Lives in Cricet No 33 - Jack Robertson and Syd Brown

130 Acknowledgements My thanks first are to Ian Robertson and Rob Brown who kindly invited me into their homes, answered my questions, shared memories of their fathers with me, and showed me many mementos and photographs of their careers and agreed to me borrowing and using them. Jack and Syd’s former cricketing colleagues, Alan Moss, John Price, Clive Radley, Alan Rayment, Charles Robins, Micky Stewart, Henry Tilly, and Bob White have all also been very helpful in letting me pick their brains. I am also grateful in particular to Graham Sainsbury of Bessborough CC and John Neal for their memories of Jack Robertson in his coaching days, and similarly to Colin Moor for his recollections about being coached by Syd Brown. Middlesex CCC (Richard Goatly) and MCC (Adam Chadwick and Neil Robinson) have given me access to Middlesex and MCC minutes held at Lord’s. I’m sure it is not their fault that I have been unable to locate some apparently missing Middlesex minutes, and I am grateful to them for allowing me to rummage around, unfortunately unsuccessfully, among the archives, spiders, and dust at the top of the Allen Stand to try and find them! In checking newspaper reports I have made use of a number of sources: British Newspaper Library at Colindale, Chiswick Library (local studies), Harrow Local History Library, Watford Central Library, Uxbridge Library (local studies). I thank the staff for their help. I would also like to thank the following: David Robertson (Honorary Curator, Kent CCC), Catherine Orr (Administration Officer, Cambridge University RUFC), Rob McIntosh (Curator, Army Medical Services Museum), Barbara Lanning and Patricia Clark (Pinner Local History Society), John Kennett (Eltham Society), and staff at the Nower Hill High School, the Army Personnel Centre, and the Royal Army Physical Training Corps Museum for their help. I am also appreciative of further help given in a number of ways by Philip Bailey, Stephen Chalke, David Frith, Peter Gilbert, David Kendix, Douglas Miller, John Smith (an early patron of Syd’s public house), Simon Sweetman, Keith Walmsley, Robby Wilton, Ron Young, and to Gerald Hudd and Jenny Moulton for proofreading my efforts. My thanks too to Andy Neal, Pinner Local History Society, Chiswick Library (local studies), Roger Mann (as ever), and Middlesex CCC who have contributed photographs; and of course to City Press for their typesetting and printing expertise.