NOTTINGHAMSHIRE CRICKETERS PART 6

by Peter Wynne-Thomas

Nottinghamshire Cricketers Part 5

Nottinghamshire Cricketers Part 4

Nottinghamshire Cricketers Part 3

Nottinghamshire Cricketers Part 2

Nottinghamshire Cricketers Part 1

As the 1850s slid into the next decade, more and more bowlers contravened the Law by raising their bowling arm above shoulder height. The majority of umpires simply ignored the height of the bowler’s arm, but when England played Surrey at the Oval in August 1862, John Lillywhite, as umpire, first warned Edgar Willsher that his arm was too high and then proceeded to call no-ball.

When Willsher ignored the warning, nine of the England team, including Willsher, walked off the field in protest. A meeting was held with the Surrey Committee. Lillywhite was withdrawn as umpire and replaced by George Street, who allowed Willsher’s bowling action for the remainder of the game.

As a result in 1863 MCC met to debate a change in the Law, but the majority voted not to make an alteration. This ostrich-like attitude could not be sustained and in 1864 it was debated a second time and the Law was changed to legalise over-arm bowling. For once, the Nottinghamshire cricketers were not directly concerned with the change - Willsher was a Kent cricketer and though John Jackson bowled in partnership with Willsher in this 1862 game, he did not bowl illegally. The year 1864 therefore provides a landmark in cricket’s history and is by many considered the starting point for the game as we know it today. Part Six therefore ends at the close of 1863, though it must be emphasised that all bowling did not abruptly change to over-arm with the alteration to the Law.

Since Notts cricket had reached ‘top-class’ level in 1826, it is instructive at this point in the narrative to glance at the career records of the principal Notts cricketers whose time in top-class cricket was more or less confined to the ‘round-arm’ (1827-1863) era of the game.

Some of those given in the table below drift into ‘over-arm’ but the great portion of their careers were prior to 1864. The list is confined to those playing at least 10 major matches for Nottingham/Notts:

The very rough pitches and the poorly maintained outfields in the round-arm period prevented any high scoring - this was gradually being changed by the introduction of the lawn-mower, which came into general use around 1860. George Parr demonstrates his standing among his contemporaries being the only batsman to average above 20 - Brampton comes second, but his career began nine years later than Parr.

Jackson’s high average is greatly helped by his 100 v Kent - he and Parr are the only two Notts players to score 100s before 1864 and only Tom Marsden (Sheffield) scored a hundred against Nottingham and his two centuries were right at the start of the round-arm period. Considering he began in 1826, George Jarvis holds a high position in the batting table.

William Clarke’s under-arm dominates the bowling table and shows why he was such a force on the cricket field. Cris Tinley was another, most of whose wickets were taken by under-arm deliveries. One might have expected John Jackson to have a lower average.

The one point on the figures in general is that there are no amateurs (or Gentlemen) in either table. Similar tables drawn up covering Sussex, Kent or Surrey would contain a good sprinkling of amateurs, at least among the batsmen - such names as N.Felix, R.Kynaston, A.Mynn, W.S.Norton, F.G.B.Ponsonby, C.G.Taylor and William Ward, amateurs all, would have high enough averages to feature in the Notts list of the round-arm period, but all were basically Southerners.

The professional England travelling XIs - Parr’s All England and its rival, the United All England - still ruled the domestic cricket scene of the 1856 to 1863 period, though inter-county cricket was slowly re-emerging, for obvious reasons, Nottinghamshire slower than the Southern counties of Sussex, Surrey and Kent. Between 1857 and 1863 Notts took to the field just 15 times against top opposition and eight of those matches were in the final two years.

It was in 1859-60 that John Johnson (see biog in Part 5) decided that Notts needed a proper structure to promote its county cricket. About this time the first brick pavilion was erected on the Trent Bridge Ground and in Easter 1861, Johnson created the annual Colts Trial on the ground, whereby 22 promising young players, nominated by their clubs, opposed the Notts XI in a two day game.

This was to remain the principal conduit through which Notts found fresh blood, that is until the Club decided to sign a ‘groundstaff’ of young players in 1897. No less than seven of that first 22 trialists went on to play first-class cricket for the County – S.Biddulph, T.Bignall, C.F.Daft, Walter Price, Alf Shaw, Wm Shaw and V.Tinley.

