Lives in Cricket No 29 - AN Hornby

22 with the model railway manufacturers. Hornby Lodge was built in 1900 and later became offices and then a rather grand police station in its own wooded grounds. In 2002 it was sold by Greater Manchester Police to developers who built luxury apartments on the site, retaining the name Hornby Lodge. The young cricketer When the Hornby family moved to Nantwich, the five cricketing brothers became qualified for Cheshire by residence. In August 1862, aged barely 15½, A.N. played for Ludlow against a Gentlemen of Cheshire side containing no fewer than three of his brothers – Cecil Lumsden, Edward Kenworthy and William Henry. It was a chastening experience for the young man. E.K. scored 134 in the Gentlemen of Cheshire’s mammoth total of 517 all out and Ludlow could only manage totals of 90 and 165 in reply, going under by an innings and 262 runs. In Cheshire’s innings, opening bat William Armitstead scored 177. He had earlier become famous for the introduction of white coats for umpires following the Free Foresters’ game against a United England XI at G.P.Codie’s Ground at Eccles, Manchester in the previous year. Rather like Hornby, he had two brothers in the opposition. One of them, John Richard, was later to officiate at Hornby’s wedding. A.N.’s contribution was only five and 21 but evidently he impressed his opponents, because Cheshire invited him to play for them three days later. He appeared for them in non-first-class cricket 23 times between then and 1876, scoring 1,672 runs at an average of 52.25, and taking 39 wickets. His highest score was 201 for the Gentlemen of Cheshire against the Gentlemen of Shropshire at the County Ground, Frankwell in Shrewsbury in 1868. In August 1866, Hornby played for the Gentlemen of Cheshire against the Gentlemen of Lancashire at Chelford, scoring 38 and six, and taking a wicket and two catches. Three weeks later he had switched sides and was representing the Gentlemen of Lancashire against the Gentlemen of Yorkshire at York, scoring 13 and eight. Hornby had begun his cricketing journey in 1862 at Harrow. There in 1864 and 1865 he was coached by the Earl of Bessborough, better known as Frederick Ponsonby, who devoted many years to Harrow cricket after playing 67 first-class matches. He was a member of the Harrow cricket eleven in both years, playing against Eton at Lord’s a fortnight before W.G.Grace first graced the hallowed turf. Born with a silver spoon