C.B.

FRY
A POLYMATH.THE BEST SPORTSMAN EVER TO PLAY CRICKET? I first became aware of the life of Charles Burgess Fry when I purchased the biography C.B. Fry, King of Sports by Iain Winton about a decade ago. Perhaps it was his middle name Burgess, one branch of his family reaching back centuries and the surname of my grandmothers family line. Maybe; but was it more to do with my love of cricket and a fascination with the Golden Age of Cricket around the turn of the 20th Century? Perhaps it was the fact that Fry represented his country at cricket and football (soccer) and held a world record in athletics. Maybe it was the fact that he married the woman involved in the biggest sex scandal of the age, that he a private audience with Adolf Hitler or that he suffered from depression and a self destructive belief in the paranormal, that he revolutionised the art of batting along with his great friend Kumar Ranjitsinhji, the eventual ruler of an Indian state, or nearly became King of a European country. It was all of these things and more. He was also a politician, a diplomat and it is said one of the finest minds of his age. At the end of the 1800s and early 1900s C.B Fry was the most famous and idolised person in England. C.B Fry was born in 1872 in Croyden, South London. His family were not wealthy although the Burgess line had once been so, but lately had fallen on hard times. At the age of six he developed a fascination for jumping and would hurdle obstacles made of garden cane in his parents back yard. At this tender age he entered his first high jump and won. This was a sign of things to come. At the age of twelve he was playing for the West Kent Football team and playing cricket for his school. On one occasion he struck an umpire at square leg and knocked him out. The unfortunate umpire was the nephew of Timothy Duke the founder of the famous Duke Cricket bat and ball which is still used today in England. Joseph Wells was taken to a local pub to recover and did so after downing a glass of water. Just as well he did as C.B would have been responsible of accidentally killing the father of H.G.Wells.

REPTON SCHOOL DAYS C.B spent most of his school days at Repton. It is worth noting some of Reptons old boys, Roald Dahl, Basil Rathbone and Harold Abrahams (both contemporaries of C.B) and more recently Jeremy Clarkson who was apparently asked to leave! At Repton he excelled and was the cricket captain, their best ever footballer up till that time, broke numerous athletic records and even finished first in the diving competition. In one cricket match he even played against The Demon Fred Spofforth who was playing for the Derbyshire Friars at the time. He won school prizes for Latin verse, Greek verse, Latin prose, French and runner up in German. He was even in the top three in a singing competition which piqued his interest in acting and many years later led him to Hollywood where he met the aforementioned old Reptonian, Basil Rathbone in the hope of Hollywood fame. He also excelled at debating on such topics as religion, poetry, politics and ethics. At school C.Bs methods of batting were developing and evolving in a radical departure from the norm. At this time if a batsman hit the ball to the leg-side in an unusual manner it was considered bad form and usually resulted in an apology to the bowler. The hook shot was not yet seen. Play was off the front foot. The opposition expected the batsman to drive off side like a gentleman, not heave from off stump to the leg side as C.B often did. There was a staid Victorian ethos to coaching that reflected class distinction in this age. Only professionals practiced and amateurs relied on natural talent, temperament, refinement and their Britishness. C.B was an amateur but went against expectations and practiced incessantly.

OXFORD- FRYS COLLEGE. Upon leaving Repton, C.B sat the Oxford entry exams. Not only did he top the results but beat F.E. Smith who would become his best friend at Wandham College. Smith was considered the greatest mind of his generation and who later became Lord Chancellor and Winston Churchills best friend. Wandham College was not one of Oxfords oldest colleges being founded in 1610. Early in his time at Wanham, C.B met a man named Routh who despite being in his 90s was still president of Magdalen College. Routh regaled C.B. with stories of Wandhams past including how he had seen undergraduates hanged on the orders of the Vice-Chancellor who at the time could decide on the justice of undergraduates! In his first year at Wandham, CB regularly won the 100yds, 120yd hurdles, high jump and long jump as well as the hammer throw and shot put. However it was the long jump that C.B excelled. In his first year he broke the British record of 23 feet 5 inches. It was also only one month into his first year at college that he made his first appearance for England at football. The game was against Canada who was touring Britain. They played 60 games and won 13 and it was due to the weakness of the Canadians that England was represented by amateurs like Fry rather that paid professionals. However at 19 years of age this was a tremendous achievement for Fry. Great success was achieved also at college football where Fry recruited his great friend F.E. Smith who had little experience at the game but eventually became an integral member of the team. Frys rational for recruiting him was probably based initially on their friendship and his opinion that he would be no worse than some of the other team members, and besides would be useful to argue with the ref. C.B also made his debut as a county cricketer in the same year and in one game played with Malcolm Jardine the father of Douglas who was later to bring Bodyline bowling to infamy. At the end of his first year C.B had attained a Blue at three sports which was unprecedented for a first year student.

More success was to be achieved in C.Bs second year. At Iffey Road, the same venue that Roger Bannister would later achieve immortality, Fry equalled the world record for the long jump. As his distance of 23 feet six and a half inches was measured from the take off board, it was considered superior to the U.S.As Charles Reber where apparently the Americans sported different rules. Rebers distance had been measured from where he took off and not from the take off board. It was noted that C.B took off 3 or 4 inches behind the board. This was not the only achievement in his sophomore year. By the end of 1894, he had appeared in county cricket, scored a first class hundred, won his second successive triple blue and won an English cap at football to go along with his equalling world record. The first first-class century was made for Sussex, a county he would serve with distinction for the next 20 years and was against Gloucestershire led by the grand old man W.G. Grace. As if this was not enough, C.B tried his hand at rugby in his 3rd year, and with some success. Playing for Oxford, Blackheath and The Corinthians, Fry was a revelation. It was said that the Corinthians, playing with a number of athletes such as Fry, combining speed and agility revolutionised the game and sped up rugby forward play. It is also of note that at the time referees would allow the game to continue until one side appealed against an infringement from the other side. Fry was destined not to receive his blue at rugby as he was injured for the game against Cambridge. It was left to his great granddaughter 100 years later for a Fry to gain that distinction. Despite this he did come under the gaze of the English selectors, again reinforcing Frys stead as a sportsman beyond comparison in England at the time. C.B even received an unofficial blue at ice skating while at Oxford. It is little wonder that Wandham became known as Frys College with Fry and the small fry. He attracted the nickname Almighty and was at the time of leaving college and for many years to come the biggest celebrity in England.