The 1857 to 1863 years saw Surrey and Notts fight for the title of Champion County. Notts old opponents, Kent and Sussex had fallen on hard times. Hampshire were completely in the doldrums. It is unfortunate therefore that George Parr, Notts captain through those years, was at loggerheads with the Surrey Committee and in 1863 things got so bad that the counties refused to play each other - for several years, Parr himself declined to appear in any matches at The Oval.

The one good development of the refusal of the counties to meet in 1863, is that, in its place, Notts arranged their first ever bona fide county game with Yorkshire (rather than Sheffield). The various warring factions in Yorkshire had closed ranks and formed a County Club. The other new Notts opponents were Cambridgeshire, developed out of the old Cambridge Town Club; the County Club had a nucleus of very talented professional cricketers, notably Carpenter, Hayward and Tarrant. Unfortunately the County did not have a John Johnson to meld the talent into a strong adhesive Club and the whole fell apart within a few years.

Nottinghamshire were acclaimed County Champions once in the seasons under review - in 1862 when three county games were won and the other one drawn.

Although Nottinghamshire had no direct influence on the change to over-arm bowling, the county’s players were heavily involved in another major cricketing revolution, the overseas tour. In 1856 cricket enthusiasts in the United States and Canada wrote to England to try and arrange for an English Team to cross the Atlantic. However the American stock market then plunged and it was not until 1859 that William Pickering of Canada agreed terms with George Parr and John Wisden to play four matches in September and October in Canada and the United States.

The players were to receive £50 plus all expenses. Parr captained this first touring side, Jemmy Grundy and John Jackson being the other Notts members of the 12 man squad. An additional match was played, the tourists facing a combined United States and Canada Twenty-Two. The England Team overwhelmed the opposition in all five matches, but the public both in the States and England followed the results with enormous interest. Like Clarke’s creation of the All-England XI in 1846, this vogue for overseas tours was an instant hit.

Two years later a catering firm in Melbourne decided to sponsor an England Team to tour Australia. George Parr was offered £150 per player, but stated that the sum was insufficient. The firm then approached H.H.Stephenson of Surrey, who accepted and agreed to collect a team. No Notts players were willing to make the trip. Two years later, Stephenson’s visit being most successful, George Parr agreed to terms with Melbourne Cricket Club and selected a much stronger side. This second visit to the Antipodes was expanded to include matches in New Zealand. Of the 12 players, Parr, Cris Tinley and John Jackson and Alfred Clarke were the Notts contingent. 19 matches were played in all, none were lost. Each player made about £250 after expenses.

Returning to the domestic scene, the particulars of the players who made their first appearances for Notts during these summers (1856-1863) are:

James Chatterton, who played in six county matches between 1856 and 1865, was a tailor residing in his native town of Newark. His county career effectively ended in 1861, but in 1865 he made a final appearance, when Wootton was unable to play. From 1857 to 1876 he had professional cricketing engagements in various parts of the country. In 1859, 1860 and 1867 he was at Lord’s and therefore played for the MCC in major matches in those seasons. From 1868 to 1876 he was the coach at Rossall School and from 1887 to 1890 he umpired in first-class matches, this career being cut short by his death in February 1891. He was born in Newark in April 1836 and generally played as an opening batsman, having a strong defence; his occasional round-arm bowling was slow and ‘twisting’
Henry John Parr, a younger brother of the famous George, had a very brief career in County cricket, since he died in Radcliffe-on-Trent, his native village in April 1863 aged just 25. He played for Notts at Newark v England in 1856 and then a second time v Durham & Yorkshire at Stockton in 1858. Parr also played in some All England matches as well as for Nottm Commercial and Radcliffe, but in no published games in the final four years of his short life.

Richard Daft was destined to assume the mantle of George Parr, as the greatest Nottinghamshire and England professional batsman of his time. A contemporary journal in the 1870s comments: ‘Great is the hand-clapping, expressive of “see the conquering hero comes”, at Trent Bridge, when Daft, well aware of his importance, walks up to the wicket.’ Fred Lillywhite’s brief pen picture notes ‘Is one of the most accomplished batsmen in the world; for self-command, science, hit, perseverance and judgment no one can excel him.’

