Lives in Cricket No 34 - Frank Mitchell

122 Acknowledgements Phil Gilbank of Pocklington in East Yorkshire very kindly gave me a copy of his unpublished brief biography of Frank Mitchell and allowed me full use of it. He has been most generous in his interest and help and the content of Chapter One reflects both his and my research. I am very grateful to Patricia Chandler, archivist at St Peter’s School, York for making available much material relating to Frank Mitchell and which I was able to study at the school. Enid Greenwood from Market Weighton also gave me considerable early help, and found The Times reference to the bankruptcy of Frank Mitchell. Peter Wynne-Thomas provided details of relevant Cricketer entries. The library staff and Richard Steel at Twickenham Rugby Football Ground were generous in the research that they did for me and in the facilities provided for study. Roger Mann, Brian Sanderson and Patrick Casey (of Clifton Rugby Football Club) supplied many good photographs. The citation for the map on page 8 is http://www.visionofbritain.org . uk/place/13389. The family wedding photograph of Frank Mitchell and Theresa Kelly is taken from a section of the Inrelation website researched by Des Lynch. The splendid view of Welbeck Abbey was taken by the late Frank William Musk perhaps ninety years ago, and features on the website of his grandson, Andrew Dejardin. The photograph of Birdsall Manor Farm is copyright Jonathan Thacker and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. I am grateful to the staff at Lord’s Cricket Ground, Yorkshire CCC, the Guildhall Library, Surrey History Centre, the National Archives, the London Library, the Law Society Library, Clive Simmonds and Helen Hills at the Cambridge University Library, the archivists at Gonville & Caius College Cambridge, the Agent to the Birdsall Estates Company Ltd, Dr C.J.R.Thorne (who assisted me on Cambridge University athletics) and Simon Blundell, librarian of the Reform Club. Gordon Spraven of Birdsall with his years of local knowledge was a pleasure to meet. Luke Alfred, Jonty Winch and Nokuthala Mthembu helped me with South African matters, and Patrick Ferriday gave me a preview of parts of his outstanding book about the 1912 Tournament. The publishers of the London Gazette also provided me with important information about Frank Mitchell’s military career. Brighton and East Sussex library staff helped me with my chapter on Sussex days, and Roger Packham trawled through the minutes of Sussex County Cricket Club on my behalf and pointed me in the right direction in various ways. He was generous in his time and help. Dick Brewster and the Yorkshire Gentlemen’s Cricket Club entertained me at their delightful Escrick Ground. Peter Milne, Secretary