THE START OF A CRICKET CAREER, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE OLYMPICS NO ONE KNEW ABOUT. Upon leaving Oxford, Fry was invited by Lord Hawke to tour South Africa with an English side and this was to result in C.Bs first international cap at cricket. England payed three Tests against the hosts and although C.B performed admirably in the first two Tests the series was dominated by the Englishman George Lohmann who took 37 wickets at 12.75 runs in the three Tests. Lohmann played in 18 Test matches and captured 112 wickets at 10.75. It is little wonder that Don Bradman regarded Lohmann as the best bowler to have played the game at least going by his figures, as Bradman would never have seen him bowl as Lohmann died in 1901. Fry had the ignominy of having to sit out the last Test due to a horse riding accident that Fry was to say was the closest shave I have ever had in my life. After returning to England in 1896, it would have been assumed that Fry would have competed in the first Olympic Games of the modern era. The truth as Fry put it was that he was unaware that the Games were actually being held. Considering his world record leap in the long jump a few years earlier he would have competed and probably won. Added to this was the standing high jump and long jump which although Fry had never officially competed in would have been a natural for him. Fry had an exceptionally strong spring and this was on numerous occasions demonstrated by Frys famous party trick. According to numerous eye witnesses over the years C.B would, take up a position in front of an arm chair and clear it with one spring; or, more dramatically, would face the mantelpiece, crouch down, take a leap upwards, turn in the air, and bow to the gallery with his feet planted firmly on the shelf. It is said he could still complete this feat into his 70s. In the same year that Fry could have competed in the Athens Olympics he started playing county cricket again for Sussex. However because of his social status as an amateur he would not be paid and this was to present a major quandary for Fry as he was not financial enough to support himself and play cricket full time. (On one occasion while at college he took a job as a nude model to pay his way). Instead he took up a position as a school master at Charterhouse. This was of particular interest to me as most of the members of the band Genesis also attended Charterhouse many years later in the late

1960s, as did the larger than life Peter Grant, long time manager of Led Zeppelin. To further supplement his income Fry also took up journalism which was to become a lifelong profession. This was to assist him to play cricket on a more full time basis but it was what happened next in this remarkable individuals life that was to set him up financially for the rest of his life. And it is a remarkable story and one that involved the biggest sex scandal of the age.

BEATRICE AND CHARLES HOARE- A LOVE STORY Beatrice Sumner was from an aristocratic family but with waning family fortunes. She was headstrong, athletic and very beautiful. She put her athleticism to good use by riding with the men on regular fox hunts and at the age of fifteen she came under the gaze of Charles Hoare. Hoare also came from an aristocratic background but unlike the Sumners, his family were extremely wealthy. So at fifteen, Beatrice began an affair with Charles Hoare, a man twice her age, and to make matters worse he was married with children. This was not a good look in the mid 1870s especially when at 17 years of age Beatrice was caught in a compromising position in the bedroom of Charles Hoare. The affair continued until Beatrices father eventually confronted Hoare and forbade him to see his daughter who was then sent away for two years. In this time the pair corresponded and eventually when she returned they started seeing each other in secret. Beatrice even staged an accident by falling off her horse outside Hoares house and ended up staying in the bedroom downstairs from Hoares long suffering wife. The affair was to linger on for another two years before Beatrices father again intervened and served Charles with an injunction preventing him from having intercourse or communication, directly or indirectly. Furthermore Beatrice was made a ward of the state. Matters were further complicated when Mrs Sumner needed a loan and Beatrices suggestion was to contact Charles Hoare. Despite initial protests Mrs Sumner eventually acquiesced and Beatrice posted a letter to her lover which was accepted. This led to the story that persisted for over a hundred years that Charles had bought Beatrice from her parents for 3,000 pounds.

The story did not end there by a long shot. Beatrice was sent on a trip to Europe with the half brother of Beatrices uncle, Major Fitzhardinge Kingscote. This ploy backfired on Beatrices father as Fitz also borrowed money off Hoare and in this way kept in contact with Beatrice. What followed on their return were a number of near meetings between the two lovers but which Hoare resisted temptation because of the injunction in relation to intercourse and communication. Finally after her 21st birthday they did finally meet which quickly resulted in Beatrice becoming pregnant. The scandal eventually reached the newspapers in London and with Charles position and his connections to people, who served royalty, was the talk of the town. Something had to give and Charles was eventually charged with contempt of court for disobeying the injunction. Despite a well attended and famous court hearing Charles got off virtually scot free as Fitz seemed to come under the most criticism for aiding and abetting the liaisons and the fact that Charles had resisted temptation on a number of occasions to meet with Beatrice. And so it was that Charles and Beatrice were free to live together despite Charles still being married to Mrs Hoare. As Charles had been ostracised from his hunting group he decided to pursue his other interest which was sailing and after purchasing a number of boats started up a sail training school. Central to this was the purchase of the 110,400 ton barque, The Mercury. This gave both Beatrice and Charles an outlet after hunting and attempted to put the scandal behind them. Beatrice in particular took to the life and started dressing in trousers and climbing the rigging and showing great example to the students. Despite welcoming their second child, they were however growing apart. Eventually they separated but with Charles continuing to financially support the school. The school, now known as The Mercury and located at Hamble, often played host to many important and famous guests, W.G Grace and C.B amongst them. It appears that on visiting the Mercury there was an immediate attraction between C.B and Beatrice. At first C.B befriended Charles but by 1898 it was clear that the affair between Beatrice and Charles Hoare was over when C.B resigned from Charterhouse and married Beatrice.

Did C.B marry Beatrice for her money, her aristocratic background or were they simply in love? Did the marriage offer redemption for Beatrice and an opportunity for Charles to ease his conscience? What was certain was that with the continued financial backing of Charles Hoare who was still fond of Beatrice and remained a friend of C.B, that he could now concentrate on his cricket and remain an amateur which he felt was his birthright. However there was a twist in that 8 months after their marriage they produced a child (Charis) which many believed to be Charles Hoares, the product of a final fling with Beatrice. Wilton in his book makes the claim for the first time the father was in fact Hoares. A CRICKET CAREER UNDERWAY C.B was now back to cricket full time and in 1898 amongst other feats, was only the 9th person to score a first class century in each innings. It was certain that marrying Beatrice had turned around his cricket as not only not having to worry about finances but his cricket practice set- up at the Mercury gave him the opportunity to practice for hours on end. Even Beatrice assisted with this by throwing him balls in the nets. In fact on one occasion batting in the nets to the famous bowler Alfred Shaw, he hit a straight drive 145 yards 3 inches which translates to 133.5 metres. This is astonishing when one considers the standard of bat he would have been using compared the blunderbusses used in the modern era. The only main setback for the year was being called for throwing which was to eventually curtail his bowling career. In 1899 C.B was selected to not only play against the Australian tourists but was also appointed a selector. Up to this stage the English team was always selected by the corresponding county committee where the game was to be played. Today this seems astonishing and at the time led to a confusing array of chopping and changing from one Test to another. And so it was that C.B opened the innings with W.G. Grace who, at the age of fifty was in the twilight of his career. In fact the story goes that before the 2nd Test at a meeting of the selection committee and just as C.B had entered the room, W.G asked him if he thought Archie MacLaren should be selected. As W.G had asked for a simple yes or no, Charles replied without hesitation yes. Little did he know that the matter in question was should W.G make way for

MacLaren. That settles it was W.Gs reply and so ended his famous Test career. C.B performed poorly over the 1899 Test series with a number of promising starts where he did not go on. This was exemplified by the last Test where he made a painstaking 60 only to be out on the same score the next morning. To add to his frustrations C.B scored a number of big scores between Tests. During the 1900 season C.B was the first player to score a century and a double century in the same first class match. . Also during the 1900 season Fry was to score 13 centuries with 6 of these being in a row. This is a feat that has only been repeated twice since, by Sir Donald Bradman and the South African Mike Proctor. However with the state of pitches in Frys time his feat could be argued as the greatest batting feat of all time. It was another season where both he and Ranji were to dominate the County batting aggregates and averages. In fact between 1898 and 1901 the two of them were to score a combined 16,500 runs for their county. With Frys ondriving and Ranjis leg glancing they were to revolutionise batting. Both players bucked the trend at the time of playing forward at all times. With their backfoot play they could be regarded as being responsible for inventing modern batting. Although they didnt open the batting together they formed many long partnerships, so much so that the Sussex management replaced stiff wooden chairs in the pavilion for the players with comfy armchairs to make their turn to bat a little more comfortable. Fry and Ranji presented a celebrity couple for the age, Fry with his Hollywood good looks and his celebrity status and Ranji, an immaculate elegantly dressed Indian Prince. They represented the rationalism of the West and the mystique and elegance of the East.