Daft (pictured, left), who was born in Nottingham in November 1835, did not make his Notts debut until 1858, playing against Surrey at The Oval, when four of the Notts regulars, including George Parr, were absent. Daft played in that match as an amateur. He was so impressive that he was picked for the Gentlemen v Players the following week and then for North v South at Lord’s immediately afterwards. So, though his debut was later than was common, Daft immediately rose to the top rank of cricketers. In 1859 he made the unusual move from amateur to professional and in 1859, 1860 and 1861 was a regular member of Parr’s All England Eleven. After 1861 his cricket was largely confined to matches for Nottinghamshire, or local club games. From 1864 to 1877, except in three seasons, Daft topped the Notts first-class averages. In 1873 he hit 161 v Yorkshire at Trent Bridge, the highest innings made for the county up to that date and received the largest sum ever given by the Notts Committee for a single feat. However Daft considered that his innings of 118 for North v South at Lord’s was superior. The newspaper report of the time states: ‘It was one of the finest innings ever played at Lord’s,or any other ground. Not one chance did he give and every ball was played correctly. He was got out by a fluke, a ball bowled by Willsher hit his hand and bounded on to the wicket.’ Daft was at the crease over four hours. The MCC presented Daft with a new bat in recognition of his performance – the North won by an innings, no one else really mastering the difficult conditions.

Daft captained Notts from 1871 to 1880 and the county were Champions for six of those ten years. His benefit in 1876 raised £500 and other gifts presented to him were valued at £250. He declined several offers of tours overseas, but in 1879 did captain a side to the United States, the side being composed of Notts and Yorkshire cricketers. 13 matches in all were played, including a Notts v Yorkshire match at Germantown, Notts winning by ten wickets – it was played on October 23 and 24 and the weather being exceedingly cold. Daft officially retired at the close of the 1880 season, but played two games in 1881 due to the strike of Notts players. At the age of 55(in 1891) he was still scoring hundreds in good class local cricket and was asked to play against Surrey at The Oval – this was the needle match of the summer. It was a disaster for Notts, all out 86 and 44, of which Daft made 12 and 2. He did play in two further games that season before retiring from county cricket for a second time.

Although a quite brilliant cricketer, Daft was a hopeless businessman. He had the principal sports shop in Nottingham, but it went steadily downhill. He was also a partner in the Radcliffe Brewery – founded by his father-in-law, Butler Parr. At one time he ran the Trent Bridge Inn, but at the time of his death – in Radcliffe, July 1900 – he was bankrupt. He had joined the County Umpires list in 1898, presumably to aid his financial position and umpired in that season and the next. A rather depressing end to a Nottingham hero. His reminiscences, ‘ Kings of Cricket’ was published and achieved good sales – it is a standard text book for historians – but again any money reward seems to have been frittered away.

Richard Daft was a founder-member of Notts County F.C. and played fairly often for the side until 1871-72. His son, H.B.Daft, played for the club and for England. H.B.Daft and his borther R.P.Daft both played cricket for Notts, whilst Richard’s brother played cricket for the County in the 1860s and soccer for Nottm Forest in 1866. All three will appear in more detail in this work.

Alfred John Day Diver (pictured, left) is the only cricketer, designated as a ‘given man’, to represent Notts in a bona fide inter-county game; that is to say, Surrey agreed to Notts co-opting Diver for this specific match because four of the principal Notts players were absent. Diver, who normally played for Cambridge Town, was a great success, hitting the highest score in each innings, but the weakened Notts side still lost. The cricket annual pen picture of Diver in 1859 reads: ‘A first-class bat, having a very strong defence. He can scarcely be excelled as a long-stop, and is a very good round-arm (fast) and underhand (slow) bowler. At the time of his Notts appearance, Diver was the professional at Rugby School (1856-1876) and also a regular with Parr’s All England Eleven (1855-1861). Born in Cambridge in July 1824, he moved permanently to Rugby in 1856 and set up a cricket retail business in the town. He died in Rugby in March 1876. Diver was known to his friends as ‘Ducky’.

Alexander William McDougall, like Diver, was drafted into the Notts side for the 1858 Surrey match. At the time he was an undergraduate at Trinity College, Cambridge and played in several matches for the University in 1857 and 1858, but was not awarded his blue, even though in 1857 he was described as ‘Has wonderfully improved both as a bat and field. We hope to see him in the (Cambridge) Eleven this year.’ He was born in Jamaica about 1837 and was educated in ‘Worcestershire’. He resided in Wilford at the time of his Notts appearance and in 1858 organised a three-day match at Trent Bridge between his own side and the United All England Eleven. A barrister by profession he lived in London from about 1870 and died in the city in November 1917 aged 80.
John Hogg was born in Woodborough in February 1818. He played in three matches for Notts, one in each of 1858, 1859 and 1861, acting as wicketkeeper. No details of his early cricket have yet been found, but having played for Arnold in 1852 and 1853, he then appeared for Burton Joyce. He was at one time landlord of the Cross Keys and of the Wheat Sheaf Inns in Burton Joyce, though in 1852 his occupation is given as ‘farmer’. His eldest daughter, Annie Maria married the Notts and England cricketer John Selby; his son, John Henry Hogg appeared in one minor match for Notts. John Hogg died in Burton Joyce in October 1885.

