Lives in Cricket No 44 - LCH Palairet

In the months after his death, a number of articles cropped up in a various newspapers across Britain, most commenting on his style as a batsman but also his work, and membership of many committees that he served on over the years. His obituary in the 1934 Wisden Almanack praised his batting style and mentioned some of his main batting feats; what is surprising is that it did not mention his golfing career as a player or administrator once. His brother Richard would live to 83 and would die at his home in Budleigh Salterton in Devon in 1955. In his last few years he suffered from poor health. During his life he had been a useful Somerset cricketer, though business limited his appearances like Lionel’s. He had been a staff captain during the First World War, signing up when 43, and spending a lot of time in India. Later he became secretary to Surrey County Cricket Club and was joint tour manager on the Bodyline series. Richard was also an air raid warden during the Second World War. He had four children, three boys and a girl; one son, Cyril Palairet went down with his ship HMAS Perth during the Battle of the Java Sea in 1942; his death was reported in a number of newspapers. Lionel outlived two of his sisters. Evelyn, who was the only sibling to actively play archery like her father (she never won a tournament though) would live to 78, dying in 1950. Lionel’s daughter Molly died, aged 65, in London in 1961. His son Henry moved to South Africa and owned a farm; he was known for some eccentric behaviour, and died there aged 64 in 1960. Lionel also had another cousin Ann Palairet who would marry the Earl of Oxford who was a grandson of Herbert Asquith (1852-1928) who had been Prime Minster from 1908 until 1916. Another cousin was Charles Palairet who was knighted by George VI who was a close friend of his. Charles was a top diplomat and at the outbreak of the Second World War was British Ambassador to Austria; he later served in this capacity in Greece. The final years 118