Ludford Docker
Encyclopedia
Ludford Charles Docker was businessman and an English
cricket
er. He played first-class cricket for Derbyshire
between 1881 and 1886, captaining the side in 1884, and for Warwickshire
in 1894 and 1895.
, Staffordshire
, the son of Ralph Docker and his wife Sarah Sankey. His father was a solicitor in practice at Birmingham and Smethwick who took on a large number of public appointments. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham
.
. His first-class debut was for Derbyshire in the 1881 season
. He topped their batting averages that season. He played 48 first-class matches for Derbyshire and captained the team in the 1884 season
. He played his club cricket with Handsworth Wood, in the Birmingham League and in 1886 presented the Docker Shield for competition between Birmingham Schools. In 1887 he moved to Warwickshire
and in the winter of 1887/88 he played with Arthur Shrewsbury
's XI in Australia. He played several non-class games and some first-class games for Warwickshire when they joined the league, his last match being in 1895.
in Docker Brothers in 1886 and in 1898 became a director of Metropolitan Railway Carriage and Wagon Company of Saltley Birmingham before the amalgamation of carriage companies by his brother in 1902. He was President of Warwickshire CCC from 1915 to 1930 and in 1923 was High Sheriff of Warwickshire
. He was also a J. P.
.
Docker died in Alveston Leys, Warwickshire
aged 80. Docker's brothers Ralph Docker
and Frank also played cricket for Derbyshire and Warwickshire.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
er. He played first-class cricket for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
between 1881 and 1886, captaining the side in 1884, and for Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
in 1894 and 1895.
Early life
Docker was born in SmethwickSmethwick
Smethwick is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated on the edge of the city of Birmingham, within the historic boundaries of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, the son of Ralph Docker and his wife Sarah Sankey. His father was a solicitor in practice at Birmingham and Smethwick who took on a large number of public appointments. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School is an independent secondary school in Birmingham, England, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, and is widely regarded as one of the most academically successful schools in the country, according to...
.
Cricket career
Docker played cricket for Birmingham and Kidderminster in 1879 and also played for Derbyshire Colts in the 1879 seasonDerbyshire County Cricket Club in 1879
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1879 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their ninth season.Of the county sides Derbyshire played in the previous year they had matches against Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. However they did not play Hampshire or Kent...
. His first-class debut was for Derbyshire in the 1881 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1881
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1881 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for ten years. The team played nine first class matches and won two of them-1881 season:...
. He topped their batting averages that season. He played 48 first-class matches for Derbyshire and captained the team in the 1884 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1884
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1884 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for thirteen years. They lost all ten county matches and their only victory was against MCC.-1884 season:...
. He played his club cricket with Handsworth Wood, in the Birmingham League and in 1886 presented the Docker Shield for competition between Birmingham Schools. In 1887 he moved to Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
and in the winter of 1887/88 he played with Arthur Shrewsbury
Arthur Shrewsbury
Arthur Shrewsbury was an English cricketer, and rugby football administrator, who organised the first British Isles rugby tour to Australasia in 1888, and who was widely rated as competing with W. G...
's XI in Australia. He played several non-class games and some first-class games for Warwickshire when they joined the league, his last match being in 1895.
Business and public service
Docker had joined his brother Frank Dudley DockerFrank Dudley Docker
Frank Dudley Docker CB , known as Dudley Docker, was an English businessman and financier. He also played first-class cricket for Derbyshire in 1881 and 1882.-Cricketer:...
in Docker Brothers in 1886 and in 1898 became a director of Metropolitan Railway Carriage and Wagon Company of Saltley Birmingham before the amalgamation of carriage companies by his brother in 1902. He was President of Warwickshire CCC from 1915 to 1930 and in 1923 was High Sheriff of Warwickshire
High Sheriff of Warwickshire
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
. He was also a J. P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
.
Docker died in Alveston Leys, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
aged 80. Docker's brothers Ralph Docker
Ralph Docker
Ralph Docker was an English cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1879.Docker was born in Harborne, Staffordshire, the son of Ralph Docker and his wife Sarah Sankey. His father was a solicitor in practice at Birmingham and Smethwick who took on a large number of public...
and Frank also played cricket for Derbyshire and Warwickshire.