George Philip Cecil Arthur, Lord Stanhope is the only Member of Parliament to play for Nottinghamshire in a county match. He played twice, both times being against Surrey at Trent Bridge, in 1860 and 1861. In 1862 he is described thus: ‘Bats very much in George Parr’s style, and made some very fine innings last season. He exhibited some magnificent play in his second innings in Gentlemen of North v South at The Oval’. He was born at Chesterfield House, Mayfair in August 1831 and educated at Eton and Oxford, though he failed to obtain a place in either Eleven. From 1860 to 1866 was MP for South Notts and had two country seats, at Gedling and at Bretby Park, Derbyshire. He was a member of I Zingari and MCC and played a lot of cricket for both. On the death of his father in 1866 he succeeded to the title Earl of Chesterfield. In 1871 he was staying at Lord Londesborough’s seat near Scarborough with among others, the Prince of Wales. Both the Prince of Wales and the Earl contracted typhoid fever. The Prince recovered, but the Earl died on December 1st, 1871. His lordship was unmarried and the title devolved on a cousin.

George Wootton (pictured, right), a man of a quiet, retiring disposition, seems to have had to be persuaded to play in first-class cricket. He took a professional engagement at Rochdale in 1860 – he was born in Clifton on October 16th, 1834 – and in the following year was picked to play for Notts against XXII Colts at Trent Bridge and then for XI Colts of England v MCC at Lord’s. In the latter match he was the most successful of the bowlers; Wootton bowled medium-fast left-arm ‘of a good length with twist’. So much was thought of his bowling that he played in all but four of Notts matches in the ten seasons 1861 to 1870. In 1862 he joined the MCC Groundstaff at Lord’s and was the leading MCC bowler over the next decade, though his most famous feat was for the All England Eleven at Bramall Lane in 1865, when he captured all ten wickets in Yorkshire’s second innings, Wootton’s final analysis being 31.3-9-54-10. His final Notts game was v Surrey at Trent Bridge in July, 1871, following which he decided he was no longer good enough for the county side, despite being told the opposite by his colleagues. He remained on the MCC staff until 1873, when a match for his Benefit realised about £300. He umpired in first-class matches until 1883, but commented: ‘It is a very thankless office and I soon gave it up, I liked umpiring very well, but if you make a mistake everyone is digging at you. I could not stand that sort of thing.’ Originally a butcher by trade, Wootton took the tenancy of a farm in Ruddington. He continued to coach youngsters at the village Club until late in life as well as being a frequent spectator at Trent Bridge. About 1900 his son-in-law took over the running of the farm. He died in Ruddington in June 1924 aged 89, but he is buried in Clifton churchyard.

The Rev William Bury was born in Radcliffe-on-Trent on October 14th, 1839, his father (also William Bury) being at that time the vicar of the village. The subject of this notice had no less than eight brothers. He was educated privately and at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was awarded his blue in 1861 and 1862. An elder brother was the Rev Thomas William Bury, who was at Winchester and Cambridge and played in minor matches for Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. Another brother, Frederick Maxwell Bury played for Demerara in 1865-66.

William Bury played in three matches for Notts in 1861-62, but did not really come off. He was a very fast runner, with a rather peculiar style and nicknamed ‘Deerfoot’. His two most notable innings were both made at Trent Bridge in 1862 and both were exactly 121. The first was for Gentlemen of North v South and the second for Midland County Diamonds v Free Foresters. After 1862 he retired from major cricket, but he did appear for Northamptonshire in 1867 and 1870, being at that time the vicar of Hazelbeach in that county. He died in Borough Green, near Sevenoaks on May 21st, 1927.

