. M. Plowden, and R. Lang.

THE RT. HON. WILLIAM HILLIER, 4th Earl of Onslow, was born on March 7th, 1853, and died at Beechworth, Hampstead, on October 23rd. He was a Vice-President of the Surrey County C.C. from 1902 until his death.

MR. GEORGE PADLEY, who died at Scarborough on January 2nd, aged 85, was the first Secretary of the Yorkshire County C.C., an office he resigned, owing to his appointment as Borough Accountant, in favour of Mr. J. B. Wostinholm.

MR. CHARLES PAGE, who played for some years for Northumberland, died suddenly at Gosforth, Newcastle, on November 9th. At the time of his death he was captain and honorary secretary of the South Northumberland C.C. and a member of the Committee of the Northumberland County C.C.

MR. CHARLES BERNARD PEACHEY, well-known for many years in connection with the Esher C. C., died at Crowborough, Sussex, on May 22nd, at the early age of 42.

PERCY PEARCE (familiarly known as Peter), who from 1874 to 1898 was Ground Superintendent at Lord's, died suddenly at Hither Green, on Tuesday, August 22nd, 1911. He was born on September 2nd, 1843, at Shipley, Sussex. For some time he was gaining experience in the making and upkeep of lawns under the direction of Mr. Sydney Ford, of Leonardslee Sussex. The first cricket ground of which he had charge was the present County Ground at Brighton. On November 9th, 1874, Pearce was appointed to Lord's, being the successful applicant out of over 400 candidates. About this period the condition of Lord's must have been very bad. The Saturday Review in its report of the University of 1873 said:-- We must add in conclusion that very little can be said in favour of the wickets provided for this match. There has not been a single good wicket at Lord's as yet this season. ... It is almost an insult to common sense to suppose that a Club with an income of ten thousand a year cannot find the means of covering half-a-dozen acres with turf adapted to the game of cricket. ... There are other clubs in London whose committees can provide wickets for any number of great matches, on which cricketers may play without any fear of their teeth being knocked down their throats, or their arms being disabled. Pearce went to Lord's in the winter of 1874, and a new order of things soon came to pass. The Field reporting the Gentlemen v. Players match of 1876, said:-- There is a certain amount of novelty attached to the idea of a cricket ground being `too good' for the purpose of a great match, yet such an idea is entertained by the Marylebone Club, and Pearce has orders not to improve it further. ... Better wickets than those of Monday were not needed, and to their condition the heavy scoring may in a large degree be attributed. The Standard of June 27th, 1876, speaking of the University game said:-- Time was when a good Wicket at Lord's was the exception, but now, happily--thanks to Pearce, the groundsman--the playing portion of the arena is in faultless condition, and a batsman can concentrate his energies on the defence of his `timber' without, as formerly, having any misgiving as to his personal safety. Pearce's death was due to syncope, and the funeral took place on August 26th, 1911, at Ladywell Cemetery. He left a widow, three sons, and a daughter. His eldest son, a promising cricketer who had played for the Sussex Colts, and had wonderful records in India, was killed in the South African war.

COL. JOHN PENNYCUICK, C.S.I., who died at Camberley on March 9th, was born on January 15th, 1841, at Poona. He did not obtain his colours at Cheltenham, but in India, where the greater part of his life was spent, he did much for the game, especially in promoting and encouraging it among the natives. In all matches during his career he scored over 12,000 runs and took considerably over 2,000 wickets.

HENRY PETTIFER, a well-known bat-maker and repairer, of Cowley Road, Oxford, died on January 12, aged 58.

MR. WILLIAM WILTON PHIPPS, of the Eton Eleven of 1864 and 1865, died at Chelsea on February 20th, aged 64. Lillywhite's Guide said of him:-- Although not scoring very largely during the season (1865), there is no member of the Eleven, who, with judicious coaching, would turn out a better player. Hits well and straight, and did he but drive the same balls he hits, would play more correctly and safely. All he requires is the assistance of a mentor occasionally, and we should not then hesitate to place him in the first rank. Hits hard all round; a good field. ... An excellent wicket-keeper. In his two matches with Harrow, both of which were lost by an innings, he made 29 runs in four innings, and against Winchester six in two. He did not obtain his Blue at Oxford.

