Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Football & Sporting Memorabilia

To be held on Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday
6th, 7th, 8th & 9th August 2026

John Berry ‘Jack’ Hobbs. Surrey & England 1905-1934. Handwritten letter from Hobbs to L. Dentith, a Steward aboard the P.O. R.M.S. Ranpura, and written on Vizianagram Palace, Benares headed paper. Hobbs has handwritten c/o Maharaja Kumar of Vizianagram above the printed address. The letter states ‘I had quite a shock when I realised that I left the ‘Ranpura’ without thanking you for looking after me so well on the voyage out. Please accept the enclosed £2 and forgive me for my lapse. I was very much bustled that morning. Nicely signed ‘Yours Faithfully J.B. Hobbs’. ‘P.S. Kindly acknowledge receipt to above address, just a card will do JBH’. To the back of the letter is written ‘Received by L.A[?].C Dentith, Steward, P&O. S.S. Ranpura. circa 1928/29, Bombay’. Vertical and horizontal folds, minor age toning
A nice gesture from Hobbs to his steward onboard ship. The steward may have the date incorrect, having said ‘circa’, and it may well have been the 1930/31 season when Hobbs and Sutcliffe played for ‘Vizzy’s’ team. Hobbs toured Australia in the 1928/39 season. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Vijay Ananda Gajapathi Raju, better known as the Maharajkumar of Vizianagram or Vizzy, was an Indian cricketer, cricket administrator and politician. Vizzy organised his cricket team in 1926 and constructed a ground in his palace compounds. He recruited players from India and abroad. When MCC cancelled the tour of India in 1930–31 owing to political problems, he organised a team of his own and toured India and Ceylon. He succeeded in drafting Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe for the team. He then went on to captain the Indian cricket team for the 1936 tour of England and became the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India from 1954–1957, previously being the vice-president

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