Lives in Cricket No 2 - Johnny Briggs

the last Test team which had gone out to Australia. George Yates, who played ten seasons with Derbyshire, and his wife sent an emblem in hyacinths of three cricket stumps held together at the top by bails of violet; across the wicket was a bat and ball also made up of violets. Locally-based Broughton Rangers rugby football club sent a wreath in the form of a harp with the club colours attached and Robey’s was made up of bay leaves tied with long red and white streamers. There were two wreaths from Widnes, where, as a small boy, Briggs received his early coaching in the game. One of them came from the mayor and town council of the municipal borough. Floral tributes were also sent by Lancashire Police, Derbyshire Cricket Club and the Manchester Press Club, the latter no doubt in grateful thanks to Briggs for the sheer amount of copy he had provided during his career. The service was conducted by the Rev John Russell Napier, who had played alongside Briggs for Lancashire. At the graveside were The Last Rites 5 A well-known portrait of Briggs taken in 1888 by Messrs Hawkins of Brighton Rev John Russell Napier, who officiated at Briggs’ funeral, played alongside Briggs as a fast bowler for Lancashire in two games in 1888, once against Australia at Old Trafford, when he took seven wickets and compiled the top score of 37 in Lancashire’s second innings as they won by 23 runs, and against Yorkshire at Sheffield where he took four wickets in 14 deliveries without conceding a run. Preston-born Napier learned his cricket at Marlborough College, going on to play two matches for Cambridge University before, in 1892, helping to steer his local club Walsden, based on the Lancashire-Yorkshire border, into the Central Lancashire League.