MR. EDDIE L. REES, at one time an active member of the Glamorgan County and Cardiff Clubs, died at St. Mellons on October 13th, aged 46. His forte was fast bowling.

MR. JAMES HARRY ROBERTS, who died at Linden House, Bexhill, on August 11th, aged 46, was in the Uppingham XI. in 1882 and 1883, being a good bat, a useful field, and a safe catch. In the former year he did little, but in 1883 he was second in the batting averages, with just under 20 runs an innings, and took fifteen wickets for 20.60 runs each. In December, 1888, he assisted Major Warton's team against XXII of Western Districts at Newlands and scored 20 and 4. In 1889 he became a member of the M.C.C., and his name will occasionally be found in I. Zingari and Uppingham Rovers matches.

JOHN RODWELL, who played for Leicestershire in three matches in 1878, scoring 38 runs in six innings, died in March. He will be remembered chiefly on account of the sensational catch he made on the boundary which dismissed Frank Allan in the first innings of the Australians.

MR. ALEXANDER BUTLER ROWLEY, J.P., D.L., one of the famous cricket brotherhood, died at Dover on January 10th. Born at Manchester on October 3rd, 1837, he had completed his seventy-third year. He was educated at Rossall, and was one of the first cricketers of note turned out by that school. In Scores and Biographies (vi, 243) it is said of him:-- Bats right-handed, hitting with great freedom, and has made some excellent scores in capital style, beginning to play when quite young at Manchester, and being a pupil (at cricket) of the famous Thomas Hunt. Bowls left round-armed, rather slow and twisting, and has been pretty successful in that department of the game also. ... In the field he was generally short-leg. ... Height, 5ft. 11ins., and weight 11st. In addition to appearing for Lancashire, he took part occasionally in North v. South matches and assisted the Gentlemen against the Players four times between 1859 and 1863. In the last-mentioned matches he proved singularly unsuccessful as a bowler, but he scored 156 runs with an average of 26, making 47 and 6 not out at the Oval in 1859 and 37 and 23 at Lord's in the following year. Mr. A. B. Rowley took a prominent part in the formation of the Lancashire County C.C., and from 1874 to 1879 was President of the Club.

MR. GEORGE F. SALTER, who died at Chichester on August 15th, in his 78th year, was useful cricketer in his younger days, but will also be best remembered as the scorer for many years of the Sussex County C.C. His one match for the county was against Kent at Margate in 1864, when he scored 15 and 4 not out.

MR. ALFRED LEIGHTON SAYER, for many years a member of the East Sussex C.C., died at Yew Tree House, Westfield, on March 6th, aged 68. He was born at Silsoe, in Bedfordshire, and was educated at Brighton College, but was not in the Eleven.

CAPT. JOSEPH SCHOLTZ died suddenly at Hamilton, Bermuda, on February 21st, aged 71. He was born at Curaso, and was one of the oldest members of the Hamilton C.C.

MR. H. H. SECRETAN, for many season a member of the Centerbury (N.Z.) team, died at Canterbury on June 16th. In his last big match--against Auckland--he scored 75, but perhaps his best innings, taking into consideration the bowling against which it was played, was his 35 for Canterbury v. Murdoch's team of 1882.

Tom Sherman, one of the oldest of professional cricketers, died in Croydon Hospital of pneumonia on October 10th. As he was born--at Mitcham, in Surrey--on December 1st, 1827, he was in his eighty-fourth year at the time of his death. Scores and Biographies (iii, 417) said of him:-- Is one of the fastest round-armed bowlers there has ever been, and for some seasons he was very successful in the Surrey Eleven, being also a fine field. Bats in good style, but is too impatient, often running in at the ball and trying to take it a `half-volley.' His first match for Surrey was in 1847 and his last in 1870, and in all matches for the county he obtained 229 wickets and scored 422 runs with an average of 6.91. When the South beat the North at Tunbridge Wells in 1855, he and John Lillywhite, bowling unchanged throughout, dismissed the North for 77 and 74, Sherman taking eight of the wickets for 71 runs. But his greatest feat was to obtain six wickets for 16 runs for Surrey and Sussex against England at Lord's three years earlier. After his great days Sherman coached at several colleges and schools, including Harrow, Eton, Winchester and Rugby, and to the close of his long life he continued to take a great interest in the game. He belonged to a cricketing family, both his father (James Sherman) and an uncle (John Sherman) having played in their time for Surrey. It may be of interest to recall that the latter was born at Crayford, in Kent, on October 14th, 1788, and that his father--old Tom's grandfather, that is--was fetched away from a cricket match for the event. The name was originally Shearman.