FOOTBALL After leaving college, C.B continued to play football for a number of sides and in particular Corinthians and Southampton. In 1896 C.B played 4 games for the Corinthians and then over the next six seasons on a more regular basis. During this time, the team would undertake annual tours of Scotland and Northern England. Frys belief in the class system was also demonstrated in his attitude to the amateur in English Football. Fry believed that the penalty box was not necessary for the gentleman amateur and stated that it was an insult that the amateur would intend to trip or push in the penalty area! In 1900 Fry joined Southampton, at the time the dominant side in English Football. His reasoning for this was that he considered it his best chance to come under the gaze of the English selectors. It had been 10 years since he had gained his first English cap and was keen to be considered for a second. He also believed that an amateur could become an integral part of a side which was essentially a professional outfit. Fry would only have to wait one season. On March 9th 1901 against the Irish national team, C.B played his second and final International for his country. Despite England winning 3-0 it was expected that they would win by a larger margin. Wholesale changes were made and C.B was one of the casualties. Despite this C.B remained the most popular player in England and in 1902 was to become the first amateur since 1893 to play in an F.A Cup Final. Despite a draw in the game including a doubtful goal by Southampton, the replay was to result in a win to the opposition Sheffield. Within another year C.Bs football career had come to an end. C.B was not a brilliant footballer but combined his exceptional speed with a certain artistry that was up to that time devoid in defensive play. It was said his reputation was enhanced by his amateur status and his reputation as an exceptional all- rounder. It is certain that there will never be a sportsman who combined a career of record breaking batsmanship and athletics with a successful football career.

CRICKET CONTINUED In 1902 C.Bs suspect bowling action finally caught up with him. The fact that he had not been rubbed out before was probably due to the umpires reluctance at no balling a gentleman amateur. Again this was another example of the class system that pervaded at the time. Batting was for gentleman, bowling was for professionals. Masters batted, servants bowled. Fry at this time also proposed that wickets should be covered and that there should be a County knock out competition. C.B was ahead of his time with his thinking as pitches were finally covered in 1963 and it was 70 years after his initial proposal that the first Gillette Cup knockout series was played in England. Fry had another disappointing series against the Australian tourists in 1902. C.B was very highly strung and suffered badly from nerves. Once he had been at the crease for an extended period of time he settled down to his work. Unfortunately the Australians didnt give him the opportunity for a long stay at the crease and his average of 1.25 in Tests contrasted markedly from his average of around 40 for Sussex. Ranji didnt fare much better during the Test series and only averaged 4.75. 1903 stood in complete contrast to the previous year and his county average of over 80 stood testament to that. He hit eight hundreds including twin centuries against Kent in the last match of the season. It was however the partnership with MacLaren in the Gentlemen vs. Players match where they combined in a partnership of over 300 in less than 3 hours that the Daily Telegraph described as one of the most wonderful things in the history of cricket. It was no wonder that at the end of the season that the Sussex committee offered to reward Fry for 10 years of loyal service with a gift. When asked what he would like Fry responded with a letter requesting a motor car, an 8hp MMC (Motor Manufacturing Co). C.B had even priced it (270 pounds) and organised a discount of 50 pounds. Despite this C.B was not to get the car he wanted but a Clement instead. It seems that C.B was an early aficionado of motoring in England, an interest that was to stay with him for the remainder of his life.

In 1904 C.B declined an invitation to tour Australia for the Ashes series. As a consolation he was offered and accepted the Sussex captaincy. His reasons for declining the tour to the Colonies was most likely financial and the fact that he would be away from The Mercury and his family for six months. Being an amateur meant that he would not be paid a touring fee and only be reimbursed for expenses. Little wonder that touring teams were not as strong as teams playing on English soil. Frys first job as captain was to recruit the Australian Michael Dwyer, a fast bowler with the unlikely first names of John Elicius Benedict Bernard Placid Quirk Carrington Dwyer, or E.B of short. The 1904 season was a good one for Fry as he almost amassed 3000 runs and shared in a number of large and productive partnerships with his opening partner Joe Vine. In fact it is worth noting that it was not exclusively Fry and Ranji who dominated this Golden Age of Sussex cricket but history tells us that Vine was a major element to the counties success during this time. In fact, the Fry/Vine opening partnership was the most successful in the history of first class cricket up to that time. However there was some friction between C.B and Vine as the latter was expected to play second fiddle to C.B the amateur gentleman and Vine consistently came under much mocking for his slow scoring when in fact he was an attacking batsman in nature. This discrimination against the professional Vine was yet another illustration of the English class system at work.

In 1905 it was the Australians turn to tour England and it was this tour that C.B finally made his breakthrough as an English batsman. Leading into the 1st Test C.B was in imperious form and in one innings became the 3rd player after W.G. and Ranji to score 13 double centuries in first class cricket. And so it was that after scoring 73 in an earlier Test he came to the last Test at the Oval and coming in at 2-32 he completely dominated the Australian bowling to score 144 for his maiden International century, at 33 years of age. Not only was it a century, it was a century to saviour, being described by Plum Warner as an innings that will live in cricket history.

This was indeed a satisfying series for C.B as his Test average of 58 would testify: he had finally proved at 33 years of age he could dominate Test Cricket. The 1906 season however was to be a huge let down as C.B was wracked with injury. He would have to find other pursuits to fill out his time. C.B THE JOURNALIST Fry was not only a prolific batsman and outstanding all round athlete, he was also a noted author. It was this talent as a wordsmith that enabled him to earn an income over his cricket career and indeed his life after cricket. C.B certainly had a way with words when he described crickets appeal: Half the charm of playing cricket is that you knock up against men as they really are. There is something in the game that smothers pretence and affectation, and gives air to character: Cricket he maintained, Finds the truth even more surely than wine. C.B wrote for many magazines on all manner of subjects. He wrote for the Daily Chronicle, the Westminster Gazette, Lloyds News, the Athletics News and the Daily Express. He was prolific and according to his editors required no editing or correcting. In 1904, George Newnes the owner of the magazine, The Captain, which C.B had regularly been contributing articles, persuaded him to put his name to a new magazine, Frys Magazine. C.B took to this with relish and not only wrote for it but edited, produced and oversaw every aspect of the magazines layout. It was during this time and because of Frys standing in the community that he was invited to play a role in the establishment of the scouting movement. Although he eventually declined, he struck up a long term friendship with Lord Baden-Powell. The invitation to establish the Scouts in Britain had come from Thompson Seton who had started scouting in the United States. He perceived C.B as an ideal choice to be the head of the scouts in Britain. Frys reason for declining the offer was that he didnt think scouting would take off in England due to its lack of mountains, forests and space. He noted could you have Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn in Surrey? However C.B did contribute to the movement as five scout patrols were established at The Mercury and after Baden Powell had visited Hamble, he was inspired to ask his brother to establish the Sea Scouts. The first recruits were Mercury trainees. C.Bs

