Lives in Cricket No 44 - LCH Palairet

many arriving in Kent and eventually moving out into many parts of England. London, Bedfordshire, Norfolk and the South West, which were all popular areas for members to settle. A number of Palairets settled in Holland, initially in Amsterdam or Rotterdam. Another branch went to live in New Zealand. Going back to Lionel’s direct ancestry line, I can start with his great-great grandfather John Gwalter Palairet (1765-1824). He was a barrister at law who married Catherine Pistor in 1795. It is evident that even at this stage, the Palairets were a very upper- class family which they maintained down to Lionel, with the males of the family often being educated to degree level and becoming barristers, high ranking army officers or members of the Church of England in various capacities. In addition marriages were nearly always of a similar social class so children were not allowed to marry beneath themselves; this ensured the class status within the families was maintained. From this marriage, we have Lionel’s grandfather, Septimus Palairet (1807-54). He was to rise to the rank of captain in the 29th Regiment in the British Army. He was born in Wiltshire, though he would actually die in Edinburgh. Septimus would marry twice, firstly to Mary Ann Hamilton (1822-51). She died in Philadelphia, County Durham. In 1853 he would marry Lydia Bedney (1833-87). From these marriages Septimus would have seven children, the second of these being Henry Hamilton (1845- 1923), who was Lionel’s father. Henry went to Oxford and played cricket for Exeter College. While at Oxford, he was the eighth rower in the 1865 trial boat race. Unfortunately, he did not make the final Oxford rowing team for that year’s race. He also played cricket and was a useful club cricketer. He even played two first class matches for the MCC (1868-69). However, he achieved little of note in these games. It was in archery that he excelled. Henry was six times English Archery champion of England (1876, 1878, and 1880- 82); he was also champion of John O’Gaunt’s five times (second in importance to the English championship). For a number of years, he was a Judge at the Court of Assizes in Bath; he was also secretary to the Archery Committee of The All England Club and would organise archery events all over the French connections 8