Historical profiles

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Lancashire CCC

Peter Thorp Eckersley, or PT as he was known, was born on 2nd July 1904 at Lowton near Leigh.

He was one of Leigh's most famous players who, at the age of 19 years old, left the club to join Lancashire CCC for whom he played from 1923 to 1935, the last seven years as captain which he gained when only 24 years old. His side was county champion twice during his period of captaincy, and included such all-time greats as the Tyldesleys, Paynter, McDonald, Hopwood and Duckworth. He made 256 appearances for the county team and often played well when his side were badly placed, scoring a total of 4,588 runs in all, including a very good century against Gloucestershire at Bristol. He was a first-rate fielder and always set a good example.

He was a keen amateur pilot and was known as the "cricketing airman" since he often flew his own plane to matches. His keen interest in politics led to him becoming M.P. for Manchester Exchange in 1935, resigning his captaincy of the county to concentrate on his political career. On the outbreak of war he immediately joined the Air Arm of the R.N.V.R. and was unfortunately killed in 1940 at the age of 36 as the outcome of a flying accident.

Click here for a full record of Peter Eckersley's first-class career.

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copyright of
Lancashire CCC

William Huddleston was born in Earlestown on 27th February 1873 and died in Warrington on 21st May 1962 so it can be said that the old boy had quite a good innings. His professional career spanned from 1899 to 1914 when cricket was suspended due to the horrors of the First World War.

Bill, as he was better known, took 685 wickets at an average of 17.57 for Lancashire with a best of 9-36 against Nottinghamshire at Aigburth, Liverpool. The earliest records of Bill's career come to light in 1906 when he was mentioned along with others at the County Club as part of a formidable bowling attack consisting of himself, Walter Brearley, Harry Dean, Willis Cuttell and Alex Kermode.

Bill's full first-class statistics were: Matches: 185; Batting: Innings 258, Not Outs 32, Runs 2765, Highest 88, Average 12.23; Bowling: Balls 32489, Maidens 1579, Runs 12042, Wickets 685, Average 17.57.

When Bill actually made his debut for Leigh is still not yet known but, in 1923 at the age of 50, he was a major player in the Leigh team which won the Manchester and District Cricket Association's Stockton Trophy for the first time. Leigh was unbeaten that season and Bill's personal performances were outstanding. He scored 343 runs at an average per innings of 38.1 including one century of 114 not out, and took 69 wickets at a cost of 6.8 runs per wicket; if he hadn't missed the last four matches due to injury, his figures would have been even more impressive.

Bill finally retired at the end of the 1925 season but not before one last superb performance towards the end of the season where he took 9 wickets for 12 runs against Wigan.

Click here for a full record of Bill Huddleston's first-class career.

© Photograph is
copyright of
Lancashire CCC

Reverend John Russell Napier was born on 5th January 1859 at Preston, Lancashire, into a wealthy family and his father was part of the partnership of Napier & Goodier, cotton spinners.

From 1883 to 1890, he held curacies at Leigh and Preston and it was during this period that he played for Leigh Cricket Club. He also made his debut for Lancashire in 1888 against the Australians who descibed him as the best fast bowler they had met in England. He took seven wickets in the match, which Lancashire won by 23 runs.

Later in the year he took part in his second and last match for Lancashire to which he made a crucial contribution. Yorkshire was batting and had made a score of 80 for 5. Napier was brought on to bowl and, in his 20 deliveries, he took 4 wickets without conceding a run.

After 1890 he moved away from the area and eventually took up the post of vicar at Old Windsor from 1911 until 1928. He died at his home in Bexhill-on-Sea on 12th March 1939.

Captain Reuben Wright DSO was born in Leigh in 1889 and lived in Henrietta Street. His was a humble background and he attended the local church schools, subsequently working as a clerk before moving on to a position in Glasgow just before the First World War. He lived with his two sisters and one brother; both of his parents had already died.

He played for Leigh Cricket Club in 1912 as a fast bowler and won the 2nd XI averages by taking 41 wickets at an average of 7.8 each. He also played football with the Leigh Church club in the Leigh and District Sunday School League.

When war broke out in 1914 he enlisted as a private in the Scots' Guards. Having been a cricketer, Private Wright was made a hand-grenade thrower. He was 6 feet 3 inches tall and possessed great physical courage united with discretion. He soon attracted attention and, after serving in the trenches for about 12 months, he was given a commission and transferred to the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. In April 1916 he was made first lieutenant and, on Ocober 13th 1916, he was gazetted captain; he was held in high esteem by his men.

