Lives in Cricket No 42 - Frank and George Mann

79 Chapter Fourteen Education and War-Time Frank Mann decided that his two sons should have a public-school education similar to that enjoyed by himself and his three brothers. His choice was Eton College and before they were old enough to begin attendance they were sent to Wellesley House School, a boarding school at Broadstairs in Kent. George began in July 1926 and John Pelham in 1927. Three years later George entered Eton, followed by John Pelham in 1930. By 1934 both were playing in the Eton cricket first eleven. They appeared in the annual match at Lord’s against Harrow School, with George batting first wicket down and John Pelham, chosen for his leg-spin bowling, at No.9. John Pelham took five for 66 in the Harrow first innings, making them follow on, but Eton were unable to force a win. In 1935 George was moved up to open and scored 105 against Charterhouse; John Pelham, promoted to number seven, also scored a century, at home to Winchester. Both boys took part in the Eton Wall Game the following winter, with their father as a proud spectator. 1936 was George’s final year and he was elected president of the prestigious Eton sixth-form society, widely known as ‘Pop’, as well as captain of the cricket team. John Pelham was now a genuine allrounder, batting at first wicket down and the leading bowler. George went up to Cambridge and John Pelham took over as Eton captain, scoring another century, this time against Haileybury and leading Eton to victory over Harrow, something his elder brother had been unable to achieve. He then went on to score 91 for Lord’s Schools against The Rest and 75 for Public Schools against The Army. The application from George to begin his studies at Pembroke College, Cambridge, in October 1936 was signed by his father from the new family home, Woodside House, Winkfield, on the edge of Windsor Forest. It confirmed that his School Certificate passes were Mathematics, English, Latin and German, and that he intended to study for an honours degree in History, with a proposed profession as brewer. He played in the 1937 Cambridge University ‘trial’ match between the Perambulators and Etceteras and made his first-class debut when asked to appear for Middlesex in their opening game in May against Cambridge at Fenner’s. He opened the first innings with Jim Swanton but was soon caught at the wicket without scoring. In the second innings he made the top score with 59 out of 199 for seven declared and Middlesex won by 202 runs, but he was unable to break into the University side. Wisden said he had ‘utterly failed to reproduce his school form’. George eventually made it into the University team in 1938, under the captaincy of Norman Yardley, future England captain, and played in