MR. AUGUSTUS FREDERICK MONTAGU SPALDING, one of the best-known of the Old Stagers, died at New Galloway, N.B., on October 4th, at the age of 72.

THE REV. SPENCER COMPTON SPENCER-SMITH, who died in London on May 11th, was in the Eton Eleven of 1860. He did not take part in the match with Harrow, but he played with some success against both Winchester and M.C.C. In the former match, which Winchester lost by 19 runs, he scored 8 and 12, being run out each time. Among his contemporaries were J. Round, Hon. T. de Grey, R. A. H. Mitchell, Philip Norman and the Hon. C. G. Lyttelton. After leaving Eton, Mr. Spencer-Smith proceeded to Balliol, Oxford, but did not obtain his blue.

MR. FELIX WILLIAM SPIERS, who died in Paris on May 31st, aged 79, was one of the founders of the well-known firm of Spiers and Pond. Messrs. Spiers and Pond were originally the proprietors of a popular restaurant in Melbourne, and, thinking that it would be a profitable speculation to get a good English cricket team to go out to Australia, made the arrangements whereby H. H. Stephenson took a side out in 1861-2. The tour was an immense success, the first day's takings, in fact, paying the whole expenses of the trip. Having made a fortune out of their venture, Messrs. Spiers and Pond came to London and established themselves at Ludgate Hill.

GEORGE SPILLMAN, who played occasionally for Middlesex a quarter of a century ago, died at Brighton on April 18th, aged 53. As he did not take part in county cricket until 1886, he was rather late in coming to the front, for he was, born in London on October 24th, 1857. His appearances for Middlesex were limited to ten matches, in which he scored 430 runs with an average of 23.88. At Lord's in June 1886 he scored 86 and 14 v. Yorkshire, 63 and 39 v. Gloucestershire, and 87 v. the Australians. He was also a wicket-keeper above the average, and at one time a good boxer. His early cricket was played in Sussex, chiefly with the old Brighton, Lewes Priory, Chichester and Hastings clubs. In those days he was an amateur, and his name will be found occasionally in Gentlemen of Sussex and United South of England teams. Later he assisted many clubs in the London district, and, on the recommendation of Robert Thoms, was tried for Middlesex. For some seasons he was engaged as cricket coach at a school in Jersey, and it was whilst going out there eight or nine years ago that he fell down the cabin stairs of a passenger steamer. The accident, inasmuch as it necessitated the amputation of his right leg, brought his connection with the game to a close. Spillman was educated at a Kensington school-- which has also been attended by Messrs. Bernard Pauncefote and A. O. Whiting, both old blues--and King's College, London. It was some time after his father's death that he made cricket a profession.

MR. HAROLD BANNER STEEL, who died at Burnham, Somerset, on June 29th, was one of the seven sons of the late Mr. Joseph Steel, and was born at South Hill Grove, Liverpool, on April 9th, 1862. Of the seven brothers--T., A. J., F. J., D. Q., A. G., H. B., and E. E.--as many as six were actively identified with the game, and in June 1884, four of them assisted Lancashire against Surrey at Liverpool. Mr. H. B. Steel received his early education at Uppingham, but leaving there at the Borth crisis (in 1875), was, like Mr. F. D. Gaddum, who proceeded to Rugby, not in the Eleven. He was transferred to Repton, for whom he played in 1879 and 1880, heading the batting averages each season, in the former with 20.27 and in the latter with 26.36. In his second year as a member of the side he scored 61 against Malvern and 58 v. Uppingham. Among his contemporaries were Messrs. H. J. and W. A. J. Ford. Mr. Steel was a very powerful hitter, and obtained an unusually large proportion of his runs by boundary hits. He was seen but seldom, however, in county matches, preferring good-class club cricket, of which he played a very great deal on behalf of the Liverpool C.C., the Uppingham Rovers, the Quidnuncs, Hoi Pepneumonoi (which he founded), &c. For Lancashire he scored 765 runs with an average of 22.50, his first appearance for the county being in 1883 and his last in 1896. His highest scores were 100 v. Surrey at the Oval and 77 v. Kent at Maidstone, both made in 1884. At one time he was also a fair change bowler, and he could keep wicket. It is not generally known that a relationship exists between the Steel and Studd brotherhoods.

