Lives in Cricket No 6 - Bill Copson

The thirteen professionals all received the sum of £400 for the tour, plus thirty shillings (£1.50) a week spending money on board and £2 on shore. All travelling expenses (excluding drinks), and tips were also given. A bonus was also due to each man at the end of the tour but this varied according to the individual form shown. MCC records show that, of the thirteen professionals, Hammond received the highest bonus of £350 and that Copson, one of four players not to play in a Test Match received £260. The captain received a bonus of £100, the other three amateurs £50, with a request that this should be spent on souvenirs. Amateurs also received an additional allowance of £25 for providing their own equipment. After a pre-tour dinner at Lord’s on 11 September, the side left Waterloo on the boat train for Southampton on 12 September to embark on the Orient Line’s R.M.S.Orion . The Orient Line was a most successful steamship company that specialised in luxurious ocean travel to many parts of the world. Sister ships in the fleet were the Orcades and the Orontes . The Orion had been built in Barrow-in-Furness and launched in 1935. Her maiden voyage to Australia had only been made in the previous year on 28 September 1935, when she sailed from Tilbury. She carried a crew of 466 and accommodated 708 Cabin class and 700 Tourist class passengers. The ship which was the first British ocean liner to be fitted with air conditioning in all her public rooms, was perhaps the most luxurious on the Australian run at the time, and a huge contrast with the privations of Bill’s early life in Stonebroom. On the journey to Australia calls were made at Gibraltar, Toulon, Naples, Port Said, Suez, Aden and Colombo, which was reached on 3 October. Bill made shore excursions at all these places as the ship stayed in port for up to a whole day at the various stops. The team played Australia and New Zealand 35 Shipmates. Stan Worthington and Bill Copson playing quoits on R.M.S.Orion on the way out to Australia.