association with boys groups such as the Scouts were to come back and haunt him in later life due to an invitation to visit Nazi Germany before the outbreak of World War II. Fry was an early supporter of flying as well as motoring. Through is editorship of Frys magazine he predicted that Britons would be able to book flights on aeroplanes before 1909. In fact he won a 10 Pound bet on that very prediction. Motoring became a passion for C.B as it did for his wife, apparently a particularly aggressive driver who, on one particular occasion left Willis their chauffeur (who mainly sat in the passengers seat) white in the face for a fortnight. Frys notoriety came to the fore in 1909 when P.G. Wodehouse wrote a satire entitled The Swoop about the invasion of England by several neighbouring countries. This satire was intended to illustrate the countries fascination with sport, especially cricket, to the detriment of the armed services and the defence of the nation. Wodehouse has Fry just about to complete his 8th successive century when the seriousness of the invasion becomes apparent with the invading Russians walking in front of the sight screen, troops start to trample on the cricket pitch and on a nearby golf course the greens are being dented by the jack boots of the invading hoards who refuse to replace their divots. It was indeed fortunate then that 14 year old Clarence Chugwater eventually came to the rescue and turned back the menacing hordes with his scouting skills. By this time Frys Magazine had attained tremendous success and enjoyed a circulation of 100,000 readers, significant for the times. C.B milked this for all it was worth by securing numerous kick back endorsements and appearing in any advertisement he could. In fact at this time he was featuring in more advertisements than W.G Grace. Products included Craven tobacco, Perrier Water, Sanatogen tablets and the best fit of all, Fry chocolates. C.Bs income was also swelling due to his journalism of football and of course cricket. To some this was incompatible with being an amateur especially writing about cricket games that were still in progress. There is no doubt C.B stretched the rules in regard to receiving payments as an amateur and was indeed fortunate that the rules were not enforced more rigorously.

The pinnacle of Frys writing were perhaps his authorship of two of the most important works in crickets literary history, the seminal Great Batsmen in 1905 and Great Bowlers and Fielders in 1907. Accompanied by Frys brilliant prose were over 600 pictures by the cricket photographer George Beldam. These books are considered classics and are still sort after. Fry even wrote a fiction novel (A Mothers Son) of varying quality whose hero was so close as to be a facsimile of Fry himself. It was not one of C.Bs better efforts and was completely ignored in his own autobiography. CRICKET & THE MERCURY CONTINUED In 1907 the South Africans toured England and there was initial talk of C.B being made captain. However due to an injury he sustained the previous season, the beginning of the 1907 season was not what he had hoped. Despite a run of low scores he was named in the team but with Reginald Foster as captain. This gave Foster the distinction of being the only person to have captained England at both cricket and football (1902). Fry performed admirably in the First Test and in the Second Test scored a half century on an unplayable wicket. It seemed as though he was the only batsman on either side who had the technique to play on such a wicket and in the final analysis was the difference between the two sides. However it was in the Third Test that C.B played what was considered the best innings of his life. Again it was played on a diabolical wicket where he was the only batsman who seemed to master the turning spitting conditions. His innings of 129 was his second and final Test century and the first century scored in England against South Africa. It was said the South Africans felt that at any moment throughout the game they would take a wicket but with Fry they had given up all hope of dismissing him. The Mercury continued to play a large part in C.Bs life. Up till now Charles Hoare had been the driving force and despite the history between them C.B had much admiration for Hoare. After all Hoare had come to C.Bs rescue by alleviating his financial difficulties and perhaps he saw Charles Hoare as somewhat of a father figure. Conversely Hoare had been able to resurrect his personal reputation by his ongoing commitment to The Mercury. By this time The Mercury had gained a reputation as a highly regarded training facility

which provided a perfect entre into The Royal Navy or a position with a merchant fleet. However when Hoare died in 1908, the facility was in danger of closing. It was Fry who came to the rescue by helping to raise the monies to ensure the Mercury continued to operate. As well as providing the skill at fund raising, C.B became involved in the recruitment of new applicants to The Mercury. However it was the method of choosing which applicants made it through which was typical C.B. As applicants were located from the length and breadth of the country, it was difficult for many to travel for an interview. C.Bs answer to this was a written application together with a photo of their mother. If the photo took C.Bs fancy they were in. He was certain this was a method of which he could place complete trust in. Frys notoriety enabled him to pull off feats that would have been beyond the reach of most people. In one instance he persuaded Winston Churchill, who was then the First Lord of the Admiralty, and happened to be visiting Hamble, to take possession of another boat that was superfluous to the Royal Navy. Despite this victory and the fact that C.B was involved with The Mercury from the early 1900s to 1940, it was really Beatrice who was the driving force behind the school. In fact she ran the school on a day to day basis. Her iron fist as a disciplinarian was evident as she took an almost fanatical interest in the boys, reading their outgoing and in going letters to and from home, monitoring when they went to the toilet and making harsh assessments in writing of their progress. One example, His life seems to have been sadly mismanaged. He fights discipline the whole time..Really disobedient and unprogressive. One wonders what this boys parents must have made of this remark. It was said that Beatrices cruel treatment of the boys worked to the advantage of ex students when they joined the army, navy or air force as these establishments seemed like a holiday camp compared to the austerity of The Mercury. Indeed two ex students who survived a prisoner of war camp in Germany during the Second World War agreed if they could survive Hamble they could survive Nazi captivity. 1909 was a pivotal year for Fry as this was the year he switched his allegiances from Sussex to Hampshire. The decision was in part due to the fact he was living in Hampshire where The Mercury was located. He was leaving behind a club in the doldrums with financial pressures and disgruntled supporters.

Again in 1909 Fry was selected to play in the Ashes against the touring Australians. Despite scoring a golden duck in the first innings of the First Test he managed to steer England to victory with a painstaking 35 in the second innings. In two short days C.B had transformed himself from villain to hero. Success was not to follow as he missed the 2nd Test due to appearing in a fraud case involving his brother in law and was dismissed cheaply in both innings of the 3rd Test. Consequently he was dropped for the next game despite being one of the selectors. Then due to some good innings for Hampshire he was recalled for the final Test where he redeemed himself with innings of 62 and 35 to finish the series with a respectable average of 35. His involvement in the selection committee however left much to be desired as did the remainder of the group who over the five Tests selected 25 players including no fast bowlers in two Tests. It has been postulated that Beatrice may have influenced C.B in his decision making and such was her influence over him that she may have in fact been the fifth unofficial selector for the Test series. The next season, 1910 was one which C.B missed almost entirely. The reason for this was that at age forty eight Beatrice gave birth. Apparently the pregnancy was her attempt to save the marriage as C.B was busy having an affair with an un-named nurse from Netley Hospital. As soon as Beatrice discovered C.Bs infidelity she demanded he end the liaison. Despite the fact that C.B had raised three children all fathered by Charles Hoare, he immediately ceased the relationship and for another quarter century did not see the nurse until she was near to death. Amazingly the following season proved to be one of Frys best as he topped the national averages at 72 runs per innings, all at the age of thirty nine. Even more astounding was that this average was a third better than the next batsman. He also became the first player to score 15 first class double centuries. The stage was now set for C.B to at last tour Down Under in the 1911 Ashes series. Despite being named the captain, he agonised over whether he would accept the offer but due to his commitment to the Mercury eventually declined. This was eventually forced upon him when a fund raising attempt to compensate him financially while he was away failed miserably. CBs dream of playing Test Cricket in The Colonies had finally evaporated.

