Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville
Encyclopedia
Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville (15 November 1743 – 10 December 1822), styled Lord Ossulston from 1753 to 1767, was a British nobleman, a collector of shells and a famous patron of Surrey cricket
in the 1770s. He agreed a set of cricket rules that included the first mention of the Leg before wicket
rule. His wife, Emma, was also notable as a collector of exotic plants. Her collection of over 600 illustrations were purchased by Kew Gardens in 1932 and are still available today.
between 1753 and 1760. Having succeeded to the Earldom on the death of his father on 27 October 1767 he married Emma, daughter of Sir James Colebrooke, 1st Baronet
, in 1771 and settled at Walton on Thames at his house, Mount Felix overlooking the Thames
.
Lady Tankerville amassed a large collection of exotic plants at Mount Felix. Emma Tankervilles collection was thought to be the largest in the London area. Specimens named after Lady Tankerville include the Nun's Orchid or Phaius tankervilleae. Artists were employed to create botanical drawings on vellum of the specimens.
Tankerville often played cricket and seems to have been a very good fielder, though he was not especially noted for batting or bowling. He was the employer of Edward "Lumpy" Stevens, who was a gardener at Tankerville's Walton-on-Thames
estate; and William Bedster
, who was his butler. It was the accuracy of "Lumpy" Stevens that led to the introduction of a middle stump. Prior to 1776 there were only two stumps and Lumpy's deliveries could go through the hole. A permanent memorial to Lumpy Stevens has been proposed.
In 1774, Tankerville sat on the committee that formulated some early laws of cricket
. They were settled and revised at the Star and Garter in Pall Mall
on Friday 25 February 1774. The meeting was chaired by Sir William Draper and the committee included the Duke of Dorset
, Harry Peckham
and other "Noblemen and Gentlemen of Kent
, Hampshire
, Surrey
, Sussex
, Middlesex
, and London
". This meeting was one of the earlier sets of cricket rules and is acknowledged as being the first where the Leg before wicket
rule was introduced.
Tankerville continued in his interest in cricket with Chertsey and Surrey Cricket club until 1781 when he retired from the sport and went into politics. He was appointed joint postmaster general
and a privy councillor in 1782, but he resigned his office in April 1783. However Tankerville was again appointed under Mr Pitt
's administration in January 1784. He died on the 10 December 1822 and was succeeded by his eldest son Charles Augustus.
Tankerville's other interests included maps and shells. At the end of his life his collection was sold for an undisclosed sum, but thought to be between three and four thousand pounds. There are a number of flowers, shells and gastropods with the Latin name tankervillii. The gastropod named Ancilla tankervillii (Swainson, 1825) is probably named for Tankerville (or less probably his son).
Tankerville married Emma Colebooke on the 7 October 1771 in Gatton
, Surrey
. She was co-heir to her father Sir John Coleborrke. His wife's collection of botanical illustrations are still held at the Royal Botanical gardens, an orchid is named in her honour and the gardens at Mount Felix were well regarded many years after her death.
The Hon Henry Grey Bennet
, their second son, became the member of parliament for Shrewsbury
in 1806 whilst their third son, The Hon John Astley Bennet, became a captain in the Navy
but died in September 1812. The 5th Earl, Charles Augustus
, who was born on 28 April 1776 was treasurer of the household
during the short administration of Mr Fox
in 1806. Their daughter Corisande Emma Bennett married James Harris, 3rd Earl of Malmesbury on 13 April 1830.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
in the 1770s. He agreed a set of cricket rules that included the first mention of the Leg before wicket
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
rule. His wife, Emma, was also notable as a collector of exotic plants. Her collection of over 600 illustrations were purchased by Kew Gardens in 1932 and are still available today.
Biography
Tankerville was born in 1743 and was educated at Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
between 1753 and 1760. Having succeeded to the Earldom on the death of his father on 27 October 1767 he married Emma, daughter of Sir James Colebrooke, 1st Baronet
Sir James Colebrooke, 1st Baronet
Sir James Edward Colebrooke, 1st Baronet was the son of James Colebrooke, of Chilham Castle, Kent, a very prominent private banker in London, and his wife Mary Hudson...
, in 1771 and settled at Walton on Thames at his house, Mount Felix overlooking the Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
.
Tankerville often played cricket and seems to have been a very good fielder, though he was not especially noted for batting or bowling. He was the employer of Edward "Lumpy" Stevens, who was a gardener at Tankerville's Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames is a town in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey in South East England. The town is located south west of Charing Cross and is between the towns of Weybridge and Molesey. It is situated on the River Thames between Sunbury Lock and Shepperton Lock.- History :The name "Walton" is...
estate; and William Bedster
William Bedster
William Bedster was an English cricketer of the late 18th century. He was a good batsman and a useful bowler....
