Lives in Cricket No 8 - Ernest Hayes

He died – according to his death certificate – of cardiac syncope, arterio-sclerosis, senile changes and bronchial pneumonia – on 2 December 1953, at the West Dulwich Nursing Home, 30 Alleyn Park, just round the corner from the Paxton Arms. Despite his excursions on overseas tours and to the East Midlands, South London had remained his home stamping ground, within easy reach of his beloved Oval and the Honor Oak Cricket Club. The informant was his step-son, Ted. His widow Lily in the emotionless prose of letters of administration, ‘the lawful widow and relict’ inherited just over £3,000 from ‘the said intestate’. The nursing home no longer exists, demolished and replaced by Kingswood School which in turn became Kingswood Foundation School, a Centre for the Performing Arts. He was to have been an honoured guest at the dinner that evening at the Grosvenor Hotel in Central London, to celebrate the second of what eventually became Homecoming 115 Formal condolences from Sir Jack Hobbs, Hayes’ playing colleague for eleven English seasons and a friend for nearly fifty years.