Chapter Five North v South Peace was restored to cricket’s warring factions in 1870. After prolonged negotiations the United North of England XI – which played its first match in Dewsbury at Whitsun – met the United South of England Eleven at Lord’s in July for the benefit of the Cricketers’ Fund Friendly Society. For some years North met South at Prince’s on the fund’s behalf while similarly styled elevens maintained the Lord’s tradition at Whit for the Marylebone Professional Cricketers’ Fund. Thus Whit Monday 1870 saw George Parr’s first professional appearance at Lord’s after an absence of four seasons. North won, WG Grace opened for the South and the attendance was around 8,000 on the Monday and 4,000 on the second day. A year later, on 29 May 1871, cricket enjoyed the first benefits of Sir John Lubbock’s new act. “Such a crowd (8,000 again) as which was attracted to Lord’s on Whit Monday has, perhaps, never been seen on the old ground since its establishment,” said the Sporting Gazette . “It rolled up and formed itself into a ring long before the game commenced.” Play started at 12.15 and at lunch (2.30pm) Grace was 135 not out. When the lunch bells rang, people, in quest of food, dashed towards the one exit gate that was open and such was the crush that no one could get in or out. Some solace for missed lunches – the interval lasted 45 minutes - was provided byWGwith 178 (three fives and 19 fours) out of a total of 328, sharing a partnership of 170 with his brother GF who made 83. Willsher, five for 52 and six for 54, emphasised South’s dominance in an innings victory over a North team which included Hayward, Daft and Carpenter. In the only other important game played on that first Whitsun Bank Holiday, Oxford University entertained the Gentlemen of England and won by 114 runs. So another Whitsuntide tradition was now established. There was a crowd of 8,000 on the Monday of the 1872 game which South won; James Southerton’s round-arm slow bowling bringing him a match analysis of 14-66. The series gained in popularity with four fixtures arranged at various grounds in 1873, South winning two, North one and the other drawn. Southerton had another field day in 1874 and then, said Wisden : “The Whit Monday of 1875 was most enjoyably fine, the bright, hot sun that beamed down upon the millions of holiday folks out that day pleasure taking being agreeably tempered by a cool and brisk breeze from the east.” Lord’s was thronged with 8,342 who paid for admission, many bottles of champagne were uncorked on the pavilion balcony, there was a large Press turnout and around the ground people stood or sat five deep. “The wall top of Mr Dark’s garden was covered by those ‘who could climb and did not fear to fall’. It was a depleted North side, with several of their best players involved elsewhere; at Trent Bridge where Nottinghamshire were playing Derbyshire and in matches at Hallam, Old Trafford and Leicester. The match was all over in a day, Southerton taking 16-52 in North’s totals of 90 and 72. Although Alfred Shaw and Fred Morley did well to restrict South to 123, they won by 10 wickets, the game ending at five minutes past seven. South won the 1876 and 21