Lives in Cricket No 5 - Rockley Wilson

a detailed year-by-year account of the history of matches between Cambridge and Oxford. Yet there is no mention of Rockley Wilson, notwithstanding that he played in four University matches, was captain of Cambridge in 1902 and, as already mentioned, in 1901 turned in one of the outstanding all-round performances in the history of the fixture. The editor, Pelham Warner, interjected this comment into the account: “Mr E.R.Wilson refrains, with becoming modesty, from mentioning his own performance in the University match; but he was one of the best cricketers Cambridge has had. ... He was also a most able captain.” One has only to read these chapters of the Badminton book to be aware of the depth of Rockley Wilson’s knowledge of the game, its history and its lore to appreciate how much he could have contributed to cricket literature had he only had the inclination. As well as cricket books and cricketana, Rockley Wilson also had an eye for fine furniture and was something of an authority on silver and silverware. The wife of Rockley’s eldest brother Rex was a member of a distinguished family of silversmiths and Rex was involved for many years in the Cutlers’ Company in Sheffield. These connections may have been the source of Rockley’s interest in silver. Whatever the stimulus, over the years he acquired some beautiful silver pieces. In the early 1900s, Rockley also became interested in philately, and stamp collecting was to become a serious hobby, as it was with his brother Clem. He was especially interested in British line-engraved issues. Throughout his life Rockley maintained a close relationship with his family, particularly his brother Clem and his wife Adel 41 , and his unmarried sister Phyllis, the youngest of his siblings. He was very fond of Clem’s son David, to whom he was godfather, paying occasional visits and corresponding with him on family and cricket matters. 42 Rockley himself never married. While at Cambridge, his girl friend was killed in a railway accident. 43 Rockley was devastated. Although he enjoyed female company, as far as is known there were no more romantic entanglements. Nor, however, is there anything to suggest his relationships with his A Singular Man 46 41 Adel, daughter of the first Baron Hamilton of Dalzell, was Clement’s second wife. His first wife, Evelyn Rose, died in 1909. That she and Rockley had a Christian name in common must be coincidence. 42 He would write to David on the backs of any piece of old paper, even a contract note for the sale of some shares and part of a town plan. He was too disorganised a person to leave systematic files of his correspondence. 43 Jeremy Malies, Great Characters from Cricket’s Golden Age, Robson Books, 2000, p.220.