Druitt the Cricketer

[aspallek]

A thread for cricket-related Druitt topic not falling elsewhere.

I did not realize that Druitt actually ever played on the same side at WG Grace. What's Druitt doing playing for Marylebone?

Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, 12 August 1885:

[aspallek]

Not cricket but hockey this time. Apologies if this has been posted before. Bristol Mercury and Daily Post 9 March 1886:

[m_w_r]

Hi Andy -

This is an interesting one. As I understand it, Monty joined the MCC [Marylebone Cricket Club] in 1884. The MCC's home ground is Lord's, but, in practice, they play many of their matches away from home. D.J. Leighton's Ripper Suspect says that these are known as "out matches".

The MCC records for out matches, Leighton says, are not available for the first two years of Monty's membership. However, this is not to say that the hosting schools, counties and so on - the MCC's opponents in out matches - did not keep their own records. The example you posted is one of an out match in which Monty participated which pre-dates the earliest example found by Leighton by nearly a year. Nice work. Leighton makes a point about the esteemed company with which Monty sometimes played for the MCC restricting his own "chances to shine", but in the example you posted, the dominance of WG Grace (63 runs and 12 wickets in the match) is marked. Monty, as a much more junior member, may not even have got a chance to bowl; his batting was hardly distinguished either, as he got a duck. You have to feel sorry for him, really...

Regards,

Mark

[aspallek]

Here he is on the same side as Godfrey Lushington. I presume the "MT Druitt" is a mistake for "MJ Druitt."

Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, 18 August 1883:

[m_w_r]

Here he is on the same side as Godfrey Lushington.

Hi -

Maybe. Maybe not. This would have Godfrey Lushington rushing around a cricket field aged 51. I have been unable to find any reference to Godfrey having a middle name starting with W, or indeed being interested in sport at all.

This chap might be a more likely candidate (obviously a sportsman, aged about 22 at the time), but it is difficult to say for sure.

From the Times, 8 Feb 1917:


As for the MT Druitt being a mistake occluding MJ Druitt, I think I agree. Nice to see Monty getting some runs for once. The Colonel Druitt batting at nine is of course Monty's brother Edward.

Regards,

Mark

[aspallek]

Thanks, Mark, for setting me straight. I could have sworn Godfrey Lushington's middle initial was W. Oh well, perhaps a relative....

[Chris George]

Here he is on the same side as Godfrey Lushington. I presume the "MT Druitt" is a mistake for "MJ Druitt."

Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, 18 August 1883:

Hi Andy

Who is the Colonel Druitt mentioned here. Do we know? Also I presume Colonel Druitt is the bowler since he is lower down the batting order than Montague.

Chris

[Robert]

Hi Chris

The newspaper should have specified which Druitt was bowling, but it didn't.

[aspallek]

I would say that Mark is correct in that Col. Druitt is Montie's brother Edward, who was an avid cricketer.

[m_w_r]

Hello chaps,

Here is another example in which Druitt's initials are not correctly given.

Notice how Monty tears through the top order, before Jellicoe upstages him. On the other hand, there are runs for Monty here too.

From Jackson's Oxford Journal, 10 May 1879:


Regards,

Mark

[aspallek]

Hi, Mark. Could this be his cousin James?

[Robert]

Do my eyes deceive me, or are there twelve players in each team.

[m_w_r]

Could this be his cousin James?

Hi Andy,

I suppose it could be, provided James went to New College, Oxford, at the same time as Monty. I don't know anything about him, and he is not in the list of Alumni. Have you got any further information?

Regards,

Mark

[m_w_r]

Do my eyes deceive me, or are there twelve players in each team.

Hi Robert,

You think that's peculiar - this is an eleven vs. sixteen match, presumably functioning as a sort of trial to see whether the sixteen players bubbling under the first team were ready to step up a level. It's a J Druitt, again, but as you will see from previous posts, the question of whether this is Monty or not remains open.

From Jackson's Oxford Journal, 24 May 1879:


Regards,

Mark

[Robert]

Good grief, Mark - and I suppose the 17th man brought out the refreshments.