, who was his butler. It was the accuracy of "Lumpy" Stevens that led to the introduction of a middle stump. Prior to 1776 there were only two stumps and Lumpy's deliveries could go through the hole. A permanent memorial to Lumpy Stevens has been proposed.
In 1774, Tankerville sat on the committee that formulated some early laws of cricket
1774 English cricket season
Hampshire did much better in the 1774 English cricket seasonand were unbeaten in their known results to the end of July but then they lost twice to Kent in August....
. They were settled and revised at the Star and Garter in Pall Mall
Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall is a street in the City of Westminster, London, and parallel to The Mall, from St. James's Street across Waterloo Place to the Haymarket; while Pall Mall East continues into Trafalgar Square. The street is a major thoroughfare in the St James's area of London, and a section of the...
on Friday 25 February 1774. The meeting was chaired by Sir William Draper and the committee included the Duke of Dorset
John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset
John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset was the only son of Lord John Philip Sackville, second son of Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset. He succeeded to the dukedom in 1769 on the death of his uncle, Charles Sackville, 2nd Duke of Dorset...
, Harry Peckham
Harry Peckham
Harry Peckham was a King's counsel and sportsman who toured Europe and wrote a series of letters which are still being published over 200 years later. Peckham was a member of the committee that drew up early laws of cricket including the first inclusion of the Leg before wicket rule...
and other "Noblemen and Gentlemen of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
". This meeting was one of the earlier sets of cricket rules and is acknowledged as being the first where the Leg before wicket
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
rule was introduced.
Tankerville continued in his interest in cricket with Chertsey and Surrey Cricket club until 1781 when he retired from the sport and went into politics. He was appointed joint postmaster general
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
and a privy councillor in 1782, but he resigned his office in April 1783. However Tankerville was again appointed under Mr Pitt
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
's administration in January 1784. He died on the 10 December 1822 and was succeeded by his eldest son Charles Augustus.
Legacy
Tankerville married Emma Colebooke on the 7 October 1771 in Gatton
Gatton
Gatton may refer to:Places:*Gatton, Queensland, Australia**Shire of Gatton, former administrative region*Gatton, Surrey, former village in England** Gatton , rotten borough based in the villagePeople:...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. She was co-heir to her father Sir John Coleborrke. His wife's collection of botanical illustrations are still held at the Royal Botanical gardens, an orchid is named in her honour and the gardens at Mount Felix were well regarded many years after her death.
The Hon Henry Grey Bennet
Henry Grey Bennet
The Honourable Henry Grey Bennet , was a British politician.Bennet was the second of three sons and fourth of eight children of Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville, and his wife, Emma , daughter of banker Sir James Colebrooke, 1st Baronet.He was educated at Eton College , served in the 1st Foot...
, their second son, became the member of parliament for Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Shrewsbury was a parliamentary constituency in England, centred on the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire.It was founded in 1290 as parliamentary borough, returning two members to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the...
in 1806 whilst their third son, The Hon John Astley Bennet, became a captain in the Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
but died in September 1812. The 5th Earl, Charles Augustus
Charles Bennet, 5th Earl of Tankerville
Charles Augustus Bennet, 5th Earl of Tankerville PC, DL , styled Lord Ossulston until 1822, was a British politician...
, who was born on 28 April 1776 was treasurer of the household
Treasurer of the Household
The position of Treasurer of the Household is theoretically held by a household official of the British monarch, under control of the Lord Steward's Department, but is, in fact, a political office held by one of the government's Deputy Chief Whips in the House of Commons...
during the short administration of Mr Fox
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox PC , styled The Honourable from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger...
in 1806. Their daughter Corisande Emma Bennett married James Harris, 3rd Earl of Malmesbury on 13 April 1830.
External links
Sources
- Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket by G B Buckley (FL18)
- The Dawn of Cricket by H T WaghornH T WaghornHenry Thomas Waghorn , was a cricket statistician and historian. He is best known for his two classic researches into cricket's early history: The Dawn of Cricket and Cricket Scores: 1730 - 1773....
(WDC) - Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 by Arthur HaygarthArthur HaygarthArthur Haygarth was a noted amateur cricketer who became one of cricket's most significant historians....
(SBnnn) - The Glory Days of Cricket by Ashley MoteAshley MoteAshley Mote was a non-inscrit Member of the European Parliament for South East England. An outspoken critic of fraud in the European Institutions, he himself was convicted of benefit fraud in 2007 for which he served a nine-month prison sentence and was described by the trial judge as "a truly...
(GDC) - John Nyren's "The Cricketers of my Time" by Ashley MoteAshley MoteAshley Mote was a non-inscrit Member of the European Parliament for South East England. An outspoken critic of fraud in the European Institutions, he himself was convicted of benefit fraud in 2007 for which he served a nine-month prison sentence and was described by the trial judge as "a truly...