The disappointment of failing to visit the old enemys turf was softened the next season when at the grand age of forty C.B was appointed captain of his country for the first time. There seemed to be no stopping his energy and brilliance, a brilliance that radiated out to dominate English cricket at the dawn of the 20th century. Again C.B topped the county averages for the 6th time as well as writing what was and probably still is the most acclaimed instructional tome on the art and technique of batting (entitled Batsmanship) in the storied history of the game. Of course he had, as always, his detractors as many were critical that C.B was portraying batting as a science and not an art. Of course these claims were without foundation and the book continued to inspire cricketers for the remainder of the century, most famously a young Douglas Jardine. For all of his success, in the 1912 triangular series of that year between England, Australia and South Africa, C.B again failed to live up to expectations. In every Test leading up to the final deciding contest (appropriately at C.Bs favourite ground, The Oval), the captain seemed nervous and fidgety in every visit to the crease. Fry, the enigma, again defied the odds and in the final and deciding innings of the series when all batsmen had failed to survive the unplayable conditions, he finally realised his potential with an innings that was slowly constructed but eventually realised 79 runs. Wisden described it simply as a masterpiece. The importance and indeed the mastery of the innings was soon demonstrated when the Australians were quickly fired out for 65 runs. C.B had led the English to victory in the triangular series; all his batting failures in the Tests leading up to the decider, now a fading memory. In 1913 Fry failed to play first class cricket for the first time in 22 years. However, despite persistent rumours that C.B had finally retired from cricket, in typical fashion he returned in 1914 in a blaze of glory with a magnificent century in his second match back for Hampshire. The fact that his absence from the crease was closer to 24 months than 12 months made the comeback even more astonishing. The World of Cricket described the innings without a chance or even a bad stroke. However the remainder of the season was not to prove as fruitful. At one match at The Oval he not only failed in both innings with the bat but also had to chase a ball hit by Andy Ducat so far that the batsman ran a 7. Ducats

infamy also extended to be the only batsman ever to die while batting mid innings at Lords. In the Gentlemen v Players match in which C.B captained the amateurs, he turned a blind eye to his Hampshire colleague Jaques using leg theory to an extreme coupled with a stacked leg side field that pre dated Jardines Bodyline by a decade. In the same match C.B was caught by the promising Warwickshire bowler Percy Jeeves. Observing in the stands the journalist and novelist P.G Wodehouse was struck by the name Jeeves. Reginald Jeeves, the butler and valet in Wodehouses books was to become the longest running fictional character in literary history and the name synonymous with valets and butlers. THE GREAT WAR AND THE END OF CRICKET While Fry was able bodied in 1914 he saw no active service in The Great War. Instead he was given the grand title of Commander Fry and continued to play a role at The Mercury. The title of Commander it seems went to his head as he demanded to be addressed in this manner at all times. He insisted that the cricket scoring cards list him as Commander Fry and at one dinner he stormed out as the name card on the table omitted his new title. While C.B continued to be involved with The Mercury, it was Beatrice that was really pivotal to the everyday running of the operation. It was then in 1918 that she received an OBE in that years Royal birthday honours for her services to naval training. It was a remarkable turnaround for someone who had fallen so far from grace in her early years that it seemed impossible that she would ever recover her good name. Her metamorphous continued over the next decade when she played host to two future kings. Beatrice however had lost none of her front as she berated the future King Edward the VIII for his excessive smoking. By wars end and Fry approaching his 50s it again seemed that the brilliant cricket career of C.B Fry was well and truly over. Against all odds in 1921 playing for his county, Fry scored 137 in the first innings and backed up with a well made 57 in the second innings. It seemed that a layoff of five years away from the game had not dulled C.Bs senses. His name even started to come up as a possible member of the 1921 Test team; such was the palace nature of

English cricket following the war. Not only was C.B at the age of 49 thought of as still one of the premier batsman in the country, he even received a letter from the English selectors enquiring of his interest in leading the team. Unfortunately by a combination of Frys hesitancy and a series of low scores just before the First Test, he missed his opportunity. Although Fry did not play in the Lords Test, he did play a vital part in the result and again displayed an uncanny knack of making an improbable suggestion turn to gold. One day before the Test C.B decided that his county captain, Lionel Tennyson should be selected to face the speed barrage of Gregory and Macdonald. Following a lengthy train trip and 12 hours before the game was due to begin; C.B persuaded the selectors to include the inconsistent Tennyson. Lionel Tennyson was quite a character. He was the grandson of former Poet Laureate, Lord Tennyson, employed his county wicket keeper as his valet, employed a footman to field for him and had a chauffeur drive him each night the 80 metres from his home to his favourite club. The chauffer would be compelled to wait till 3am in the morning to drive him the 80 metres back to his flat. Tennyson justified this as it tired me to walk when it is not for cricket, golf or dancing. And so it was that at midnight before the Test was due to begin that Tennyson received the phone call at his club that he was to report to Lords later that day to play in his first Test match. Instead of hurrying home to bed, Tennyson stayed long enough to make a 50 Pound bet that he would score a half century which he duly did after making 5 in the first innings, thus vindicating C.Bs expert hunch. Alas England still suffered a heavy defeat and again pressure came on the selectors to appoint Fry as captain. This time Fry was ready willing and able, that was until he injured his finger taking a brilliant catch at square leg in a tour match against the Australians. The ball stuck but C.Bs last chance at captaining England slipped through his fingers. Sadly C.Bs last county match produced a duck. It was an ill fitting way to end a glorious cricket career.

