Cricket 1908

CRICKET: a w e e k l y r e c o r d o f t h e g a m e . SEPTEMBER 3 , 1908 . “ Together joined in Cricket’s m an ly toil.”— Byron. N o . 794 . v o l . x x v i i . T H U R S D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 3 , 1908 . o n e p e n n y . CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. M e. W. HUGH SPOTTISWOODE. Mr. Spottiswoode, whose portrait we give this week, is best known as a yartner in the historic firm of Eyre & Spottiswoode, his Majesty’s printers, and as the founder and editor of P r in te r P ie , the excellent annual issued for the benefit of several funds connected with the printing trade. At one time, however, he was a very useful cricketer, and one who would probably have played more frequently for Kent if he had been able to spare the time. He possessed a sound and easy style of batting, being strong on the off-side and better on fast wickets than on slow ; he was, too, a successful lob bowler. When pressed as to his prowess in the latter direction he referred me to Golf Illustrated , which gave a description of a foresome played at Sandwich some years ago. The snapshot of the match was en­ titled “ Sandwich all Beef : a Cricketing Foresome,” and the four consisted of Mr. Hugh Rotherham, the fast bowler, who played for the Gentlemen, Mr. C. F. H. Leslie, who went to Australia with the Hon. Ivo Bligh, Mr. C. E . Cobb and Mr. Spottiswoode. The last was described as “ a fine, free bat with occasional good fortune as a lob bowler.” For some years Combe Bank, an historic house situated in the p a ris h e s of S u n d rid g e and Brasted, was the property of the Spottiswoodes. Mr. Philip Nor- mon, in his delightful Annals of the West Kent Cricket Club , has some very interesting notes con­ cerning the house. At one time it had been in the possession of the family of Ash, one of whom, William Ash, alienated it to Col. John Campbell, who, on the death of Archi­ bald, Duke of Argyll, in 17 6 1, succeeded to that title. This duke, on whose eldest son was conferred the title of Baron Sundridge of Combe Bank, which still exists, gave the property during his lifetime to his third son, Lord Frederick Campbell. L a'ly Frederick who, having murdered his steward in a fit of passion, was hanged at Tyburn in 1760 with a silken rope. There is a tradition that on the scaffold Lord Ferrers prophesied a more terrible death than his own for his wife, whose influence he thought had been adverse to him during his tria l; and curiously enough many years after she had become Lady was the widow of the fourth Earl of Ferrers, MR. W. HUGH SPOTTISWOODE. Frederick Campbell, namely on July 25th, 1807, she was burned to death in a fire proof room at Combe Bank, which had been con­ structed for her to allay her constant fear of death from fire. It is not known how the fire commenced, but the construction of the room prevented it from spreading, and acted somewhat like a crematorium. In the morning when the household arrived nothing tangible w*as found but Lady Frederick’s thumb bone, which duly received Christian burial. After the Argyll family parted with Combe Bank it passed through many vicissi­ tudes, including the occupation of the Mannings, of Lord Templemore, and later a short tenancy by the composer Balfe. In the year 1871 the estate was pur­ chased by Mr. William Spottis­ woode, the President of the Royal Society and Queen’s Printer, wTbo bequeathed it to his son Hugh. Together with other old relics of the past, Mr. Spottiswoode took over an ancient retainer of some ninety odd summers, who stated that he “ remembered her ladyship in cinders.” This old gentleman was far from being a disciple of Sir Wilfred Lawson, and it was suggested to Cardinal Manning while on a visit to Mr. Spottis­ woode that a few words from an old acquaintance of such standing might have a beneficial effect. So Manning, eager in the good work, went up to him and said, “ Well, my old friend, I suppose you don’t remember me.” Without the slightest hesitation the answer came back, “ Not remember you, Master ’Arry, wot I used to carry a-piek-a-back ? ” (A spasm of ill- suppressed laughter.) “ Lord ! Master ’Arry, Master ’Arry, you wos a bad lot, you wos.” No temperance lecture took p’ ace. Manning, who was in the Harrow X I. in 1825 and 1826, used to tell how at Combe Bank he was .pro­ moted to swallow-tails, and while standing in front of the fire before dinner, trying to look as if he had worn them all his life, burned them so badly that he had ignomi- niously to retire and appear once more in Eton jackets. He also told the following story, first printed in the Strand Magazine for July, 18 9 1: “ As a boy at Combe Bank, Christopher Words­ worth, late Bishop of Lincoln, and Charles Wordsworth, Bishop of St. Andrew's, were my schoolfellows. I frankly admit that I was very mischievous. The two Wordsworths and I conceived the wicked intention of robbing the vinery. The door was always kept locked, and there was nothing for it but to enter through the roof. There was a