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{{short description|English cricketer}}
'''Thomas Lord''' (born in [[Thirsk]], [[Yorkshire]] on [[23 November]] [[1755]]; died in [[West Meon]], [[Hampshire]] on [[13 January]] [[1832]]) was an [[English cricket team|English]] [[cricketer]] most famous for founding [[Lord's]] [[cricket]] ground, the ground that is now known as the Home of Cricket and the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]].
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Thomas Lord
| image = Thomas Lord tile.jpg
| caption = A tile with Thomas Lord's profile in relief at [[St John's Wood tube station]]
| country = England
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1755|11|23}}
| birth_place = [[Thirsk]], England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1832|01|13|1755|11|23}}
| death_place = [[West Meon]], England
| nickname =
| heightft = 5
| heightinch = 9
| family = [[Thomas Lord junior|Thomas Lord jr.]] (Son)
| batting =
| bowling =
| role = [[Bowling (cricket)|Bowler]]
| club1 = [[Middlesex county cricket teams|Middlesex]]
| year1 = {{nowrap|1787–1798}}
| club2 = [[Marylebone Cricket Club]]
| year2 = 1792–1797
| type1 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
| debutdate1 = 31 May
| debutyear1 = 1787
| debutfor1 = Middlesex
| debutagainst1 = [[Essex county cricket teams|Essex]]
| lastdate1 = 14 August
| lastyear1 = 1816
| lastfor1 = MCC
| lastagainst1 = Middlesex
| columns = 1
| column1 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches1 = 59
| runs1 = 899
| bat avg1 = 9.87
| 100s/50s1 = 0/3
| top score1 = 68
| deliveries1 = ?
| wickets1 = 148
| bowl avg1 = ?
| fivefor1 = 5
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 7/?
| catches/stumpings1 = 17/–


| date = 27 January
Lord himself played for [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]] and [[Epsom]], but is credited with only having played 2 [[first-class cricket]] games, scoring only 12 runs and taking only 1 wicket.
| year = 2016
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/16645.html ESPNcricinfo
}}

'''Thomas Lord''' (23 November 1755 – 13 January 1832) was an English professional [[cricket]]er who played [[first-class cricket]] from 1787 to 1802. He made a brief comeback, playing in one further match in 1815. Overall, Lord made 90 known appearances in first-class cricket. He was mostly associated with [[Middlesex county cricket teams|Middlesex]] and with [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC) as a ground staff bowler.

Lord is best remembered as the founder of [[Lord's Cricket Ground]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
Lord was born in [[Thirsk]], [[Yorkshire]], in what is now the town museum. His father was a [[Roman Catholic]] [[yeoman]], who had his lands sequestered for supporting the [[Jacobitism|Jacobite]] rising in 1745 and afterwards he had to work as a labourer. The Lord family later moved to [[Diss, Norfolk|Diss]], [[Norfolk]], where Thomas Lord was brought up. Once he was out of childhood, Lord moved to [[London]] and got a job as a [[Bowler (cricket)|bowler]] and general attendant at the [[White Conduit Club]] in [[Islington]].


==Career==
Lord's father was a [[Roman Catholic]] [[yeoman]], who had his lands sequestered for supporting the [[Jacobite]] rising in [[1745]] and afterwards he had to work as a labourer. The Lord family later moved to [[Diss]], [[Norfolk]], where Thomas Lord was brought up. Once he was out of childhood Lord moved to [[London]] and got a job as a [[bowler]] and general attendant at the White Conduit Club.
Lord is known to have begun playing about 1780 but his first recorded game was on his "own ground", now referred to as [[Lord's Old Ground]], at the current site of [[Dorset Square]] on 31 May 1787 when he played for Middlesex v. [[Essex county cricket teams|Essex]]. Lord has never been given much credit as a player but the match records of the 1790s indicate that he was a very good bowler, although it is true that his opposition was not always of the highest standard.


In 1786 Thomas Lord was approached by [[George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea]], and [[Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond]], who were the leading members of the White Conduit Club. They wanted Lord to find a more private venue for their club and offered him a guarantee against any losses he might suffer. In May 1787, Lord acquired seven acres (28,000 m<sup>2</sup>) off Dorset Square and started his first ground. White Conduit relocated there and soon afterwards formed, or merged into, the new [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC).
==Lord's first ground==


The lease on the first ground ended in 1810 and Lord obtained an eighty-year lease on two fields, the Brick and Great Fields at North Bank, St John's Wood. The second venue, now referred to as [[Lord's Middle Ground]], was built by 1809 when the first games were played there by St John's Wood Cricket Club. This was later merged into MCC who relocated to the Middle Ground in 1811. In 1813 Parliament requisitioned the land for the [[Regent's Canal]], which was cut through the site, thereby necessitating a further move.
In [[1786]] Lord encouraged to start his own private ground by the [[Earl of Winchilsea]] and [[Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond|Charles Lennox]], who went on to become the fourth [[Duke of Richmond]], who offered Lord a guarantee against any losses he might suffer. In May [[1787]] Lord acquired seven acres off Dorset Square, [[London]] and started his first ground, where the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] played its home matches.


