Lives in Cricket No 21 - Walter Read

12 party of friends to witness the ceremony, including Sir Henry and Lady Knight, Messrs C W Alcock, Secretary of the Surrey County Club, John Shuter, Captain C E Horner, E J Diver and F W Bush of the Surrey Eleven, and Dr Jones of the Surrey Committee. The service was most impressively read by the Rev S Minton-Senhouse, a well known member of the Surrey Cricket Club who was assisted by the Rev J N Harrison, Vicar of Reigate, and the Rev E Thorpe. There were over sixty guests of Mr and Mrs Wells at the subsequent breakfast at Mead Lodge. Mr and Mrs Read left in the afternoon for the Isle of Wight where they will spend the honeymoon. 6 Additionally, the Surrey Mirror provided its readers with details of the bride’s and bridesmaids’ dresses and the presents. The bride, who was richly attired in broché satin and wore a tulle veil with orange blossoms, was given away by her father. The bridesmaids were Miss Mabel Alcock 7 and Miss Eva Knight, and they wore dresses of cream-coloured cashmere with ruby velvet trimmings and hats to match. Master Arthur Wells 8 acted as page-boy and was dressed as a cricketer, wearing the Surrey colours….Mr Arthur Read, brother of the bridegroom performed the duties of best man.… Amongst the numerous and pretty presents received was a splendid bronze clock given by members of the Surrey County Cricket Club several members of which…were present at the ceremony. 9 In response to popular demand, more details followed a week later. She carried a splendid bouquet, and was attended by six children….(Mr W G Grace and Mr Hornby were unavoidably absent) …The presents were very numerous, costly and useful: we would specifically mention… the elegant silver entrée dish from the Reigate Priory Cricket Club. 10 The matrimonial home was ‘Micklefield’, at 8 Evesham Road, a substantial two-storey brick-built detached house on the affluent western fringes of Reigate. It is still there, still Micklefield, but now renumbered as 12, and then as now, a comfortable walk to both Family Background 6 Cricket 26 November 1885 7 Fourth child and third daughter of Surrey Secretary, C W Alcock. She was aged thirteen at the time. 8 Nephew of the bride 9 7 November 1885. The clock was in addition to a wedding present from the Club of £250, justified in the minutes (27 August 1885) on the grounds that he was ‘a cricketer second to but one in England’. 10 14 November 1885