Cheltenham
Floruit, floret, floreat!
Cheltonia’s children cry.
I composed those lines when a summer wind
Was blowing the elm leaves dry,
And we were seventy-six for seven
And they had C.B. Fry …
From: Old Lights for New Chancels,
John Murray (Publishers) Ltd, 1940
CONTENTS
Title Page
Epigraph
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
PART ONE: 1872–98
1 ORIGINS OF AN ALL-ROUNDER
2 THE YOUNG REPTONIAN
3 OXFORD IDOL
4 SOUTH AFRICA
5 ‘A MORAL TECHNICALITY
PART TWO: 1898–1908
6 THE BEST BATSMAN IN ENGLAND
7 CORINTHIAN AND SAINT
8 TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS
9 THE ELUSIVE CENTURY
10 FRY’S MAGAZINE
11 PRIMA DONNA
12 T.S. MERCURY
PART THREE: 1909–35
13 PASTURES NEW
14 THE TRIANGULAR TOURNAMENT
15 COMMANDER FRY
16 LEAGUE OF NATIONS
17 POLITICS AND PARLIAMENT
18 NAWANAGAR
19 A SHADOW OF HIS FORMER SELF
20 SPRINGTIME WITH HITLER
PART FOUR: 1936–56
21 AUSTRALIA AT LAST
22 HOLLYWOOD AND BACK
23 LIFE WORTH LIVING
24 CAPTAIN FRY
25 ‘THE GRAND OLD MAN OF SPORT’
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ENDNOTES
STATISTICAL APPENDIX
Copyright
First and foremost, I would like to thank members of the Fry family for giving me so much of their time and providing me with such open access to their photographs and papers. I am conscious that no previous writer had received such generous assistance from C.B.’s descendants and I feel particularly fortunate to have had all my questions answered so fully, promptly and courteously. I could not have hoped for greater cooperation. In particular, I am grateful to the late Mrs Yvonne Fry, C.B.’s daughter-in-law, for letting me interview her, at some length, on two occasions. She provided me with a unique insight into C.B., his wife and their relationship, and her assistance proved invaluable to the writing of this book.
Many other people played a part in turning this project from a labour of love into a book of substance. Singling out certain individuals is an invidious task but it would be wrong if I did not acknowledge the exceptionally important contributions made by Rob Boddie, John Richardson and Jeremy Malies. As the honorary librarian at Sussex County Cricket Club, Rob supplied me with many helpful books and photographs but I also benefited from his constant interest, enthusiasm and good humour. A similar amount of assistance was provided by John Richardson: during his time as chairman of the Mercury Old Boys’ Association, he gave me a great deal of factual information about Fry’s 50-year association with the Mercury naval training school and all my queries were answered with admirable efficiency. I am also indebted to Jeremy Malies. While I was doing the research for this biography, Jeremy was writing a book of his own – Sporting Doubles – but he could not have been more generous with time, information and advice. It would be hard to come across a more knowledgeable or less selfish writer, and I am deeply grateful to him.
Unfortunately, the constraints of space prevent me from making more than a fleeting mention of the roles played by the many other people who have made this book possible.
From the Australian Cricket Board, Bob Parish and Malcolm Speed provided quick and accurate answers to a number of questions. The BBC’s Colin Browne, Nick Clarke and Bob Shennan helped in a number of different ways and Mark Jones, an ex-BBC employee, ensured that I received a recording of the most comprehensive radio interview Fry ever undertook. The archivist at Charterhouse School, Sue Cole, supplied me with an invaluable extract from The Carthusian. From the Chatham Historic Dockyard, Derek Ottway answered a query about the main vessel at the Mercury. Alan Kucia, from the Churchill Archive Centre, responded swiftly to a question about Fry’s dealings with Winston Churchill. Ian Morrison, David Pagett and Philip Snow wrote to me with some important information after seeing a letter that I had sent to The Cricketer and I must thank the magazine for publishing it. J.R. Piggott examined the Dulwich College archives to check a point about C.B.’s younger brother, Walter. Wendy Walker arranged for me to see a range of papers which the East Sussex Record Office is safeguarding on behalf of Sussex County Cricket Club. The Football Association’s librarian, David Barber, gave me access to the F.A.’s records and put his encyclopedic knowledge of the game at my disposal. Neil Jenkinson, the honorary historian of Hampshire C.C.C., provided me with some helpful information about Fry’s association with the Club, together with a number of extracts from a particularly rare book on the Triangular Tournament of 1912. At Lambeth Council, Richard Godfrey responded positively and rapidly to a request for information about the Fry family’s former home in Streatham. Stephen Green, Glenys Williams and Michael Wolton allowed me to spend several weeks in the M.C.C. Library, scouring its impressive collection of books, Wisdens and contemporary cricket magazines for references to C.B.
As well as thanking John Richardson, the then chairman of the Mercury Old Boys’ Association, I would like to acknowledge the assistance that I have had from many other M.O.B.A. members. I was particularly fortunate to receive lengthy and revealing letters from E.W. Clayton, C.R. Halle, Richard Larn, Albert White and Trevor Whyatt. In addition, I must thank Ronald Morris and two honorary members of the Association, Violet Chandler and Belinda Heathcote, for talking to me, at great length, about their memories of Hamble, the Mercury and, above all, the Frys.
I am also indebted to Andy le Bas from the National Portrait Gallery for his helpful advice and constant interest. Catherine Campbell, from New Zealand Cricket, enabled me to contact members of the country’s 1954 women’s cricket team, some of whom were coached, at Lord’s, by Fry. Guy Willatt responded to a request for information about C.B.’s schooldays at Repton. Gary Chalk, the historian of Southampton F.C., supplied some important facts, figures and newspaper cuttings about Fry’s footballing career. Surrey C.C.C.’s librarian, Jeff Hancock, provided me with several snippets about C.B.’s surprisingly brief spell with the Club. My understanding of Fry’s four years at Oxford University was greatly improved by a day that I spent at Wadham College, courtesy of C.S.L. Davies. Moreover, Peter Placito sent me a number of articles that he had written about Fry’s time at Wadham and his deep affection, in later life, for his old College. Through the Women’s Cricket Association I received some useful information from Hazel Gillyon and Netta Rheinberg.
A large number of former cricketers responded to letters which asked them about their encounters with C.B. They included Lord Cowdrey, Joy Dynes, Neil Harvey, S.J.E. Loxton, Robin Marlar and Lord Sheppard. Veronica Trueman answered,