Martin Chandler | 10:17am BST 06 October 2024
Just a few years in the past I used to often write profiles of nice gamers and, generally, the not so nice. It isn’t one thing I’ve finished a lot of for some time as, albeit not consciously, I appear to have made the choice to learn different individuals’s work moderately than create my very own. Or maybe I simply ran out of topics that me?
One identify that at all times appealed to me was that of Rony Stanyforth. I did know that Stanyforth had captained England in South Africa in 1927/28 regardless of by no means having been an everyday together with his county, Yorkshire, however knew little extra about him than that. That enchantment arose out of a dialogue with a fellow tragic as to simply who was the least identified England captain.
In reality I feel that title has to go to Monty Bowden who, on the age of 23, led England in opposition to South Africa at Newlands within the second of the 2 Exams of 1888/89. A modest batsman and occasional wicketkeeper Bowden remained in South Africa on the finish of the tour and was useless three years later, however not like Stanyforth he’s the topic of a biography, albeit not one that you simply see fairly often*.
However I doubt anybody would argue with the proposition that Stanyforth is England’s most obscure twentieth century captain, so I made a decision to look into his story. Given the relative paucity of First Class cricket that featured Stanyforth while I definitely uncovered an fascinating story it ended up as nowhere close to the three,000 phrases in size that, for some cause that now escapes me, I had at all times considered the perfect size for a profile, so I shelved the thought and the story remained on my onerous drive.
Then final yr, with out my having particularly meant to accumulate it, a signed {photograph} of Stanyforth was a part of a small cache of memorabilia that I acquired from a UK e book supplier. At that time I found that Stanyforth’s signature is a uncommon merchandise, so I made a decision that the time was proper to enter the loft, retrieve and hearth up my previous laptop computer and provides the Stanyforth story a fast buffing and share it with anybody .
The primary curious factor I found about Stanyforth was that, previous to his being appointed to guide England (or extra precisely MCC) in South Africa he had in truth by no means performed for Yorkshire. Transferring ahead from there his Yorkshire profession turned out to be restricted to a few appearances in 1928, in consecutive matches in Could and June. That appeared odd, and the extra so as a result of, flying within the face of the custom of which Yorkshireman are so proud, Stanyforth had been born exterior the county, in London on 30 Could 1892. In order that Yorkshire debut got here as late as his thirty sixth birthday.
In time, 1941, Stanyforth did marry, however the marriage was not blessed with youngsters and the person christened Ronald Thomas Stanyforth was due to this fact the final of his line. That in itself might account, at the very least partly, for why cricket writers have proven so little curiosity in him.
When it comes to his background Stanyforth’s was a privileged one and, therefore his being considered a Yorkshireman, the household seat was at Kirk Hammerton Corridor close to York. Stanyforth’s forebears had made quite a lot of cash in enterprise and part of it, sadly, seemingly from the slave commerce.
Stanyforth was the youthful of two youngsters**, however the one son, so he finally inherited the household fortune. He was educated at Eton and his curiosity in cricket and lots of different sports activities was fostered there. At all times a wicketkeeper it’s price noting that while Stanyforth did play for the Eton’s first XI he was by no means chosen for the matches in opposition to the opposite main colleges. The story was related when he went as much as Oxford, for whom he made his First Class debut in opposition to MCC in 1914. That event was nevertheless the one time he appeared for the College at that stage.
After College Stanyforth had no must work, however he selected to affix the Military. With the Nice Warfare simply weeks away and given the life expectancy of younger officers Stanyforth was lucky to outlive the battle. He was wounded in 1915, talked about in dispatches in 1917 and awarded the Army Cross, so was clearly a courageous man.
Remaining with the Military as peace returned Stanyforth discovered himself in Eire in the course of the interval of martial regulation imposed in 1919 and 1920. After that the by now Captain Stanyforth did take up a extra congenial place, that of equerry to the Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V.
His background within the army and with the royal household likely afforded Stanyforth elevated alternatives to play the sport and he was concerned additionally with the MCC. By means of the early Twenties he performed at First Class stage for each the Military and the MCC and within the winter of 1926/27 he was capable of depart his army duties to tour South America with a powerful MCC aspect led by ‘Plum’ Warner, then 53.
The all newbie aspect was a fairly good one, all concerned having First Class expertise and ‘Gubby’ Allen and Jack ‘Farmer’ White went on to get pleasure from profitable Check careers. In these days the sport in Argentina particularly was sturdy, and 4 matches in opposition to the nationwide aspect got First Class standing. The sequence was a aggressive one as nicely, however the MCC gained 2-1 in the long run. Warner rated Stanyforth as a ‘keeper, and wrote effusively of his expertise in The Cricketer. Stanyforth additionally did nicely with the bat, being the very best MCC run scorer within the First Class matches and recording what would stay his highest innings, 91, within the final and deciding match in opposition to Argentina.
South Africa, a longtime Check nation, have been nevertheless a moderately totally different proposition. Warner was likely the driving pressure behind the invitation issued to Stanyforth. The opposite amateurs who accepted invites have been Man Jackson of Derbyshire, Bob Wyatt of Warwickshire, Geoffrey Legge of Kent, Eddie Dawson of Leicestershire and the younger Middlesex leg spinners Ian Peebles and Greville Stevens. Douglas Jardine was amongst those that was unable to just accept an invite.
