Francis Lacey

Sir Francis Eden Lacey (19 October 1859 at Wareham, Dorset – 26 May 1946, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire) was the first man to be knighted for services to cricket (and the first person to be knighted for services to any sport), on retiring as Secretary of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), a post which he held from 1898 to 1926. As Secretary, he initiated many important reforms. He was subsequently a Trustee of the club from 1926 until his death.

Sir Francis Lacey
Francis Lacey
Cricket information
BattingRight-handed batsman
BowlingRight-arm slow round-arm
International information
National side
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 50
Runs scored 2589
Batting average 32.77
100s/50s 4/12
Top score 211
Balls bowled 2234
Wickets 52
Bowling average 21.59
5 wickets in innings 3
10 wickets in match 1
Best bowling 7-149
Catches/stumpings 34/-

Early life and career

Lacey was educated at Sherborne School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.[1] He played both football and cricket for Cambridge University, obtaining a Blue for football in 1881 and for cricket in 1882. He was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple in 1889, and practised as a barrister.[1]

First-class cricket

Most of his cricket, in a first-class career lasting from 1880 to 1897, was played for Hampshire as a right-handed batsman and a right-arm slow round-arm bowler. He was Hampshire's captain from 1888 to 1889, and President in 1927–8. Hampshire were not admitted to the County Championship until 1895, prior to which they played comparatively few first-class matches. He therefore played only 50 first-class games during his long career, scoring 2,589 runs at an average of 32.77, with four hundreds and a highest score of 211 (at the Antelope Ground, Southampton) against Kent in 1884. He took 52 wickets at 21.59, with best innings figures of 7/149. He scored 323 not out for Hampshire against Norfolk in 1887 in a non first-class fixture, which remains the highest score ever made in a Minor Counties match.[2]

Personal life

Lacey married twice. Firstly on 9 April 1890, he married Helen Carnegie, daughter of the 9th Earl of Northesk. She died on 18 May 1908.[3] He married secondly Mary Marshall (née Ramsay), former wife of J. Campbell Walker.[4]

His portrait was painted by George Spencer Watson in 1928. He died on 26 May 1946 at his home, Sutton Veny House.[1][5]

References
  1. "Lacey, Francis Eden (LCY878FE)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. "The Black Bradman". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  3. "Helen Alice Carnegie". ThePeerage.com.
  4. "Mary Marshall (née Ramsay), Lady Lacey". National Portrait Gallery.
  5. "Sutton Veny House". Sutton Veny parish. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  • Barclay's World of Cricket – 2nd Edition, 1980, Collins Publishers, ISBN 0-00-216349-7
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