==Lord's third ground==
The lease on the first ground ended in [[1810]].
[[File:Lords match in progress.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Lord's Cricket Ground#Tavern Stand|The Tavern Stand]] at Lord's Cricket Ground as it looks today.]]
Lord then moved his ground to the present site in [[St John's Wood]], literally taking his turf with him. It opened in 1814. Lord was not, however, making enough money and therefore obtained permission to develop part of the ground for housing, a move which would have left only 150 square yards of playing area. To counter his plan, Lord was bought out for £5,000 by prominent MCC member [[William Ward (cricketer, born 1787)|William Ward]], a noted batsman who was also a director of the [[Bank of England]]. Despite the change of ownership, the ground has continued to bear Lord's name.<ref>{{cite news |title=150 Years of Cricket at Lord's |work=The Yorkshire Post|date=25 May 1937 |accessdate=8 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19370525/286/0008|publisher = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription}}</ref>


==Retirement==
==Lord's second ground==
[[File:West Meon, St John the Evangelist, Thomas Lord's tomb.jpg|thumb|St John the Evangelist, West Meon]]
Lord remained in St John's Wood till 1830 when he retired to [[West Meon]] in [[Hampshire]], where he died in 1832. His son, also [[Thomas Lord junior|Thomas Lord]], and born in [[Marylebone]] on 27 December 1794, was also a first-class cricketer.


Thomas Lord is buried in the churchyard of St John's Church at West Meon. The village has a public house named after him and is just a few miles from [[Hambledon, Hampshire|Hambledon]], home of the famous [[Hambledon Club|Hambledon Cricket Club]].
Knowing that his lease on the first ground was due to expire shortly, Lord obtained an eighty-year lease on two fields, the Brick and Great Fields at North Bank, St John's Wood. The ground was built by [[1809]], when the first games were played there by St John's Wood Cricket Club, which was later merged into the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]].


== References ==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{cricinfo|id=16645}}
* [http://www.lords.org/history/mcc-history/ MCC site]


==Further reading==
* [[Harry Altham]], ''A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914)'', George Allen & Unwin, 1926.
* [[Derek Birley]], ''A Social History of English Cricket'', Aurum, 1999.
* [[Rowland Bowen]], ''Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development'', Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1970.
* [[Samuel Britcher]], ''A list of all the principal Matches of Cricket that have been played (1790 to 1805)''.
* [[G. B. Buckley]], ''Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket'', Cotterell, 1935.
* [[H. T. Waghorn]], ''The Dawn of Cricket'', Electric Press, 1906.
* [[Arthur Haygarth]], ''Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744-1826)'', Lillywhite, 1862.
* [[John Major]], ''More Than a Game: the story of cricket's early years'', HarperCollins, 2007.
* ''Lord's 1787-1945'' by [[Sir Pelham Warner]] {{ISBN|1-85145-112-9}}.


{{Lord's}}
==References==
{{English cricketers of 1787 to 1800}}
*''Lord's 1787-1945'' by [[Sir Pelham Warner]] ISBN 1-85145-112-9
*[http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PLAYERS/ENG/L/LORD_T_01031425/ Cricinfo page on Thomas Lord]


[[Category:1755 births|Lord, Thomas]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord, Thomas}}
[[Category:1832 deaths|Lord, Thomas]]
[[Category:1755 births]]
[[Category:Cricketers|Lord, Thomas]]
[[Category:1832 deaths]]
[[Category:Middlesex cricketers|Lord, Thomas]]
[[Category:Middlesex cricketers]]
[[Category:English cricketers|Lord, Thomas]]
[[Category:English cricketers]]
[[Category:English cricketers of 1787 to 1825]]
[[Category:People from Thirsk]]
[[Category:Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers]]
[[Category:Hampshire cricketers]]
[[Category:Non-international England cricketers]]
[[Category:Epsom cricketers]]
[[Category:Old Etonians cricketers]]
[[Category:Lord's]]
[[Category:London Cricket Club cricketers]]
[[Category:Lord Yarmouth's XI cricketers]]
[[Category:T. Mellish's XI cricketers]]
[[Category:Sir H. Mann's XI cricketers]]
[[Category:Middlesex and Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers from North Yorkshire]]

