Alfred Cochrane
Encyclopedia
Alfred Henry John Cochrane, (26 January 1865 - 14 December 1948) was an English cricketer
who played first class cricket for Derbyshire
between 1884 and 1886, and for Oxford University
between 1885 and 1888. He subsequently made his name as a writer on sporting subjects and of light verse.
Cochrane was the second son of Rev. David Crawford Cochrane, Master of Etwall
Hospital (almshouses) and his wife Jane Tomlinson. He was born Moka
, Mauritus where his father was at the time Chaplain to the Bishop. He was educated at Repton School
and made his debut for Derbyshire in the 1884 season
in August against Lancashire
, when he took 6 for 51. He played two more matches for Derbyshire during the season. He also played football for Derby County
in 1884 in its pre-league days.
Cochrane went on to Hertford College, Oxford
and played cricket more regularly for University
over the next four years, taking part three times in the Varsity match
. He played two matches for Derbyshire in the 1885 season
, neither of which was against a first class side, and played only in the Derbyshire match against the Australians in the 1886 season
. In 28 first class matches he took 103 wickets with his left arm medium pace, with a best performance of 7 for 66, at an average of just 18.99.
Cochrane moved to Northumberland when he joined Armstrong Whitworth
, becoming secretary of the company. There, he played minor county cricket for Northumberland
. In 1910
he unsuccessfully contested Tyneside
, and from 1912 to 1927 he served as a member of the River Tyne
Commission. Cochrane was a governor of his old school, Repton, from 1921 to 1944.
Cochrane had a had a skill at writing light verse and his writing had a graceful touch. He wrote of cricket - the "uncertain game" - and of "the man who snicketh the length ball." He was interested in the nineteenth-century writers of light verse, especially in J K S (James Kenneth Stephen
) and Winthrop Mackworth Praed
with whom his verse was compared. Of football he wrote in the poem "To Anthea".
Later he recalled with nostalgia the expeditions in the Highlands of his youth, and lamented that "the way, though once it was short, is long." He contributed to The Times
for many years on sporting topics, especially on cricket.
Cochrane died at Batheaston
, Somerset
at the age of 83.
Cochrane married in 1895 Ethel Noble youngest daughter of Sir Andrew Noble, 1st Baronet. He was the brother of Sir Arthur Cochrane
a distinguished member of the College of Arms
and Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane
of the Federated Malay States service.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
who played first class cricket for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
between 1884 and 1886, and for Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
between 1885 and 1888. He subsequently made his name as a writer on sporting subjects and of light verse.
Cochrane was the second son of Rev. David Crawford Cochrane, Master of Etwall
Etwall
Etwall is a civil parish and village in Derbyshire, England. It is located southwest from Derby on the A50.-Geography:Etwall is squeezed between the A516, which bypassed the village in February 1992, and the A50. The A516 draws a lot of heavy traffic heading for the M1 north.The village has its...
Hospital (almshouses) and his wife Jane Tomlinson. He was born Moka
Moka
Moka is a town in Mauritius. It's also the home to the University of Mauritius, the Mahatma Gandhi Institute and the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation....
, Mauritus where his father was at the time Chaplain to the Bishop. He was educated at Repton School
Repton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
and made his debut for Derbyshire in the 1884 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1884
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1884 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for thirteen years. They lost all ten county matches and their only victory was against MCC.-1884 season:...
in August against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
, when he took 6 for 51. He played two more matches for Derbyshire during the season. He also played football for Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in 1884 in its pre-league days.
Cochrane went on to Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is located in Catte Street, directly opposite the main entrance of the original Bodleian Library. As of 2006, the college had a financial endowment of £52m. There are 612 students , plus various visiting...
and played cricket more regularly for University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
over the next four years, taking part three times in the Varsity match
The University Match (cricket)
The University Match in a cricketing context is generally understood to refer to the annual fixture between Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club...
. He played two matches for Derbyshire in the 1885 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1885
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1885 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for fourteen years. They won three first class matches out of eleven.-1885 season:...
, neither of which was against a first class side, and played only in the Derbyshire match against the Australians in the 1886 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1886
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1886 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for fifteen years and was the penultimate season before they lost first class status for seven years.-1886 season:...
. In 28 first class matches he took 103 wickets with his left arm medium pace, with a best performance of 7 for 66, at an average of just 18.99.
Cochrane moved to Northumberland when he joined Armstrong Whitworth
Armstrong Whitworth
Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.-History:In 1847,...
, becoming secretary of the company. There, he played minor county cricket for Northumberland
Northumberland County Cricket Club
Northumberland County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northumberland and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
. In 1910
United Kingdom general election, 1910
There were two general elections held in the United Kingdom in 1910:*United Kingdom general election, January 1910 was held from 15 January – 10 February 1910....
he unsuccessfully contested Tyneside
Tyneside (UK Parliament constituency)
Tyneside was a parliamentary constituency in the Tyneside area of north-east England, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
, and from 1912 to 1927 he served as a member of the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
Commission. Cochrane was a governor of his old school, Repton, from 1921 to 1944.
Cochrane had a had a skill at writing light verse and his writing had a graceful touch. He wrote of cricket - the "uncertain game" - and of "the man who snicketh the length ball." He was interested in the nineteenth-century writers of light verse, especially in J K S (James Kenneth Stephen
James Kenneth Stephen
James Kenneth Stephen was an English poet, and tutor to Prince Albert Victor, eldest son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales.-Early life:...
) and Winthrop Mackworth Praed
Winthrop Mackworth Praed
Winthrop Mackworth Praed was an English politician and poet.-Early life:He was born in London. The family name of Praed was derived from the marriage of the poet's great-grandfather to a Cornish heiress. Winthrop's father, William Mackworth Praed, was a serjeant-at-law. His mother belonged to the...
with whom his verse was compared. Of football he wrote in the poem "To Anthea".
- I once admitted—to my shame—
- That football was a brutal game.
- Because She hates it.
Later he recalled with nostalgia the expeditions in the Highlands of his youth, and lamented that "the way, though once it was short, is long." He contributed to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
for many years on sporting topics, especially on cricket.
Cochrane died at Batheaston
Batheaston
Batheaston is a village and civil parish east of Bath, England , on the north bank of the River Avon. The parish has a population of 2,625...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
at the age of 83.
Cochrane married in 1895 Ethel Noble youngest daughter of Sir Andrew Noble, 1st Baronet. He was the brother of Sir Arthur Cochrane
Arthur Cochrane
Sir Arthur William Steuart Cochrane, KCVO was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.-Biography:...
a distinguished member of the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
and Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane
Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane
Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane, MCS, CMG was the 17th British Resident of Perak and Chief Secretary to Government of Malaya from 1929 to 1930....
of the Federated Malay States service.
Publications
- "The Kestrel's Nest" 1894
- "Leviore Plectro" 1896
- "Told in the Pavilion" 1896
- "Collected Verses" 1903
- "The Sweeper of the Leaves" 1908
- "Later Verses" 1918
- "Records of the Harlequins" 1930
- and verses and articles for Newspapers and Magazines.