Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Football & Sporting Memorabilia

‘Our Walter’s Big ‘It [Against Tykes]’. C.S. Marriott 1956. Original typescript of a lengthy poem comprising c.120 lines of verse on two pages of foolscap paper. The poem describes a mythical match in which ‘Walter Seddon’ hit a ball out of the Old Trafford ground, ‘It come down welly ten minutes after/ On tramlines at Irlams ‘o th’ Height’ some five miles from the ground! Tipped in is a small hand drawn map showing the feat. At the top of the first page Marriott has written in ink, ‘Printed in the Manchester Guardian, 2nd August 1956, with the following caption: Rain prevented play in all the first-class cricket matches yesterday. Looking back, an old Lancashire, Kent, and England bowler [Marriott] recalls another great occasion, perhaps mythical, when rain put an end to a great occasion at Old Trafford’. The poem is signed at the end, ‘C.S. Marriott’. The two pages are tipped in to blue cloth with gilt title to spine. Originally from the library of Siegfried Sassoon, sold at auction by Sotheby’s. Foxing to page, horizontal folds, otherwise in good condition. A unique item.