Westbury Museum Column: When the world’s top cricketers batted at Westbury

Whether you are a cricket fan or not, just about everyone has heard of the famous W. G. Grace. But did you know that this celebrated cricketer actually played at Westbury?

In fact, he wasn’t the only famous cricketer to have turned out on the Westbury crease. Others include Lionel Palairet, described as one of the most stylish batsmen the game has ever produced, and the Indian prince Ranjitsinhji, who was described as treating the bat as a wizard’s wand, and who played 15 Test matches for England – the first Indian to do so.

And of course, Westbury was the venue in May 1890 for a three day match between the Australians and a team selected by W. H. Laverton and captained by W. G. Grace.

Then, the matches were played at the pitch at Grassacres and a large grandstand was erected for the huge number of spectators attending the iconic match. The event ended with a slap-up dinner at The Laverton Institute, hosted by Mr Laverton himself.

The museum’s interest in cricket has been rekindled recently with a fascinating gift – an original Leighton score book dating from 1891, kindly given to us by Westbury and district cricket club who had received it from a member of the Laverton family.

It is magical to see the faded entries listing cricketers then known as the Knights of the Willow. Famous names like W. G. Grace are in the scorebook with their batting scores, analysis of bowling and even occasionally a mention of the weather – when rain stopped play!

At a match in 1891, Dr Grace was actually caught out by William Laverton himself – what a coup! Millowner and philanthropist Mr Laverton, who owned the Leighton estate, was important in the development of cricket in Westbury and from 1893 matches were being played on his own ground at Leighton – now our sports ground. The pavilion he built on the site featured a special Swiss chalet for lady spectators, changing rooms for the teams and a private changing room for Mr Laverton himself.

The game was a family passion too – at a match in 1910 there were no less than five Laverton members on the home team! And Lionel Palairet who played for England and Somerset even became part of the family when he married Mr Laverton’s daughter Caroline at Westbury church in July 1894.

The period from the 1890s to the outbreak of the First World War is often referred to as the Golden Age of cricket and several large estates had private cricket grounds like that at Leighton.

If you would like to view this interesting piece of cricketing nostalgia, pop into the museum where we would be pleased to help. You can find out more at www.westburyheritagesociety.org.uk