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS Now that Fry had put cricket behind him he certainly didnt rest on his laurels. At the end of the war Ranji was offered one of three places in the Indian delegation to the newly formed League of Nations. Ranji jumped at the chance to play an active part in the peace process and invited C.B along as his assistant. It appears the two friends had a splendid time in Geneva entertaining all and sundry. On one occasion Ranji put on a sumptuous banquet for the most important and most elegant women in Geneva. At the table each woman received a watercolour and a bouquet of roses, out of season, tied up with a ribbon which matched Ranjis racing colours. C.B was enchanted by the daughter of the Siamese ambassador to Rome, Mrs Wellington Koo and a secretary, called Stephanie, in Siams delegation, who resembled a large doll, spoke goodness knows how many languages, just about runs the entire Secretariat of Siam, wore the neatest black silk stockings on the neatest of legs imaginable, drove an enormous racing car, and would tango with an A.D.C on the staff of an Italian Military Advisorto unstinted applause. By now you should be getting the picture, CB and Ranji were having the time of their lives, with the Mercury and Beatrice a distant memory, for the time being at least. The two had stints at the League of Nations in 1920, 1922 and 1923. But it was not always fun and games. As Ranji was on the Finance Committee, it was C.Bs job to fully brief him on all matters relating to budgetary and financial issues. C.B did such a good job that Ranji decided to appoint C.B as his delegate at the meetings. As Ranji was famous for uncontrollable spending and C.B for his poor form with Maths, they combined as an unlikely duo to keep track of the Leagues finances. At one stage, as some delegates were not paying their subscriptions one suggestion was to create a casino with all profits going to the Leagues finances. However C.Bs greatest contribution to the League, and on his last visit to Geneva, was playing a hand in reversing Mussolinis invasion of Corfu. In 1923, while France occupied the Ruhr in Germany, Mussolini believed he would not be noticed if he invaded Corfu. Greece appealed to the League to intervene and instruct the Italian dictator to relent but Mussolini believed the matter was

outside the competence of the League. This was the first real test for the League. It was decided that C.B, at incredibly short notice, as immediately, was to write a speech which was to read by Ranji. It was to include a threat of naval intervention along with a treatise on the principals and ideals of the League. C.Bs hurriedly composed speech written in English, but translated into French for delivery, sounded superb and carried the day as the Italian delegation feigned headaches when they were due to lunch with Ranji the next day. Shortly after the Italian troops were ordered home and thanks in part to C.B a major international incident had been averted. However this was not the only claim to fame C.B bore during his time in Geneva. Incredibly C.B Fry had the chance of becoming the King of Albania. The throne had become vacant during the First World War when the head of Albanias royal family, the Wieds, decided to return to his native Germany. So it was that the countrys representative in Geneva was given the task of finding a suitable replacement to sit on the throne. It was rumoured that the ideal candidate would be an English country gentleman with an annual income of 10,000 pounds. A three man delegation, including a bishop who bore a striking resemblance to W.G. Grace was charged with the task of finding a suitable candidate. It was under these circumstances and C.Bs relationship with Ranji that he came under the gaze of the good Bishop. The enquiry was made to Ranji who then made the casual question to Fry, Carlos, would you like to be King of Albania? Ranji then organised the largest suite in the Hotel de la Paix and supplied C.B with four of his best servants in order to create the impression to the Bishop that he had all the requisite qualifications. Ranji instructed C.B to try to look as English as possible with the air of a country gentleman and impress upon the Bishop of his ability to generate 10,000 pounds per year. While all went well with the meeting, Ranji gradually went off the idea of supplying his friend 10,000 pounds per year and tried to impress C.B of the lonely life of living in a castle with every chance of being assassinated. Eventually the proposal ran its course and luckily for Fry he was never officially offered the position, as ironically in 1939 Mussolini invaded the country.

A TILT AT POLITICS On his return from Geneva, Frys life was to take another detour but an expected one. In 1922 C.B ran as a Liberal for the seat of Brighton. C.B had always had a liberal view of the world and believed in social reform, such as housing and garden cities as well as the health of the general population. He believed in the importance of local councils which pushed for more open spaces, improved sanitation and generally improved housing standards. It was these beliefs that put C.B nearly a century ahead of his times. C.B took campaigning to unusual lengths by turning up to rallies on horseback and making speeches on the bonnet of cars and once stepping onto the roof to make his point all the more compelling. He would even admit, to the refreshing admiration of the crowd that he would not know the answer to all the questions that were fielded. His liberal views were also demonstrated by his support of more progressive divorce laws and pushed for men and women to have equal social and political rights. Despite recording a respectable 22,000 votes C.B was defeated by 4,500 votes by the Conservative candidates. It was an honourable defeat considering he had only been electioneering in the Brighton area for two weeks and the general trend nationwide was anti liberal. Party elders had taken note and C.B was again in their thoughts the next year for the Banbury constituency. Their confidence was further bolstered by the fact that C.B had had another stint at the League of Nations since his first attempt at being elected. It was expected to be a two way battle between Fry, the Liberal candidate and the Conservative candidate. Unfortunately C.B was foiled by the addition of a Labour candidate which eventually split the anti conservative vote, leaving the Conservative candidate with a win by default. If Fry was disappointed by the result, he would not have to wait long for another chance as he was chosen the next year to represent the Liberals in the Oxford bi election. This time Fry was in familiar territory, as were the Labour and Conservative candidates as they all were former Oxford Blues. Again C.Bs electioneering was unconventional with speeches from bonnets of cars and a willingness to confess ignorance on certain subjects. Again it came down to a

splitting of the anti liberal vote and for the third and last time C.B had been foiled in his bid for the start of a new chapter in his amazing life. In later life he would turn away from the Liberals, partly and extraordinarily because of their failure to attach more importance to ball room dancing. But that was C.B, an enigma, an eccentric, and because of his views on such topics as the rights of women, a man ahead of his times by decades.

A STAY IN INDIA In 1922 Fry embarked on an extended stay in India as a guest of Ranji. It was fitting that he was to play his final two first class matches there. Despite being run out for a duck in the first, he played a creditable innings in the final match with a score of 44. As usual C.B was royally entertained by his long standing friend and was even introduced to the art of panther hunting. Indeed C.B was in his element and shot everything from partridges to the extremely elusive panthers. It seems that Ranji had stocked an entire island, Rozi, with all manner of game including deer, quail and hares. On one occasion, despite waiting all night for a panther and having the opportunity to bag his first one, using a live goat as bait, he decided against firing a shot as Ranji remarked it was a lady. This was not to stop C.B eventually killing a number a panthers of the opposite sex during his stay. Not all his stay was banquets and hunting as he assisted Ranji with speech writing, assisting him with his responsibilities as a member of the Chamber of Princes and generally being an amateur Kings Counsel. He treated the locals much better than most Britons living in India. He was fascinated by the caste system and their belief of life after death and reincarnation. He even came into contact with Ghandi. He wrote in 1940: This little man is a brilliant talker and a paramount politicianto see him sitting cross-legged on the ground at Ahmadabad in apparent poverty and with few clothes on, with his protruding ears and steel spectacles, and to be suddenly involved in a stream of rather highbrow English, worthy of an English professor is startling.

