A History of Cricket at St Edward's School

P ROFILES OF T HE S CHOOL C RICKET S IDE OF 1872 Herbert Edward Harper (Captain) was at the School 1870-4 entering at the age of 13. He was the first Senior Prefect after the move to North Oxford in 1873/4 and captained both the School’s Cricket and Rugby XV sides. He was also an accomplished athlete winning the High Jump, Open 100 Yards and the Hurdles in his final year. He became the Managing Director and Editor of the ‘Wine Trade Journal’ and died in his office in June 1904 following a fit, during which he hit the floor hard and died later in St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, aged 47 years. His younger brother Frederick was also at the School. Henry William Russell Bencraft was at the School 1872-8 at the age of 13. He was the Senior Prefect in1877/8 as well as captaining the School Cricket and Rugby XVs. He continued to concentrate on cricket and in 1876 he first played from Hampshire C.C., a club of which he was a founder member. He was also continued playing rugby football representing the Trojans Club based in Southampton. He qualified as a doctor and practiced in Southampton and became one of the city’s most respected citizens gradually spending less time on medicine and more in business interests, eventually being appointed Director or Chairman of the three largest businesses in the city; he even found time to be a Magistrate (which he continued for 48 years). His foremost love and interest was sport in Hampshire, primarily cricket and he served the County Cricket Club for 60 years in every capacity possible ending up as Chairman. He persuaded other OSE including Edward Wynyard to join him at the club as well . He never lost interest in the School and was delighted to open the then new Cricket Pavilion in 1933. He was a Vice-President of the School’s Society and the first President of the Martyrs. He died in 1944 at the age of 85. George Lowes Dickinson attended St. Edward’s 1872-3 entering at the age of 16, in his single year at the School he was a member of both the Cricket and Rugby teams. On leaving he went up to Durham University where he gained an MA. He was ordained in 1883 and appointed a Rector in High Bray, Devon in 1896 and was Vicar in Sourton, Devon 1917-25. He died in June 1952 aged 94 years. Percy Clive Hoggins was at the School 1872-3 entering at the age of 13. Apart from being a member of the Cricket side little else is known of him. He became a schoolmaster and died in 1892 aged 34 years. George Tucker Cornish was 12 years old when he joined the School where he stayed 1872-6. He trained to become a banker but died very soon after leaving the School in 1878 aged only18 years. He was the middle of three brothers who attended the School. Charles Preedy was the second oldest of six brothers who all attended the School. His years at the School were 1866-73 - he was 11 years old when he arrived. In his long career he was Senior Prefect 1872/3 and played in both the Cricket XI and Rugby XV. He left just before the School moved to North Oxford. He went up to St. Edmund Hall (MA) and was then ordained Priest in 1879 and held curacies in Wolverhampton, Birchington, Nottingham and Huddersfield; from 1900-31 he was Vicar of Stailsfield, Faversham, Kent. He died in January 1936 aged 81 years. Reginald Moseley was at the School 1870-2 entering at the age of 14 years. He was Senior Prefect in 1872 and also played for the School’s Cricket and Rugby sides. After gaining his degree at Worcester College, Oxford he joined the forces and took part in the Sudan Campaign in 1898. Later on he was ordained and appointed Chaplain to the forces between 1889 and 1918, this included a spell at Chelsea Hospital in London, by which time he was a Colonel. In 1918 he was a Hospitaler at St. Bartholomew's Hospital also in London then was appointed Vicar of St. Matthew’s in Denmark Hill. He died in 1937 aged 81 years. Frederick Ronald Borrow a student at the School 1871-4 joining at the age of 14 years. His main claim to fame was his involvement with the Cricket XI . After leaving he joined the 81st Foot, North Lancashire Regiment and fought in the Sudan Campaign of 1887. He attained the rank of Captain and was awarded the D.S.O. and The Order of Osmanieh and Mejidieh and left the army in 1888. He died in 1892, aged 34 years. J ohn Arthur Dockray joined the School in 1866 aged 9 years and left in 1873. He was an early Prefect at the Summertown Site and a member of the Cricket XI. Little else is known of him except that he died in Llananno, Radnorshire in 1925 aged 66 years. Alfred Sidney Gardner arrived at the School in 1872 and left in 1873. He represented the School both at Cricket and Rugby during his short spell. He came from a wealthy family and in time owned the Eaglebrush Ironworks in Neath, Wales. He held a variety of posts in his local area including Justice of the Peace for Glamorgan and Brecon, Deputy Lieutenant and commanded the 1st GlamorganVolunteer Artillery and obtained the Volunteer Decoration. During the Great War he was a Colonel with his regiment until he fell from his horse and badly injured himself and forcing him out of front line action, although he remained with his Territorial duties. He never recovered full health and died in September 1917, aged sixty-two. For some unknown reason he was not included in the School’s Roll of Honour. He had married in 1882 and had one son, Cyril (also OSE) who was badly wounded serving with the Royal Flying Corps. Cecil Dacre Tyler was at the School 1871-7 joining at the age of 11 years, the second of four Teddies brothers. He was a School Prefect and played in both the Cricket and Rugby Football teams. Nothing else is known of him except his death date in 1904 aged 45 years.