Francis Lacey
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Eden Lacey was the first man to be knighted
for services to cricket
, on retiring as Secretary of 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.
Francis Eden Lacey was educated at Sherborne School
and Caius College, Cambridge. He played both football
and cricket for Cambridge University, obtaining a Blue
for football in 1881 and for cricket in 1882. Most of his cricket, in a first-class
career lasting from 1880 to 1897, was played for Hampshire. He was 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 2589 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* for Hampshire against Norfolk
in 1887 in a non first-class fixture, which remains the highest score ever made in a Minor Counties match.
He was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple
in 1889, and practiced as a barrister
. His portrait was painted by George Spencer Watson
in 1928.
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
for services to cricket
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...
, on retiring as Secretary of MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
, 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.
Francis Eden Lacey was educated at Sherborne School
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
and Caius College, Cambridge. He played both football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and cricket for Cambridge University, obtaining a Blue
University Sporting Blue
A Blue is an award earned by sportsmen and women at a university and some schools for competition at the highest level. The awarding of Blues began at Oxford and Cambridge Universities...
for football in 1881 and for cricket in 1882. Most of his cricket, in a first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
career lasting from 1880 to 1897, was played for Hampshire. He was 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
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
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 2589 runs at an average of 32.77, with four hundreds and a highest score of 211 (at the Antelope Ground
Antelope Ground
The Antelope Ground, Southampton was a sports ground that was the first home of both Hampshire County Cricket Club, who played there prior to 1884, and of Southampton Football Club, who played there from 1887 to 1896 as "Southampton St...
, Southampton) against Kent in 1884. He took 52 wickets at 21.59, with best innings figures of 7/149. He scored 323* for Hampshire against Norfolk
Norfolk County Cricket Club
Norfolk County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Norfolk and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
in 1887 in a non first-class fixture, which remains the highest score ever made in a Minor Counties match.
He was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1889, and practiced as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
. His portrait was painted by George Spencer Watson
George Spencer Watson
George Spencer Watson R.O.I., R.P., A.R.A., R.A. was an English portrait artist of the late romantic school who sometimes worked in the style of the Italian Renaissance. He studied at the RA Schools from 1889, exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1891...
in 1928.