On 8 January 1892, a bank manager called William Lidderdale vanished without trace. But a fairly straightforward story was soon complicated by the publication of a death notice full of impossibilities… open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Phil Mead scored 55,061 first-class runs and 153 centuries in a career lasting from 1905 until 1936. Yet he only played 17 times for England, despite a Test average of 49.37. The reasons are simple: he played for an unfashionable county and was easy neither on the eye nor on his team-mates.

On 8 January 1892, a bank manager called William Lidderdale vanished without trace. But a fairly straightforward story was soon complicated by the publication of a death notice full of impossibilities… open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Phil Mead scored 55,061 first-class runs and 153 centuries in a career lasting from 1905 until 1936. Yet he only played 17 times for England, despite a Test average of 49.37. The reasons are simple: he played for an unfashionable county and was easy neither on the eye nor on his team-mates.

In 1883, a body was found hidden in the old boiler of a ruined mill. How did the woman came to be there, and how could she have been failed by literally everyone in her life? #history #biography #asylums open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

In 1883, a body was found hidden in the old boiler of a ruined mill. How did the woman came to be there, and how could she have been failed by literally everyone in her life? #history #biography #asylums open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

The just-completed series in New Zealand — a sort of "pre-Ashes tour" — revived but reversed an odd historical practice. For decades, England only bothered to visit New Zealand if they were going to Australia as well #NZvENG open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

The just-completed series in New Zealand — a sort of "pre-Ashes tour" — revived but reversed an odd historical practice. For decades, England only bothered to visit New Zealand if they were going to Australia as well #NZvENG open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

In 1890, a Liverpool docker called Samuel McKay disappeared during a works outing to Matlock Bath in Derbyshire. And almost no-one seemed to notice. open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Ben Sealy of Trinidad played just one Test match for the West Indies during a career lasting from 1924 to 1941. Useful rather than essential, he never quite made enough impact to guarantee his place. But in 1933, he was one of the leading players in the West Indies team that toured England.

Ben Sealy of Trinidad played just one Test match for the West Indies during a career lasting from 1924 to 1941. Useful rather than essential, he never quite made enough impact to guarantee his place. But in 1933, he was one of the leading players in the West Indies team that toured England.

In 1890, a Liverpool docker called Samuel McKay disappeared during a works outing to Matlock Bath in Derbyshire. And almost no-one seemed to notice. open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Two English cricketers appeared in court within twelve months of each other in the mid-1920s, but their paths were very different and perfectly illustrate the divisions in English cricket at the time open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

Lily Woodcock was a barmaid in Limehouse who twice escaped throwing herself in front of a train. But she was not quite the hysterical woman portrayed in the press, nor was her story quite as straightforward as it seemed #history #Limehouse #biography #asylums open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Lily Woodcock was a barmaid in Limehouse who twice escaped throwing herself in front of a train. But she was not quite the hysterical woman portrayed in the press, nor was her story quite as straightforward as it seemed #history #Limehouse #biography #asylums open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Frank Ward spent many years on Lancashire's books, but later struggled with alcoholism and separated from his wife and family. However, he was one of the few such stories with a happy ending because he managed to turn his life completely back around and make a fresh start in New Zealand

Frank Ward spent many years on Lancashire's books, but later struggled with alcoholism and separated from his wife and family. However, he was one of the few such stories with a happy ending because he managed to turn his life completely back around and make a fresh start in New Zealand

Leonard Peart was found in his photography studio after having shot himself. But like something out of the Strand Magazine, before he died, he had also shot one of his own photographs: a portrait of a woman called Miss Dempster open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Leonard Peart was found in his photography studio after having shot himself. But like something out of the Strand Magazine, before he died, he had also shot one of his own photographs: a portrait of a woman called Miss Dempster open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Sport and politics should not mix. Except, in practice, when they can't seem to help themselves. open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

Sport and politics should not mix. Except, in practice, when they can't seem to help themselves. open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

The story of her tragic death made the newspapers in 1934, published with a touch of sensationalism and no little implied moralising. But Toni Corazza was far more than just a journalistic cliche. open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

In 1908, a bookseller from Suffolk, who had been suffering from depression, disappeared in London, prompting a frantic search from his wife. He reappeared almost a month later having been living in the streets with no memory of his former life open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Middlesex's J. T. Hearne was the epitome of the respectable professional in a career lasting from 1888 to 1923. One of only four men to take over 3,000 first-class wickets, he was also (less famously) one half of the world's first "celebrity" cricketing couple oldebor.wordpress.com/2025/09/29/y...

In 1908, a bookseller from Suffolk, who had been suffering from depression, disappeared in London, prompting a frantic search from his wife. He reappeared almost a month later having been living in the streets with no memory of his former life open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Middlesex's J. T. Hearne was the epitome of the respectable professional in a career lasting from 1888 to 1923. One of only four men to take over 3,000 first-class wickets, he was also (less famously) one half of the world's first "celebrity" cricketing couple oldebor.wordpress.com/2025/09/29/y...