Latest revision as of 06:50, 29 May 2023

Thomas Lord
A tile with Thomas Lord's profile in relief at St John's Wood tube station
Personal information
Born(1755-11-23)23 November 1755
Thirsk, England
Died13 January 1832(1832-01-13) (aged 76)
West Meon, England
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
RoleBowler
RelationsThomas Lord jr. (Son)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1787–1798Middlesex
1792–1797Marylebone Cricket Club
FC debut31 May 1787 Middlesex v Essex
Last FC14 August 1816 MCC v Middlesex
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 59
Runs scored 899
Batting average 9.87
100s/50s 0/3
Top score 68
Balls bowled ?
Wickets 148
Bowling average ?
5 wickets in innings 5
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 7/?
Catches/stumpings 17/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 27 January 2016

Thomas Lord (23 November 1755 – 13 January 1832) was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1787 to 1802. He made a brief comeback, playing in one further match in 1815. Overall, Lord made 90 known appearances in first-class cricket. He was mostly associated with Middlesex and with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) as a ground staff bowler.

Lord is best remembered as the founder of Lord's Cricket Ground.

Early life

[edit]

Lord was born in Thirsk, Yorkshire, in what is now the town museum. His father was a Roman Catholic yeoman, who had his lands sequestered for supporting the Jacobite rising in 1745 and afterwards he had to work as a labourer. The Lord family later moved to Diss, Norfolk, where Thomas Lord was brought up. Once he was out of childhood, Lord moved to London and got a job as a bowler and general attendant at the White Conduit Club in Islington.

Career

[edit]

Lord is known to have begun playing about 1780 but his first recorded game was on his "own ground", now referred to as Lord's Old Ground, at the current site of Dorset Square on 31 May 1787 when he played for Middlesex v. Essex. Lord has never been given much credit as a player but the match records of the 1790s indicate that he was a very good bowler, although it is true that his opposition was not always of the highest standard.

In 1786 Thomas Lord was approached by George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea, and Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, who were the leading members of the White Conduit Club. They wanted Lord to find a more private venue for their club and offered him a guarantee against any losses he might suffer. In May 1787, Lord acquired seven acres (28,000 m2) off Dorset Square and started his first ground. White Conduit relocated there and soon afterwards formed, or merged into, the new Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

The lease on the first ground ended in 1810 and Lord obtained an eighty-year lease on two fields, the Brick and Great Fields at North Bank, St John's Wood. The second venue, now referred to as Lord's Middle Ground, was built by 1809 when the first games were played there by St John's Wood Cricket Club. This was later merged into MCC who relocated to the Middle Ground in 1811. In 1813 Parliament requisitioned the land for the Regent's Canal, which was cut through the site, thereby necessitating a further move.

Lord's third ground

[edit]
The Tavern Stand at Lord's Cricket Ground as it looks today.

Lord then moved his ground to the present site in St John's Wood, literally taking his turf with him. It opened in 1814. Lord was not, however, making enough money and therefore obtained permission to develop part of the ground for housing, a move which would have left only 150 square yards of playing area. To counter his plan, Lord was bought out for £5,000 by prominent MCC member William Ward, a noted batsman who was also a director of the Bank of England. Despite the change of ownership, the ground has continued to bear Lord's name.[1]

Retirement

[edit]
St John the Evangelist, West Meon

Lord remained in St John's Wood till 1830 when he retired to West Meon in Hampshire, where he died in 1832. His son, also Thomas Lord, and born in Marylebone on 27 December 1794, was also a first-class cricketer.

Thomas Lord is buried in the churchyard of St John's Church at West Meon. The village has a public house named after him and is just a few miles from Hambledon, home of the famous Hambledon Cricket Club.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "150 Years of Cricket at Lord's". The Yorkshire Post. British Newspaper Archive. 25 May 1937. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas Lord.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Harry Altham, A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914), George Allen & Unwin, 1926.
  • Derek Birley, A Social History of English Cricket, Aurum, 1999.
  • Rowland Bowen, Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1970.
  • Samuel Britcher, A list of all the principal Matches of Cricket that have been played (1790 to 1805).
  • G. B. Buckley, Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket, Cotterell, 1935.
  • H. T. Waghorn, The Dawn of Cricket, Electric Press, 1906.
  • Arthur Haygarth, Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744-1826), Lillywhite, 1862.
  • John Major, More Than a Game: the story of cricket's early years, HarperCollins, 2007.
  • Lord's 1787-1945 by Sir Pelham Warner ISBN 1-85145-112-9.
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