MR. MONTAGUE HASLAM STOW died at Ashludie, Monifieth, N.B., on September 7th, after a few days' illness. He was born at Roundhay, near Leeds, on July 21st, 1847, and was described in Scores and Biographies as A most excellent batsman, combining a beautiful back style of play with fine off and leg hitting, and being, moreover, very steady. In the field he excels at point, but is likewise a capital wicket-keeper, and a most painstaking cricketer altogether. In the four matches in which he assisted Harrow against Eton his average was no less than 46, and out of the four innings he had he was twice run not, once not out, and once caught. He was the popular and successful captain of the Harrow Eleven in 1865 and 1866, conducting much to their success by working the Eleven well, using his head equally with his hands, and combining even temper with judgment. In the four matches with Eton Mr. Stow's scores were 3, 54, 32 not out, and 50. For three years-- 1867 to 1869--he was a member of the Cambridge Eleven, and in his last season had the satisfaction of captaining a side seven members of which subsequently appeared for Gentlemen v. Players. In the matches with Oxford he himself made only 56 runs in six innings, but he was on each occasion a member of the winning side. Mr. Stow represented his University against Oxford at racquets in 1868 and 1870, and had been a member of the M.C.C. since 1884.

MR. CHARLES LESLIE SUTHERLAND, C.I.E., who died at Downe Hall, Kent, on August 13th, was born on April 23rd, 1839, and was in the Eton Eleven from 1855 to 1858. He was captain in 1857 and practically so in 1858 also, when the late Mr. J. B. Dyne was the nominal leader. In his five Public School matches--two against Harrow and three against Winchester--he made only 48 runs in nine innings, but he was a splendid field, who saved more runs than he scored. He was also a useful wicket-keeper. He had been a member of the M.C.C. since 1878 and was elder brother of Capt. H. B. Sutherland, who played for Eton in 1861-2-3, and for Kent (one match only) in 1871.

MR. WILLIAM HENRY TAYLOR, who was associated for many years with the management of Lord's Hotel, died at St. John's Wood on September 30th, aged 55. He was the author of History of Kilburn Cricket, and was a great lover and keen student of the game.

THE REV. ARTHUR CHARLES TOMBLIN, for almost thirty years Vicar of Great Oakley, near Kettering, died at Kettering General Hospital on May 15th, aged 74. He was in the Uppingham Eleven for four years, commencing in 1851, and captain in 1853 and 1854. In 1857 he was a member of the Cambridge team beaten by Oxford by 81 runs. In his only University match he did little, scoring only 12 and 0, but earlier in the season he had made 33 v. Gentlemen of Cambridgeshire (with Arnold and Reynolds), and 31 not out v. M.C.C. and Ground. He was described as A good left-handed batsman; cuts well: also a first-rate field.

MR. ALFRED JOHN TUCKWELL, whose death occurred suddenly at Winnipeg on May 29th, was born in England on September 11th, 1854. He was a prominent member of the Winnipeg C.C.

WILLIAM (FIDDLER) WALKER, who was groundsman at Trent Bridge from 1877 until 1893, died at Radcliffe-on-Trent on February 8th, in his eighty-fifth year.

MR. FREDERICK WHITTING, M. A., President of the Cambridge University C.C. since 1905, died suddenly at the Oxford and Cambridge Club, Pall Mall, on January 1st.

MR. A. CRACROFT WILSON, who played for Canterbury against Otago as far back as 1864--the first occasion upon which the two provinces met--died in Chirstchurch, N.Z., in the middle of January.