In April 1915, just before receiving his commission, he wrote from the front in France to a friend in Leigh:

"We have just come out of the trenches again after three days in. We have been in quite a different place this time and I can tell you we know we are at war this time. In one portion of the line the trenches are only 25 yards apart. It is hellish, in fact an inferno, and the worst part of it is we never see a German, nor they us. All the fighting is done with shells, trench mortars, rifle grenades, bombs and mines. We have to watch for the grenades. I will try to describe to you what they are like. A tin tube about a foot long and an inch in diameter is fixed on a rifle. You can see them quite plain, twisting in the air, but if you think they are dropping near you, you do a 60 mile an hour spin out of the way. They are fearful things and make a tremendous report. We never know when we are going to 'join the flying corps' as we may be transferred by one of those unpleasant things called a mine. The ground where we stand is more like an arsenal. The German trenches are just the same. They will get a rude awakening one of these fine days. We had to stand to arms three times one night, the rifles spitting away all the time. We take jolly good care not to put our heads out of the trench, for bullets are whistling and pinging all over the show, and the snipers are always on the game. The Germans call us all sorts of names, asking us to come out and fight. We will, I don't think. I am sending you news exactly as it is, for we are never out of danger here. The other place was a picnic, so do not worry, time keeps going on and I am in very good health and the best of spirits. We shall be doing another three days in the same place, and then have another welcome rest."

Captain Wright was awarded the DSO for outstanding bravery under enemy fire in November 1916. Sadly he died on 17th August 1917 from wounds he had received the previous day. He was 28 years of age.

This article will in some small way help to keep alive the memory of a very brave man who gave his life for what he believed in; he is not just another forgotten name on the cenotaph in Leigh.

Walter Wright moved to Leigh in 1920 to become a coach and groundsman at Leigh Cricket Club, a position from which he retired in 1929. A Nottingham man by birth, he was born on 29th February 1856 at Hucknall Torkard in Nottinghamshire, and began his cricketing career by playing for the Colts there at the age of 18 or 19; two or three years later he was with the County Eleven.

Later he qualified to play for Kent with whom he remained until the end of his professional playing days. It was while he was with Kent that his skill as a left-arm fast-medium bowler, spinning and swinging them, that his reputation was established. It is reputedly said by W G Grace that Walter Wright was to have been the originator of swing bowling. His skill with the ball earned him a place in the England team that met Australia at Huddersfield's St. Johns ground on 1st July 1884. With the bat he made 20 not out; his great feat with the ball was to get Murdoch, a well-known Australian batsman who always proved a formidable obstacle, caught by Grimshaw for 12. England won on this occasion by an innings and 154 runs.

Walter was also a prominent runner. He was a sprinter, a 130-yards expert and, in two successive years (1880 and 1881), he won the Sheffield Handicap. In his prime he was also regarded as the second fastest runner in the world.

When his cricketing days were over, he turned his attention to coaching. He played football as an amateur and his knowledge of the game was recognised when he was appointed coach to Reading Football Club.

He coached cricket and running at Leighton Park School, Reading and later went to Swindon Town Football Club. Then, from 1913, he was at Radley College, Abingdon, Berkshire, for seven seasons as professional cricket coach.

His next move was to Leigh Cricket Club where he quickly enhanced his reputation and established himself as coach/groundsman. Walter died at his home, 264 St. Helens Road, Leigh on 22nd March 1940, at the age of 84 years old.

Dick Williams was born in Bromborough Pool, Cheshire on 27th April 1866.

Before he turned to cricket he was destined to make a name for himself in football. He first played professionally for Liverpool Stanley with whom he stayed for three years and proved to be a goalkeeper of some promise. He was six feet tall - a great advantage in those days when goalkeepers had a rougher time than they do today. Williams, when he had finished playing, once said:

"A goalkeeper's task these days is a gentleman's life compared with the ordeal I had to go through in my prime. I not only had to watch the ball, but also my opponents, who very often threw me into the net." (comments made in the early 1900s)

He was eventually noticed by Everton F.C. and he kept goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the final of the English Cup. He suffered a severe injury against Sheffield United when his ankle was dislocated. He left Everton soon after playing for Luton where he helped them to win the Kettering Cup and United League Championship medals.

His three year stint at Luton ended when he signed for Glossop. Once again he achieved success by helping them to promotion into the First Division of the English League. He abandoned football two years later after many bad attacks of influenza.

Williams came to Leigh in 1896 and was engaged as the Leigh Cricket Club professional in company with William Bunn. Although a fair change bowler, Williams' greatest success was with the bat and on six occasions he passed the century mark and his highest score was 149 against St. Helens in 1902. He headed the batting averages in 1896, 1897, 1898, 1902 and 1903, making successive centuries against Worsley and Manchester Clifford. He topped the bowling averages in 1897, 1898, 1901, 1902 and 1903. His best bowling was against Tyldesley, taking 6 wickets for 12 runs.

A season or two after the 1914-18 war, Williams' eyesight became very poor and forced him out of the game. However, he maintained a keen interest in both football and cricket and held very strong views even after retirement. For example, he believed that it was the duty of half-backs to act more as forwards. As for Leigh Cricket Club, he would very much like to have seen some of the keenness infused into the game which was prevalent many season ago.

Not much has really changed since those days....