Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Football & Sporting Memorabilia
Held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
10th, 11th & 12th April 2026
Lot 55
Estimate: £150/250
Hammer: £130
Richard Daft (senior). Nottinghamshire 1858-1891. Two page folding letter handwritten in ink with good cricket content from Daft, dated 30th June 1870, to the cricket administrator, R.A. Fitzgerald (Cambridge University, M.C.C. & Middlesex 1854-1874). Fitzgerald is arranging a team for North v South at Canterbury and Daft writes ‘I am sorry to say that through the continued illness of my wife I shall be unable to play in the forthcoming North & South match at Canterbury... I have had to give up all matches where I cannot get home at night’. He recommends alternative Nottinghamshire players to take his place including ‘Oscroft [who] is playing so well... a real good man. Young Butler who has been playing with such success... I will see & engage either of these for you if you think well & will let me know’. Beautifully signed ‘Rich Daft’. Sold with a small mono printed engraving of Daft. Very good condition.
Richard Daft was one of the finest batsmen of his day, playing 254 matches for Nottinghamshire scoring 9788 runs at an average of 25.42. He wrote ‘Kings of Cricket- Anecdotes and Reminiscences from 1858 to 1892’ the year after he retired, which was published in 1893. By 1900 his health had deteriorated and he died bankrupt. Robert Fitzgerald was Secretary of M.C.C. 1863-1876.