Dimming of the Day

72 Essex beat Leicestershire, despite the county making 521 in the second innings (Sam Coe out for 152). Essex got the 186 they needed with the help of 65 from Captain W.M.Turner. Nottinghamshire, needing only 101 to beat Kent, were bowled out for 53 by Blythe (five for 32) and Woolley (five for 20). Reginald Ashfield made 130 for Marlborough against Rugby at Lord’s. He was still at school and after the war appeared once for Cambridge University in a non-first-class match. The Daily Express said that there were nearly 10,000 at Blackheath to see Kent play Surrey where Wally Hardinge made 86. Without making a great impact on the season, he was to be one of Wisden’s Five for 1915. Even the Express still gives a full score for Marlborough v Rugby. In a minor counties match at the Oval, Staffordshire made 371 against Surrey II with hundreds from B.Meakin and L.F.Taylor. Bernard Meakin had played once for Gloucestershire (when at school at Clifton) and a couple of times for Cambridge University (without getting a blue), but was a Staffordshire stalwart until 1922. Leonard Taylor played only for Staffordshire (though he was qualifying for Warwickshire) and was to die in France in March 1917. Staffordshire went on to win by an innings in a game in which Barnes only took four wickets. A report in the Daily Express discussed the marriage of John Freeman- Mitford (an uncle of the Mitford sisters) to the former Fraulein von Friedlander-Fuld who was apparently living apart from him. The Sporting Times had apparently suggested that this was after he had committed ‘unnatural offences’ against her. The divorce courts (while effectively available only to the wealthy) were an endless source of salacious fun. At the same time the paper was shocked by the acquittal of Mme Caillaux and greatly impressed by Rolf the wonder dog of Mannheim. By 31 July, with serious trouble looming, even the Unionist party and the Ulstermen (given their presented position as patriots) had to come onside. Germany had not mobilised – yet – but was imminently expected to do so. Austria was advancing into Serbia and Belgrade was being shelled [note that this involved an attack on the civilian population – Germany was not the first]. Sir Edward Grey had made a new offer of mediation, but it did not seem to be attracting any takers. In Britain the Territorial Special Reserve was being called to the colours. In the City, two more firms were hammered: there were heavy falls on the New York exchange. Surrey were playing at Kent at Blackheath knowing that a Kent victory would push them down to third place. Kent, batting down the order, made 349 but Hayward and Hobbs had taken Surrey briskly to 57-0 by the close. At Brighton, Northamptonshire scored 435-3 against Sussex, with S.G.Smith unbeaten on 159. Lancashire played Warwickshire at Lune Road, Lancaster (the first and only first-class match on the ground). Warwickshire made 335-9 with centuries from W.G.Quaife and C.S.Baker. William Quaife was July 1914