So far as the professionals have been involved Jack Hobbs, Patsy Hendren, Frank Woolley, Harold Larwood and Maurice Tate all declined to make themselves accessible, however with Walter Hammond, Herbert Sutcliffe, ‘Tich’ Freeman, George Geary, Ewart Astill, Sam Staples, Harry Elliott (reserve ‘keeper) and Ernest Tyldesley all doing so the aspect was nonetheless a powerful one.
The primary alternative as captain was Jackson, however he had a nervous breakdown and withdrew. It was solely then that Stanyforth was appointed to guide the aspect, and Sutcliffe’s opening companion at Yorkshire, Percy Holmes, took Jackson’s place within the social gathering.
The Check sequence was an fascinating one. Stanyforth’s males gained the primary two Exams, then drew the third earlier than the house aspect squared the sequence by successful the fourth and fifth Exams. As a consequence of an eye fixed harm Stanyforth missed the ultimate day of the fourth Check and the fifth when, at simply 19, Stevens assumed the captaincy, an odd trying choice provided that Wyatt additionally performed within the match.
What was the decision on Stanyforth’s 4 Exams? His batting was definitely no nice shakes, his six innings bringing simply 13 runs at 2.60. Behind the stumps he held seven catches and made two stumpings. He conceded 50 byes within the seven innings for which he was behind the stumps – tellingly his deputy, Derbyshire’s Elliott, conceded only one within the last Check.
So why, provided that he had by no means performed for Yorkshire earlier than, did Stanyforth abruptly prove for the county in these three matches in 1928? There is no such thing as a definitive reply, however a few elements have been recommended. First Yorkshire’s lengthy serving ‘keeper, Arthur Dolphin, had retired on the finish of the 1927 season, so there was a emptiness.
Arthur Wooden, who had performed a solitary match the earlier summer season, performed within the first few matches of the 1928 marketing campaign, after which Stanyforth had his three alternatives earlier than Wooden returned for the remainder of the season, and certainly for the remainder of the inter-war years. In his three matches Stanyforth conceded 61 byes, and while he was marginally higher with the bat than he had been within the Exams the earlier winter he nonetheless solely had 26 runs to point out for 3 accomplished innings.
Did Yorkshire see the 36 yr previous as a future captain? The earlier winter had seen the county trying round for a brand new appointee on the retirement of Main Arthur Lupton and, within the absence of any apparent newbie candidate Sutcliffe was finally provided the job, just for him to politely decline. Within the occasion the 38 yr previous William Worsley, who in time inherited his father’s Baronetcy, grew to become skipper, however maybe Stanyforth was seen as a future candidate?
Regardless of his age and restricted success in South Africa Stanyforth had yet another abroad tour with England, to the Caribbean in 1929/30. Little question anticipating a simple journey after their 3-0 hammering of the identical opposition in 1928 the selectors picked two 50 yr olds, George Gunn and Wilfred Rhodes amongst a usually growing older squad and have been duly held to a 1-1 draw. Stanyforth performed in 4 matches on the tour managing simply 4 runs and three catches earlier than a hand harm compelled him to journey residence. Realistically he was by no means seemingly so as to add to his 4 caps, a younger Les Ames appeared in all of the Exams and was presumably at all times going to take action, harm allowing.
The Caribbean journey was, successfully, the top of Stanyforth’s profession in main cricket. There have been a number of extra First Class matches for MCC and Free Foresters the final of which was in 1933, and after that it was membership cricket just for the person who, as a Main, had left the Military in 1930. From there he had returned to responsibility with the Duke of Gloucester through which position he will need to have had some form of involvement within the abdication disaster in 1936.
Additionally within the Thirties Stanyforth contributed a number of articles on wicketkeeping to The Cricketer on the request of the editor, his previous buddy Warner. There was even a e book in 1935, a modest educational textual content, which sadly offers no actual flavour of Stanyforth the person.
The Second World Warfare noticed Stanyforth serve his nation as soon as extra. In his late forties he didn’t see energetic service as such, however was one of many final officers to be evacuated from Dunkirk. After that his position was as a workers officer, and he ended his service, by then a Lieutenant Colonel, in 1946.
His army profession at an finish Stanyforth, by then a married man, did return for a time to the Royal Family, and he was concerned with the MCC and, to a lesser extent, Yorkshire. A rich man in his personal proper after his father’s loss of life the Stanyforths divided their time between Kirk Hammerton Corridor and London, and so they additionally had a house in Kenya that they’d go to within the winter months.
Sadly for Stanyforth his retirement was not destined to be a prolonged one. In his last years he was dogged by sick well being and died on the age of 71 in 1964. His widow survived him for one more twenty years, however she didn’t keep in Yorkshire, Kirk Hammerton Corridor and all its contents being offered within the months following Stanyforth’s passing.
*England’s Youngest Captain: The Life and Occasions of Monty Bowden and Two South African Journalists by Jonty Winch, revealed in 2003
**In actual fact I’m fairly certain there are three, loads of proof supporting the rivalry that there was a second and older sister who was introduced up in and spent her life in France.
