Famous Cricketers No 63 - A.O.Jones

individual score made against Gloucestershire and the highest for Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. It was the ground record until 1921 when Charlie Macartney made 345, in a day, for the Australians. His 296 was, at the time, the 15th highest first-class score , the 12th highest made in this country and the 9th highest in the Championship. Thanks to Jones, Nottinghamshire had made 450 for 3 wickets on the first day. Rain fell heavily during the night, changing the nature of the pitch. H.J.Huggins, the fast medium bowler, performed the hat-trick for Gloucestershire but it was all to no avail. Tom Wass found his form and was almost unplayable. The game was all over in two days. Arthur Owen had lead his side to an overwhelming victory and had made what was to be the highest score of his career. The bat he used, although riddled with woodworm, can still be seen in the Trent Bridge pavilion. The match against Gloucestershire was one of four consecutive wins. In the home match with Kent, Jones and Iremonger put on 82 for the first wicket. The latter then had a succession of stands in which he played the anchor role while his partners went for quick runs. After five hours at the crease, his was the sixth wicket to fall, with the total on 380. This 210 was his best display of batting and his highest score so far. Arthur Owen declared the innings closed and immediately had the visitors in trouble. James Seymour’s 20 was the highest score of the first innings and there was only one score of over 50 in the second. Nottinghamshire made the most of their luck in the away match with Surrey. The home side dropped seven fairly easy catches on the first day, resulting in a first innings lead for Nottinghamshire, whose fielding was a lot sharper. James Iremonger made the top scores of over 50 in both innings. No Surrey batsman achieved a half-century. In the away match with Essex, John Gunn again bowled unchanged in both innings, taking another 14 wickets, this time at just over 12 runs each. Essex batted first and were dismissed cheaply. Jones and Iremonger put on 121 for the first wicket, almost equalling the Essex total, before the latter was out for 36. Essex used seven bowlers to dismiss the visitors. Despite a century by Percy Perrin, Nottinghamshire were not required to bat again. The momentum of the four wins could not be sustained in the last few matches of the season. Nottinghamshire had come through the trauma of Shrewsbury’s demise with some credit and success. John Gunn became the first Nottinghamshire cricketer to achieve the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a season. Triumph of a different sort came at 10am on Wednesday 2nd September . When Arthur Owen Jones married Miss Lily Howat at St Luke’s Church, Dudley. The Howats were a long established family in the town. David Howat, the bride’s late father, had been a lawyer, a J.P., an Alderman and Mayor of Dudley in 1883/84. He is described on Lily’s birth certificate as a wholesale draper. Lily was his fourth daughter and was born in Wellington Road, Dudley on 14th September 1874. The marriage was solemnised by brother Frank, now Rev Francis Horace Jones, curate of St Mary’s, Blythe in Northumberland. He was assisted by the bride’s brother-in-law, Rev A.D.Wilkinson, the vicar of Cumnor and by the vicar of St Luke’s, Rev J.W.Down. The marriage licence records A.O.’s “Rank or Profession” as Insurance Agent. This would suggest that the money from his grandfather’s estate was no longer sufficient for the imminent family responsibilities. He worked for The Mutual Life Insurance, a company originating in New York which had offices in Queen’s Chambers, King Street, just off the Market Square in Nottingham. After the wedding, the new Jones family moved into 12 Hound Road, which is at the back of the Trent Bridge Ground pavilion. They lived there for about two years. Arthur Owen was invited to play in two end of season matches at Hastings. Lancashire and Yorkshire combined to make a northern XI, which was too strong for the Rest of England. This was followed by a Gentlemen v Players match which was spoilt by heavy rainstorms. George Hirst made a wonderful century and Archie MacLaren played brilliantly for 68, having been missed first ball. A.O. did not contribute much to either match as he was either just returned from honeymoon, or was still on it. He was not invited to go to Australia with P.F.Warner’s Ashes winning tour. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 226. Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire, Trent Bridge, May 11, 12, 13 (Nottinghamshire won by six wickets) (captain, lost toss) c W.Storer b J.J.Hulme 23 146 82 1 42