Cricket's Historians

Wisden challenges Lillywhite 404 not out (by a long way the highest ever) and five others exceeded 200 in 1868 – though Knight could only discover 23 double hundreds ever scored. ( Lillywhite’s Companion for 1867 and onward gives lists of 100s made the previous season and long lists of first-class averages neither of which appear in Wisden ). William Henry Knight is shown as the editor of Wisden in the 1870 edition. He was born in London in November 1812 and was a journalist on several newspapers, though he is only credited with cricket reporting for the Sporting Gazette (founded 1862). At one time he was the only officially recognised reporter at Lord’s. Knight continued as Wisden editor until and including the 1879 edition – he died in Middlesex Hospital on August 16, 1879, ‘long a martyr to a painful disease’. Meanwhile, in 1872, yet another Lillywhite had founded a cricket annual. He was James Lillywhite, the eldest of the sons of F.W.Lillywhite, being a year older than John. James had played 18 major matches for Sussex between 1850 and 1860, in spite of the fact that, in 1855, he had moved to Cheltenham, taking up the post of coach at the town’s College. He was to remain as a resident of that town for the rest of his life. The first issue of James Lillywhite’s Cricketers’ Annual was published by James Lillywhite & Co in the spring of 1872, but the second was published by James Lillywhite, Frowd & Co of 4, Newington Causeway, S.W.(sic) actually S.E., ten minutes walk from London Bridge, where the firm advertised a vast array of sporting equipment. The new annual is edited by Charles W.Alcock (Secretary of Surrey County Cricket Club). The Annual had board covers with a distinctive red cloth covering – John Lillywhite’s Companion had a rather flimsy green paper cover. The two annuals are therefore often referred to as Red Lilly and Green Lilly. Both sold at one shilling and the difference between the two was marginal. Doubts as to whether there was room in the market for two similar annuals must have vanished when the 1872 edition of Red Lilly was re-issued twice. Charles William Alcock, the editor of the new annual, was born in Sunderland inDecember 1842, moving to Chingford, Essex with his family 34