THE MISSING YEARS In 1928 Fry disappeared from public view for six long years. His mental illness that he had shown glimpses of during his cricket years came to the fore and exhibited itself in such a manner that poor C.B was forced to go into hiding. The fact that he had shown states of nervousness especially during Test matches can probably be attributed to his mental illness. C.Bs condition could not have been helped, and most likely was attributable to his loveless marriage to Beatrice and the monster she had become. Over time Beatrice had begun to run the school under an air of fear and brutality. There were regular beatings of the boys which Beatrice commanded and over saw. Her henchman was a man named Arthur Ward who they called Shakey. His modus operandi was to flog the boys with a stiff wooden cane while they straddled a 6 inch breechloading gun cemented into a low platform in the gymnasium. The entire school were forced to witness these beatings and Beatrice seemed to take great delight in them. Boys were forced to change into thin undergarments when faced with the gun. Only some thin padding over the breech was the only concession to protect their genitals. If a boy flinched after the first blow their legs and arms were tied to a platform. They were struck in different places all over the body for maximum pain effect. Some of these boys were only 11 or 12. Other students were forced to box punishment bouts where the disciplined boy was forced to fight an opponent much bigger and heavier. There was no time limit and the bout was only stopped when Beatrice had seen enough blood. No wonder C.B had grown apart from his wife. Also telling was the fact that Beatrice had never stopped loving Charles Hoare, even in death. For the remainder of her life she would visit his grave site on a weekly basis to refresh the flowers. Even their children were known to remark that their mother would have driven anyone to madness. C.B himself had an even more fascinating view on the state of his mental health. He believed that an Indian had cast a spell on him. He even believed that when he was in Geneva that a rival Indian prince to Ranji had tried to poison him. He certainly suffered from paranoia and believed he was being pursued by natives who would steal from him. This paranoia continued on his return from India and he continued to

hang onto the notion that people would steal his valuable papers, all the while clutching them onto his body in an attempt to foil his phantom thieves. His eccentricities evolved into bizarre behaviour such as ridding himself of all his clothes and walking stark naked along Brighton beach, casting an invisible fishing line from his bedroom window or dancing a waltz with an invisible partner. At times he would dress as an Indian prince and generally dress in the most bizarre fashion, a trait that would continue for the remainder of his life. His self imposed exile was to last six years. Even after his death, it was never established what C.Bs medical condition actually was, that was until 1999 when an article in the Journal of Medical Biography arrived at the conclusion that for most of his life C.B had suffered from manic depressive psychosis. Today this would be treated with a stabilising drug such as lithium. In Frys day it was occasionally treated with opium, at one time supplied by Ranji. This was not the only treatment that C.B was to endure as for at least a decade he subjected himself to electro shock treatment. This was never disclosed during C.Bs life time and it is little wonder that these were his lost years.

MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME In 1933 Fry came out of seclusion and at once made up for lost time. His return was partly out of necessity as following Ranjis death in April 1933 he no longer had access to his lifelong friends considerable wealth. He immediately began to attend social dinners and was an immediate hit with the general populous. It was about this time C.B took a genuine fancy to ballroom dancing and developed the annoying habit of wanting to dance with the friends of his daughter in law, most of them being 40 years his junior. She would start to keep her friends away from her father in law in future. Frys reintroduction into society was further enhanced by him being retained, along with Douglas Jardine as cricket writers for The Evening Standard. While Jardine was to report on the days play in a matter of fact manner, C.B was instructed to write his pieces as an American-style sports columnist. C.Bs colourful staccato style soon became a sensation and greatly increased the

Evening Standards circulation. His style of writing was clearly 15 or 20 years ahead of its time. C.B also was becoming a sensation in the press box. He never took the conventional exit from the box but instead preferred to climb over the table and take a six foot jump to safety. Even more bizarrely he was the only journalist to have a limousine and a chauffeur. On a regular basis his driver would appear with a picnic basket full of all sorts of culinary delights and the finest of champagnes. To remind him of deadlines for his copy he had an alarm clock which resided in his coat pocket and even on occasions under his hat. It would have been amusing to see him arrive and leave in his Rolls-Bentley, being saluted by the constabulary who were labouring under the knowledge that the vehicle was still owned by The Prince of Wales.

C.B AND THE NAZIS In 1934 Frys association with The Mercury and the Boy Scouts was to lead him on a most improbable visit to Nazi Germany and an hour and half meeting of the minds with Adolf Hitler. It was a meeting that would come back to haunt him for the rest of his days. The initial invitation was through a phone call by which C.B referred to as the un-named mysterious blond lady in black. The aim of the visit was to forge closer ties between the British and German youth movements. The Nazis had commissioned research into C.Bs background and despite his liberal views had found him to be a suitable candidate. Indeed one article he had written in Frys Journal had claimed that white sprinters were superior to black sprinters because their legs and brains worked faster. This was two years before Hitler witnessed Jesse Owens take all before him in the Nazi Games of 1936.It seemed that in many respects C.B was on the same page as the Nazi ethos. Indeed Fry through his involvement in cricket plus his knowledge in naval history and the classics led him to believe that a committee based system was inferior to totalitarianism. During his visit he witnessed Hitler open an autobahn in Munich. He was royally entertained by the Propaganda Department and on most occasions

accompanied by the blonde lady in black. He was impressed by the discipline of the large crowd and Hitlers mesmerising speech. On a visit to the Von Ribbentrops for dinner he even suggested that Germany should take up the noble sport of cricket. He believed that it would only be a matter of time before they produced a blond W.G. Grace. At his meeting with the Fuehrer they discussed everything from The Treaty of Versailles to youth training. Hitler explained that the Treaty of Versailles had put Germany at the mercy of much stronger neighbours and the ascent of their military was purely for self defence. He also postulated that despite the Jews becoming good citizens in England, in his country they had taken a stranglehold of many disciplines such as law, medicine and most importantly finance. Most of all they were Communist sympathisers and even worse they did not assimilate and hung together like a hive of bees. Frys impression of Hitler was so favourable that when he learnt about the Night of the Long Knives where many Nazis were killed or imprisoned he came to wonder why such brutal acts had been ordered by such a nice man. The trip did result in a visit by a party of Hitler Youth boys to Hamble but bizarrely they were not allowed to mix with the English boys. This was indeed strange and defeated the purpose of the trip which was to exchange ideas and develop friendships. All in all C.Bs association and sympathies for the Nazis was to extend right up to the start of the War and it would take a lot of explaining over the rest of his life.

AUSTRALIA AT LAST & HOLLYWOOD In 1936 C.B finally got the chance to visit Australia. From 1897-8 to 1911-12 he had five opportunities to tour The Colonies as a batsman. This time he had to accept that it was as a journalist. From his commitments to Charterhouse and The Mercury and his awareness that being an amateur and months away from home would have severe implications to his finances had all conspired to probably his greatest regret as a cricketer.

From the time he boarded the boat to Australia to his return home, C.B was the life of the party. Upon boarding the Orion he distributed gifts to all the touring party. It was a specially designed sun hat with a reinforced brim to guard against body line. While there was no such tactics employed by the Australians during the tour, C.Bs design was surely the precursor to the batting helmet. On the boat and during the entire tour he wore a bizarrely confusing array of clothes. One of his outfits made him look like a deep sea monster, another looking like he was on a Polar expedition and a third which consisted of a topee and short leather trousers imagined him trekking up the Amazon. It was however his skill at conservation that fascinated and delighted the touring party. Every day on board C.B would hold court on topics such as cricket, football, astronomy, politics, dancing, The League of Nations, Ranji, athletics, big game shooting and The Mercury. In fact C.B could talk for hours on just about any topic. Once as a joke one of the passengers asked C.B on his views on Iambic and the history of prosody. Much to his amazement C.B talked for what seemed an eternity until the inquisitor became bored and decided to walk around the deck seven times for his morning exercise. Each time he passed C.B, he was still at it unperturbed. Upon berthing in Perth, C.B on seeing the city for the first time unleashed a diatribe on Australian architecture. C.Bs eccentric behaviour continued throughout the tour. On one visit to a restaurant and being dissatisfied with the service strolled over to a pay phone and asked to be put through to the restaurant waiter who was only feet away from him. CB repeated this a number of times much to the amusement of the waiter. The tour of Australia was thoroughly enjoyed by Fry and this made it all the more tragic that he had never toured the Antipodes as a batsman in the prime of his life. However C.B never one to hide his light under a bushel decided that he along with some of the touring party should return home via the United States and more precisely Los Angeles where he perceived a new career as a Hollywood star may ensue. His contact would be Aubrey Smith who like C.B had been a Corinthian footballer; he had captained Sussex and also embarked on a tour of South Africa. Smith was a bowler with a highly unusual approach to the wicket, hence his nickname Round- the-Corner Smith. He had flirted

