William Worsley
Encyclopedia
Col. Sir William Arthington Worsley of Hovingham, 4th Baronet (5 April 1890 – 4 December 1973) was an English
amateur
first-class cricket
er, who captained Yorkshire County Cricket Club
in 1928 and 1929, his only seasons of first-class cricket. He had been unable to accept the captaincy in 1924 due to business commitments.
Born at Hovingham Hall
, Yorkshire
, England
, Worsley followed Major Arthur Lupton
as captain, but only accepted the position after the Yorkshire committee had initially offered Herbert Sutcliffe
the captaincy. Sutcliffe refused the offer after controversy broke out over the decision. The county lost only twice whilst Worsley was captain. He was awarded his county cap in 1928.
He was the son of Sir William Henry Arthington Worsley of Hovingham, 3rd Baronet (born 12 January 1861) and wife Augusta Mary Chivers Bower (died 1913), paternal grandson of Sir Arthington Worsley of Hovingham, 2nd Baronet (21 December 1830 – 3 June 1861) and wife (m. 13 March 1860) Marianne Christina Isabella Hely-Hutchinson (5 May 1832 – 11 August 1893) and maternal grandson of Edward Chivers Bower and wife Amelia Mary Bennett-Martin, the daughter of William Bennett-Martin (1796 – 1847) and wife Augusta Maria Chaloner (died 1859).
A right-handed batsman, he scored 722 runs at 15.69, with a highest score of 60 against Hampshire
, and took 32 catches in the field. His great-uncle, George Cayley, played four games for the MCC
and Cambridge University
.
He was President of Yorkshire CCC from 1960, until his death in 1973; and was President of the MCC in 1962.
He served as a lieutenant and subsequently captain with the Green Howards (now part of the Yorkshire Regiment
) in World War I
. He was wounded and taken prisoner.
He was Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire
from 1951 to 1965.
He married Joyce Morgan Brunner (died 1979), daughter of Sir John Fowler Brunner, 2nd Baronet, and wife Lucy Marianne Vaughan Morgan, on 20 May 1924 at St. Margaret's, Westminster
.
Their only daughter Katharine married Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
, thereby becoming Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent. They also had three sons: Marcus
(5th Baronet, born 6 April 1925), George Oliver (born 22 February 1927), and John Arthington (born 15 July 1928).
In 1967, he was awarded an honorary LLD by the University of Leeds
. The degree was conferred on him by his daughter in her role as Chancellor of the university.
included this short obituary of Worsley:
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
amateur
Amateur status in first-class cricket
Amateur status in first-class cricket had a special meaning, especially in England, in that the amateur in this context was not merely someone who played cricket in his spare time but a particular type of first-class cricketer who existed officially until 1962, when the distinction between amateurs...
first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er, who captained Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
in 1928 and 1929, his only seasons of first-class cricket. He had been unable to accept the captaincy in 1924 due to business commitments.
Born at Hovingham Hall
Hovingham Hall
Hovingham Hall is a Palladian-style mansion in the village of Hovingham, North Yorkshire, England, the home of the Worsley family and the childhood home of the Duchess of Kent. It was built in the 18th century, and the Worsleys have lived in Hovingham since the 16th century...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Worsley followed Major Arthur Lupton
Arthur Lupton
Arthur William Lupton was an English amateur first-class cricketer, who played 104 matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1908 to 1927. He also played for the MCC , the Gentlemen of England and H.D.G...
as captain, but only accepted the position after the Yorkshire committee had initially offered Herbert Sutcliffe
Herbert Sutcliffe
Herbert Sutcliffe was an English professional cricketer who represented Yorkshire and England as an opening batsman. Apart from one match in 1945, his first-class career spanned the period between the two World Wars...
the captaincy. Sutcliffe refused the offer after controversy broke out over the decision. The county lost only twice whilst Worsley was captain. He was awarded his county cap in 1928.
He was the son of Sir William Henry Arthington Worsley of Hovingham, 3rd Baronet (born 12 January 1861) and wife Augusta Mary Chivers Bower (died 1913), paternal grandson of Sir Arthington Worsley of Hovingham, 2nd Baronet (21 December 1830 – 3 June 1861) and wife (m. 13 March 1860) Marianne Christina Isabella Hely-Hutchinson (5 May 1832 – 11 August 1893) and maternal grandson of Edward Chivers Bower and wife Amelia Mary Bennett-Martin, the daughter of William Bennett-Martin (1796 – 1847) and wife Augusta Maria Chaloner (died 1859).
A right-handed batsman, he scored 722 runs at 15.69, with a highest score of 60 against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
, and took 32 catches in the field. His great-uncle, George Cayley, played four games for the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
and Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
.
He was President of Yorkshire CCC from 1960, until his death in 1973; and was President of the MCC in 1962.
He served as a lieutenant and subsequently captain with the Green Howards (now part of the Yorkshire Regiment
Yorkshire Regiment
The Yorkshire Regiment is one of the largest infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment is currently the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county regiment of Yorkshire covering the historical areas...
) in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was wounded and taken prisoner.
He was Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire
Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire
The post of Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire was created in 1660, at the Restoration, and was abolished on 31 March 1974. From 1782 until 1974, all Lords Lieutenant were also Custos Rotulorum of the North Riding of Yorkshire....
from 1951 to 1965.
He married Joyce Morgan Brunner (died 1979), daughter of Sir John Fowler Brunner, 2nd Baronet, and wife Lucy Marianne Vaughan Morgan, on 20 May 1924 at St. Margaret's, Westminster
St. Margaret's, Westminster
The Anglican church of St. Margaret, Westminster Abbey is situated in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on Parliament Square, and is the parish church of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in London...
.
Their only daughter Katharine married Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
The Duke of Kent graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 29 July 1955 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys, the beginning of a military career that would last over 20 years. He was promoted to captain on 29 July 1961. The Duke of Kent saw service in Hong Kong from 1962–63...
, thereby becoming Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent. They also had three sons: Marcus
Marcus Worsley
Sir Marcus John Worsley, 5th Baronet JP MA is a former British Conservative Party politician and a brother of Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Kent.- Family life :...
(5th Baronet, born 6 April 1925), George Oliver (born 22 February 1927), and John Arthington (born 15 July 1928).
In 1967, he was awarded an honorary LLD by the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
. The degree was conferred on him by his daughter in her role as Chancellor of the university.
Wisden obituary
The 1974 edition of Wisden Cricketers' AlmanackWisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
included this short obituary of Worsley:
WORSLEY, COLONEL SIR WILLIAM ARTHINGTON, BART., who died on December 4, aged 83, was President of Yorkshire CCC since 1960. He was in the Eton XI in 1908 and 1909, being top scorer with 42 against Harrow in the first year and afterwards played much Army and club cricket. He became captain of Yorkshire in 1928 and 1929, and although he achieved little as a batsman – he scored 733 runs at an average of 16.28, the county were only twice beaten under his leadership. When he was President of MCC in 1962, he visited India when E R Dexter's MCC team were touring there. While serving with the Green Howards in the First World War, he was wounded and taken prisoner. His daughter, the Duchess of Kent, conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws upon him at Leeds University in 1967.