The Rev Richard Bethell Earle was the headmaster of the Collegiate Grammar School, Southwell and later the vicar of Edingley. He played from 1853 for Southwell Town Club and also the Notts Gentlemen. Born in Driffield, Yorkshire in October 1827, he appeared for Notts v XVI of Sheffield in 1857, but his only major inter-county game was for Notts v Surrey at Trent Bridge in July 1861, though he also played for the Gentlemen of the North v South. He was a good all-round cricketer, but did not bowl in the Surrey match. Earle died at The Rectory, Southwell on April 2nd, 1884.

Samuel Biddulph (pictured, left) is described by A.K.Sutton as ‘the noted stumper for the County XI and for quickness of sight, execution and indomitable courage, perhaps stands second to but few in the cricketing world. He receives the ball from the field most masterly and no matter at what speed if well put in, and the chance is there, he is safe of putting down the stumps with an effect the most electric.’ The Nottingham Review in 1866 commented: ‘There is perhaps no player more popular in the Notts Eleven than S.Biddulph; few, if any, in England can surpass his wicket-keeping and he is certainly unequalled in the graceful attitude he shews in this position.’ Biddulph was born in Hyson Green in December 1840 and first appears for the Hyson Green Club in 1858. He played for Next XXII v Notts in 1861 and the following April was drafted into the full Notts side v XXII Colts. From then on, apart from a short break in 1872, Biddulph was a regular member of the County side. In addition he was taken on the MCC Groundstaff in 1863. During the winter months he was a ‘butty’ to his county colleague Tom Bignall – that is a co-worker at the same lace machine. At that time the machines were kept going day and night and operators swopped and swopped about. When not at work, Bignall and Biddulph were inseparable pals and spent much of their time fishing together on the Trent side, with ‘one of Charley Brown’s smokes in full glow to warm their noses.’

Apart from his wicket-keeping, Biddulph is described as ‘a merry batsman against moderate bowling.’ His last match for Notts was v Middlesex at Princes in July 1875, after which he was taken ill and died of kidney disease on March 7th, 1876, aged 35. He is buried in the General Cemetery. A benefit match was played for his widow and children at Trent Bridge on September 15 and 16, 1876, when Notts played MCC, each player gave his services free of charge,

Charles Frederick Daft’s cricket career is rather unusual in that he was six and a half years older than his famous brother, Richard, but made his debut in major Notts County matches four years after Richard. His cricketing was chiefly with the Nottingham Commercial Club and he was both a member of that club’s committee and at one time secretary. Charles Daft played in the 1861 Notts Colts Match, though already aged 30, and made a such great impression both as a sound batsman and excellent fielder that he played for the county on a regular basis for 1862, 1863 and 1864, his final game being v Cambridgeshire in July of that year. He was born in Nottingham on June 8th, 1830 and resided for much of his adult life in Balmoral Road, Nottingham. His main occupation was originally in the building trade, but he also ran a cricketers’ outfitters in Nottingham. In 1866 he captained Nottm Forest FC v Notts County. Charles Daft died in Nottingham on March 9th, 1915.

William Horsley is dealt with rather brusquely in a brief press review of his county career, viz: ‘He made top score – 13 and 24 (for XXII Colts in 1862) – so he must have been able to bat a little. He also bowled lobs, but as his capabilities were not found to be up to the high standard of excellence required in a player for Notts, he was shunted.’ Horsley was born in Southwell in June 1835 and played chiefly for the Southwell Town Club. He played twice for Notts in county matches, both being in 1862, but he died in Southwell on August 29, 1864 aged 28. He was a tailor by trade.

John Smith of Gotham to distinguish him from John Smith of Ruddington, who played for Notts in 1864, was born in Gotham on July 12th 1834. He is described as a useful all-round player and he appeared in three Notts County matches, two in 1862 and the last in 1863 v Yorkshire at Bradford. It is believed that he moved to Bradford in about 1866, having been engaged as a professional in that town, but due to the commonness of his name, no further details have been discovered.

Francis Moore, a wicketkeeper, played for Notts v Surrey at The Oval in June 1862. It was the first time that Moore had visited London and Richard Daft relates how worried Moore was by the experience. In the course of the match in question Moore left The Oval at the lunch interval for a meal and couldn’t be found when play resumed. Daft located him still eating his meal in a restaurant and saying he thought there was an hour’s interval. He was employed as a professional with the Nottm Bank Club in the 1860s and in the 1870s with the Mapperley Park Club. During the winter months he acted as a general dogsbody to Nottm Forest Football Club. Moore was born in Nottingham on July 18, 1827 and died in the town on January 14, 1900. He generally resided in Sneinton.