Yours Respectably, J. T. Hearne Although famous for his success as a bowler — and as one of only four men to take over 3,000 first-class wickets — J. T. Hearne of Middlesex was just as well-known for his utter respectability, the epitome of what the amateur establishment wanted from professional…

In 1891, just a few days after the census, two men died at a mill in the Lancashire town of Tyldesley. Philip Hill shot Thomas Syms dead and then turned the gun on himself. What led to the events of the Tyldesley Tragedy? open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Sad news about Dickie Bird. He was one in a long line of great — and somewhat eccentric — English umpires. open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

Sad news about Dickie Bird. He was one in a long line of great — and somewhat eccentric — English umpires. open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

In 1891, just a few days after the census, two men died at a mill in the Lancashire town of Tyldesley. Philip Hill shot Thomas Syms dead and then turned the gun on himself. What led to the events of the Tyldesley Tragedy? open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

I often stumble across stories with no link to cricket which are extremely compelling. So I'm trying something different (not about the sport!). If you like stories from the past and finding out about lost lives, please have a look and maybe subscribe open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

I often stumble across stories with no link to cricket which are extremely compelling. So I'm trying something different (not about the sport!). If you like stories from the past and finding out about lost lives, please have a look and maybe subscribe open.substack.com/pub/lostlive...

Herbert Charles Tebbutt is one of only a handful of cricketers to have been murderers. An accomplished schoolboy cricketer and a wealthy man, he inexplicably killed his common-law wife Helen Williams (nee Jenks), her daughter, and their two children in 1932. He then killed himself

Herbert Charles Tebbutt is one of only a handful of cricketers to have been murderers. An accomplished schoolboy cricketer and a wealthy man, he inexplicably killed his common-law wife Helen Williams (nee Jenks), her daughter, and their two children in 1932. He then killed himself

No matter how dire the scenario, there is usually a precedent somewhere in cricket history. open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

No matter how dire the scenario, there is usually a precedent somewhere in cricket history. open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

Despite having turned his back on county cricket, Sydney Barnes was recalled to the England team in 1907 as the selectors struggled to assemble a team. Over the next seven years he proved the best bowler in the world and perhaps one of the greatest of all time

Despite having turned his back on county cricket, Sydney Barnes was recalled to the England team in 1907 as the selectors struggled to assemble a team. Over the next seven years he proved the best bowler in the world and perhaps one of the greatest of all time

Plucked from obscurity to play for Lancashire and England, SF Barnes never behaved as professional cricketers were expected to at the time. But neither did he set the cricketing world alight, falling some way short of the potential that everyone saw in him. The result was a messy falling out.

Plucked from obscurity to play for Lancashire and England, SF Barnes never behaved as professional cricketers were expected to at the time. But neither did he set the cricketing world alight, falling some way short of the potential that everyone saw in him. The result was a messy falling out.

S. F. Barnes is one of the few bowlers to have played over a century ago who is still remembered today. The main reason is that his statistical record remains astonishing, but it goes deeper than that. Barnes has become a legend, even if like all legends, the truth was slightly different.

S. F. Barnes is one of the few bowlers to have played over a century ago who is still remembered today. The main reason is that his statistical record remains astonishing, but it goes deeper than that. Barnes has become a legend, even if like all legends, the truth was slightly different.

Many people like to argue that cricket was better in the past — usually around 20 years ago. But this debate has been raging for over 200 years. Because cricket has always been better in my day... open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

Many people like to argue that cricket was better in the past — usually around 20 years ago. But this debate has been raging for over 200 years. Because cricket has always been better in my day... open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...

After his playing career was over, Gubby Allen assumed an almost dictatorial control over English cricket, from the 1940s until the late 1960s. His pomposity and prejudice shaped the route taken by the sport, and the careers of several players, not always for the better.

After his playing career was over, Gubby Allen assumed an almost dictatorial control over English cricket, from the 1940s until the late 1960s. His pomposity and prejudice shaped the route taken by the sport, and the careers of several players, not always for the better.

Gubby Allen became famous as a dictatorial administrator and eminence grise at Lord's. But in his earlier days, he was a decent all-rounder who just fell short at the highest level. However, his shortcomings were forgotten in later years as his bowling and captaincy assumed an almost legendary air

Gubby Allen became famous as a dictatorial administrator and eminence grise at Lord's. But in his earlier days, he was a decent all-rounder who just fell short at the highest level. However, his shortcomings were forgotten in later years as his bowling and captaincy assumed an almost legendary air

The Lancashire and England bowler Cecil Parkin had a talent for self sabotage that almost reached an art form. His desire for validation and a desperation to be proven right ruined his career. open.substack.com/pub/oldebor7...