Page:The Hambledon Men (1907).djvu/278

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THE HAMBLEDON MEN

Hambledon churchyard, and bears the following inscription:—

Sacred to the memory of
THOMAS SUETER
Who departed this life
the 17th day of February, 1827,
Aged 77 Years.


The (4th) Earl of Tankerville was a successful batsman in the few matches his name appears, but most probably he scored best before Lillywhite's book commences in 1772. He was a great patron and admirer of the 'noble game' and kept several good cricketers in his employ, including Lumpy and Bedster. In the old song he is celebrated as 'The active Earl of Tankerville', and in 1773 made the famous match Surrey v. Kent, which he won, and about which a poem has been composed. His country seat was Mount Felix at Walton-on-Thames, in Surrey, where he had no ground, but had (it is believed) a small one for practice at Byfleet, adjoining Chertsey. Many good country matches however were played under his patronage, on the famous Laleham-Burway Ground near Chertsey. He was born at ——, November 15, 1743, and died [in 1822] at Mount Felix. He is buried at the family vault at Harlington near Hounslow, where no monument has been erected to his memory.


Thomas Taylor was a very fine off hitter indeed, though too fond of cutting straight balls, which, indeed, was often the cause of his losing his wicket. Was a short well-made man, but strong and active, and one of the best fields ever seen. Of his bowling, John Nyren in his book makes no mention, but he seems to have obtained several wickets. Taylor was one of the two men (J. Ring, it is believed, being the other) of whom it is recorded that he was 'shabby' enough to put his leg purposely before the wicket when batting, which caused the law about 'leg before wicket' to be