Lives in Cricket No 50 - Tom Emmett

30 A man in demand (1867-1871) the start of the 1870 English season. Negotiations broke down in early September, forcing Shoosmith to wire several professionals to tell them the tour would not go ahead. 18 Shoosmith had been to Sheffield, where Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire were playing and discussed terms with George Freeman, who declined to go because he could not leave his auctioneering business, although he believed it was a fair offer. He then spoke to Atkinson, Emmett, Alfred Shaw, Smith and Oscroft, all of whom verbally accepted the terms, subject to having them set out in legal documents. The terms offered were one-third of the payment being handed over in England, one-third after the first match played in Melbourne, and one-third on completion of the engagement. There would be first-class passage out and home by steamer or sailing vessel, and all expenses paid whilst in Australia. Rumours that the tour was to take place continued to circulate into the autumn, with reports that 12 players, including Emmett, were due to leave on 20 September. However, the Melbourne Argus on 8 November reported: It appears that Mr Shoosmith had positively engaged Emmett, Atkinson, Rowbotham, J.Smith, A.Shaw and Oscroft, the Northern cricketers, and had all but closed with Willsher, Jupp, Humphrey, Pooley, Southerton, Silcock, and Mr W.G.Grace, when Mr Burrup, who has great influence with the Surrey men – interfered, and dictated most preposterous terms on behalf of the Southern professionals, which were, of course, at once rejected by Mr Shoosmith. Shoosmith added that he would have been happy with the northern professionals and the Graces, but a tour without W.G. was not viable. As a result, Emmett would not go to Australia for another seven years, but his inclusion in the discussions again indicated his standing in the country. Emmett’s career experienced other changes around this time. His connection with the United All-England Eleven ended (although he had not appeared for them in 1869) and he was reported to have joined George Parr’s All-England side. He also took up an engagement at Middlesbrough Cricket Club, although he continued to turn out for Keighley on occasions. Middlesbrough at the time was a rapidly industrialising town, with a third of the population working in iron and steel. It was a place which experienced periods of boom and bust, and was developing a taste for competitive sports such as cricket, football and rowing. Cricket was well established in the town when Emmett arrived, having been played by the Mechanics Institute for some thirty years. 19 He moved with his expanding family to live in Linthorpe, an area that was being heavily developed. At the time of the 1871 census, Emmett and his wife Grace had two children – Clara, now seven and Arthur, now two. Towards the end of May 1870, Emmett made his debut against Northumberland, for a Middlesbrough club which had a growing list of members and subscribers, but which had only played six first teammatches in the previous season. The club was well supported financially and in other ways by Thomas Vaughan. 20 Emmett remained as professional in the