Augustus Bateman (pictured, left), a younger brother of E.L.Bateman, who played in 1855, was born in West Leake on August 3, 1839. He was educated at Brighton College where he was in the Eleven from 1855 to 1858, being captain in 1858. At that time Bateman is described as ‘A very fine bat, with a strong defence; plays well either back or forward. Excels in drive and cut; is also an excellent bowler and good wicketkeeper.’ Bateman went up to St John’s, Cambridge and played against Oxford for the three seasons, 1859, 1860 and 1861, when his wicketkeeping drew great praise, but his batting was described as ‘uncertain’. He was picked for the County side v XXII Colts in 1862, but withdrew owing to ill-health. However he played a single game for the county the same year v Surrey at Trent Bridge and hit 63. Not only was it the highest score in the match (Notts won by five wickets) but his dismissal was something that would not happen today. Bateman was caught out by Caffyn, who had to run among the spectators to take an incredible catch. In the 1860s the batsman had to hit the ball out of the ground to claim a six, there being no boundary rope or line. Bateman died in Nottingham on December 18, 1922. Another of his brothers was Sir Alfred Edmund Bateman, who was in the Brighton XI in 1861 and 1862.

Edward Arthur Howsin played in two county games both in 1863. He was born in North Muskham on July 26, 1838. He qualified as a doctor of medicine at St Andrews in 1862 and later studied at Bristol and Guys. When chosen for the XXII Colts in 1863 he is described as from East Surrey and South Wales, though in 1861 he turned out for Newark and in 1862 played several games at The Oval and this gave him the right to represent Gentlemen of the South v North. He was a good batsman and excellent outfield. Howsin resided at Goole in 1866, Newton-le-Willows in 1872, Stroud in 1879 and then at Reedness Manor, near Goole, however he died in Boscombe, Hampshire on February 27, 1921.

Thomas Bignall (pictured, right) was born in Chilwell on January 8, 1842, but moved to Lenton with his parents whilst still a boy and then to Radford as a young man.His first published game was for Hyson Green in 1858. He played in the XXII Colts side for three seasons, 1861, 1862 and 1863 and finally obtained his place in the Notts team v Yorkshie at Trent Bridge that season. He seemed to have secured his place in the County side, but after missing some games in 1866, was omitted altogether in 1867 and all of 1868 bar the final match, when he hit 30 not out and 97. He had been on the MCC Staff in 1863 and 1864, but in 1865 joined the All England Eleven. The following year he switched to the United Eleven, remaining with that wandering side until 1869 From 1869 to 1874 he had regular place in the Notts side, but in 1874 it is commented that ‘it is a pity he has got so stout and so assigned to long-stop duties’. After an absence of four years, from 1874, Bignall was recruited for one final match v Surrey at The Oval in August 1878, when Daft was unable to turn out. A fine, free, powerful batsman, Bignall usually opened the innings. In 1869 he became the fifth Notts player to record a century in a county match, hitting 116 not out v Kent at Tonbridge. He was an occasional fast round-arm bowler. He ‘dropped dead at his place of work’ on September 19, 1898. Bignall was the 100th cricketer to represent Nottinghamshire in major matches from 1826.

Sir Henry Bromley, who was born at Stoke Hall on December 25, 1816, was the principal patron of Nottinghamshire cricket through the 1860s and 1870s. Although he never played for Nottinghamshire in a major match, he played regularly for Gentlemen of Notts and in other local matches, it is fitting to include the short tribute to him, which was originally published in 1874: ‘He is a good judge of play and players, and for many years used to entertain the members of the old Nottingham Commercial Club, including the two Dafts, and other well-known cricketers, on the occasion of their annual match with his eleven at East Stoke. After this we are not surprised to learn that he is beloved by all cricketers.’

Sir Henry was elected to the Notts CCC Committee in 1861 and then elected the Club’s first President in 1869, a post he retained until he declined re-election in December 1877. He was also President of the Gentlemen of Notts Club in May 1867 – the Club having moved from its original home in Southwell to Beeston. Sir Henry was a magistrate and also Deputy-Lieutenant of the County. He was 6ft 8ins in height and weighed about 18 st. He died at Stoke Hall on September 21, 1895. His country seat of Stoke Hall is reputed to have as many windows as there are days in a year!