MR. WILLIAM ROTCH WISTER, The Father of American Cricket, died at Saunderstown, Rhode Island, on August 21st, in his 84th year. He was one of the promoters of the Philadelphia C.C., and played for the United States against Canada in 1859. Throughout his life he was a great enthusiast of the game, and even participated in it when the Germantown C.C. celebrated its fiftieth anniversary--in 1904. His Reminiscences of Cricket in Philadelphia before 1861 is a valuable contribution to the history of the game in America. He was born on the Wister Estate, Germantown, on December 7th, 1827.

The following Deaths occurred during 1910, but particulars were not received in time for inclusion in WISDEN'S ALMANACKfor 1911:--

THE EARL OF ANCASTER, who died at Grimthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire, on December 24th, aged 80, was, as Lord Willoughby de Eresby, President of the M.C.C in 1890.

MR. FREDERICK K. BAMFORD, a good all-round player and for over twenty years captain of the Peninsula C.C., of Detroit, died on November 31st, at Detroit, Michigan. He was born at Lamport, Northamptonshire, on August 29th, 1845.

THE REV. JOHN BURLETON JONES-BATEMAN, who played in the Cambridge Eleven of 1848 (in which year his brother, Mr. R. L. Jones-Bateman, was a member of the Oxford team), died at Sheldon Rectory on December 29th. He was born in London on June 21st, 1825, and received his early education at Winchester, where he learned his cricket without, however, getting into the Eleven. For the long period of sixty-one years he was Rector of Sheldon, in Warwickshire, and from 1859 to 1902 was Rural Dean of Coleshill.

MR. ROBERT W. KRAUSE, of the Germantown C.C., of Philadelphia, died in the Samaritan Hospital on November 27th, after an operation. His best season was 1902, when he made 106 not out v. Merion and 100 not out v. Wanderers.

MR. HAROLD OSTLER, who died at Algiers in December, was for many years a prominent member of the Hull Town C.C. He was a successful left-handed batsman, but on his only appearance for Yorkshire--against Durham, at Sunderland, in 1891--made but six runs in his only innings and had thirteen runs scored from his bowling without taking a wicket. From 1891 to 1905 he represented Hull on the Committee of the Yorkshire County C.C. He was born on May 17th, 1865.

WILLIAM OVER, for some years one of the best players of the Richmond Club, Melbourne, died in South Africa in November. He played four times for Victoria--twice against Tasmania and once against South Australia and New South Wales. His best performances was to make 91 in the match with Tasmania at Hobart in 1889-90.

MR. CHARLES STEWART PHILLIPS, a well-known all-round cricketer of the New York district, died at Brooklyn on December 9th, aged 49. He was born at Monteagle Bay, Jamaica.

MR. M. RYAN, for many years a prominent figure in Victorian cricket, died in Melbourne on November 5th, aged 69. At one time he was very successful in good-class club cricket with both bat and ball.

MR. WALTER SCOTT SETON-KARR, born on January 23rd, 1822, died at Auchinskeoch, Dalbeattie, on November 22nd, aged 88. Entering Rugby School in 1836, he formed one of the Eleven in the first match ever played between the School and the M.C.C.--at Lord's in June, 1840, when he scored 4 and 10 and took two wickets. Among his companions in the Eleven on that occasion were three subsequent Oxford Blues, Messrs. W. S. Townshend and the brothers G. E. and Thomas Hughes. Mr. Seton-Karr was a god-son of Sir Walter Scott.

MR. W. SHIMMIN, an ardent supporter of the game in Canada, died at Winnipeg on December 20th. He was born at St. John, Isle of Man, on December 12th, 1849.

MR. ARTHUR WASHER, who represented Canterbury against Otago in the eighties, died at Christchruch (N.Z.) on November 12th, On the day of his death he had umpired in a local match.

ARTHUR WROTTESLEY, third Baron Wrottesley, died at 6. Herbert Crescent, Chelsea, on December 28th. He played in the famous Rugby School V. M.C.C. match in June, 1841, immortalised in Tom Brown's School Days, taking six wickets in the first innings and four in the second. From this fact he is supposed to be identical with the character Johnson depicted in that book. He was born in London on June 17th, 1824, and was educated at Rugby and Oxford.

© John Wisden & Co

© John Wisden & Co