Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Football, Golf & Sporting Memorabilia

To be held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
29th, 30th November & 1st December 2024

Charles William Alcock, Secretary Surrey C.C.C. 1872-1907. Nice single page lettercard handwritten in ink and addressed to Mr. C.P. (Charles Pratt) Green, Beresford House, Great Malvern, dated 16th April 1892. Writing from Richmond in Surrey, Alcock comments that ‘Daft’s reminiscences have made their first appearance’, possibly referring to the recent publication of the ‘opening instalment... Monday last’ of Richard Daft’s ‘Kings of Cricket’. He wonders who might be circulating them, ‘but suppose there will be no objection to Cricket quoting from them freely’. Nicely signed ‘C.W. Alcock’. Some foxing, otherwise in good condition. Sold with an original individual copy of ‘Famous Cricketers and Cricket Grounds’, Part XVIII, edited by Alcock, in original wrappers. Good condition. Qty 2.
Alcock arranged the first cricket Test Match to be played in England, England against Australia at the Kennington Oval in 1880. He also edited the Cricket newspaper for almost a quarter of a century, and edited James Lillywhite’s Cricketers’ Annual from 1872 to 1900. Alcock was also involved in the organisation of the first England international football match against Scotland in 1870, and proposed the introduction of the F.A. Challenge Cup, which first took place in 1872, played at The Oval, Alcock himself captaining the winning Wanderers side.

Charles Pratt Green (1852-1950) lived for many years in Beresford House in Great Malvern where he traded as a wine merchant. During his life he amassed a large collection of cricket books, and some 150 bats, which he sold to Sir Julien Cahn when he moved from Beresford House.

Richard Daft’s ‘Kings of Cricket: reminiscences and anecdotes with hints on the game’ was published around 1893.

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