with stage acting at the end of the South African tour but it was when he arrived in Hollywood that he rose to fame. During the 1930s Hollywood was going through a British period and this placed any actor who could display his Britishness in high demand. Audrey Smith was about as British as it got. C.B believed he could capitalise on this. And so it was that C.B stayed with Smith from late April and early May 1937. Smith ran regular cricket games at the Hollywood Cricket Club which he had formed in 1932. It is in interesting to note that the club is still in existence and runs three teams in the Southern Californian Cricket Association. Past notable members include Nigel Bruce, Errol Flynn, Cary Grant, David Niven, Laurence Olivier, Basil Rathbone and P.G. Wodehouse. Smith was certainly eccentric and one story goes that after dropping a catch in slips he ordered his butler to bring out his glasses, which he duly did, delivered on a silver platter. Of course the next delivery resulted in an instant replay as Smith let the next delivery through his fingers. His reaction: The damn fool! He brought my reading glasses! C.B participated in a number of games and found himself playing alongside A.J. Raffles (Niven), Sherlock Holmes (Rathbone), Dr Watson (Nigel Bruce) and a Frankensteins monster (Boris Karloff). Fry noted that Karloff was an ex-Indian Civil Servant and a noted Greek scholar, so his success as a monster is easily explained. Unfortunately C.B never was discovered in Hollywood. He did see a number of films being made during his visit and was highly impressed. However by the late 1940s his attitude had changed and regarded Hollywood films at that time as dumbing down its younger customers. He saw that it was changing their tastes and affecting their behaviour. It seems that this is not a recent development!

BACK HOME Back in England C.B continued to write his cricket column and generally be the centre of attention. His writing was always interesting and at times controversial. During the Trent Bridge Test he described the Australian team as the South Sea Islanders. No better description of CB at this time could be made than Denzil Bachelors pen portrait in 1951. The Bentley is at the door; Mr. Brooks, the chauffer, is wise-cracking out the side of his gutta-percha mouth. Aboard are writing pads and binoculars and travelling rugs, a copy of Herodotus, a box of Henry Clay cigars, and reserve hampers of hock and chicken sandwiches in case there has been a strike of the caterers in North-West-London. A monocle glitters. A silver crest passes, high and haughty, above the cities of the plain. C.B Fry is off to Lords. While CB had sway over his guests during a days play it was when Beatrice who sometimes joined the party for the afternoon session that the atmosphere changed from joyful frivolity to icy awkwardness. It was about this time that Beatrice again displayed her lack of compassion for her fellow human being. One day when C.B was at his club he was handed a letter by the porter. It was from the nurse who a quarter century before he had fallen in love. Upon visiting her he was shocked to learn she had been wallowing in a nursing home with an advanced stage of cancer. Unfortunately the letter had somehow been sitting at the club for some time and his past love now didnt have long to live. C.B immediately moved her into a flat and hired a nurse to look after her. Normally this would be seen as a humanitarian act but not in Beatrices view. She was furious and despite her own scandalous background perceived this as highly inappropriate. Sadly the nurse died a fortnight later. C.B continued to write C.B Fry Says and it is interesting to note that he gave Bradman the nickname The Don and Clarrie Grimmett The Gnome. These

were monikers that would stick and remain well after the death of both players. C.B continued to display his batting skill to whomever he could attract their attention. Normally a bat was not handy so usually an umbrella would do the trick. Bizarrely he would interrupt a luncheon at a fancy hotel to display his technique to unsuspecting guests and nearby diners. A LIFE WORTH LIVING In 1939 Fry embarked on his first book in over twenty years. This time it was to be his autobiography, A Life Worth Living. Realising he had not written such a long piece for all that time he recruited his friend Denzil Batchelor to assist him. According to Batchelor C.B dictated the book to him every morning in his dressing gown and slippers between breakfast and lunch at his Gloucester Place flat. Like Alice in the Looking Glass, he started at the start proceeded to the end and then stopped. Again according to Batchelor every sentence that he dictated ended up in the book word for word, never re writing his first utterance. The book was a resounding success. Bradman described it as possibly the finest of its type ever written by a sportsman. Neville Cardus called it irresistible and Plum Warner regarded it as a masterpiece. That is not to say it was without flaws. On numerous occasions C.B exaggerated his scores, not by much, but enough to matter. Two of the biggest fabrications were when he claimed that he had taken two hat tricks in first class cricket and that he was never on the losing side as a captain. Both were clearly inaccurate. He also ran into trouble with the chapter dealing with his trip to Nazi Germany. As stated, C.B was immensely impressed with the efficiency, punctuality and the general ethos of the regime. Of course he was not the only one to be fooled by Hitler, namely the former Prime Minister, Lloyd George. It is baffling that even in 1939 C.B was still upbeat about the Nazis and seemed to be reminiscing about what happened on his visit five years previously. He described Von Ribbentrop as a keen, wide-awake and resolute man, Hess had attractive blue eyes, clean cut features, and charm and Hitler was praised for his quiet and courteous and simple manner, his innate dignity and was in short a great man. Nazism was described as revered as the heaven-sent alternative to political chaos and social disintegration. It is no

wonder that poor C.B was regretting these words as the war dragged wearily along for the next six years. He was noted as saying once the war had broken out that he was heavily annoyed at Hitler for he was denied seeing such batsman as Hutton and Compton just as they were starting to show potential super stardom. It is also little wonder that he never received any honours such as a knighthood. C.B POST BEATRICE Beatrice continued to be the driving force behind the Mercury. Even at eighty years of age she was running the school on a day to day basis. She still terrified the students. Weekend inspection of the boys was an ordeal. It would take the boys three hours to prepare and Beatrice would then subject them to two hours of inspecting every small detail. Details from inspecting their bootlaces, teeth and gums to holding out their pyjama bottoms so Beatrice could ascertain if any of the boys had been indulging in self-abuse. This again presented a double standard as Beatrice at the same age as most of the boys were carrying on a full blown sexual affair with a much older married man. Meanwhile C.B although a figure head for The Mercury was off doing all and sundry. He held down a position at a publishing firm, continued to write newspaper articles and started a broadcasting career. He even appeared on a radio quiz show, Brains Trust. He debated everything from Egyptology to English modesty and on one occasion had a friendly argument with the Secretary of the British Medical association on the subject of the stomach. One female listener requested he compile a list of the 100 greatest books in English literature for the benefit of her son. Instead of compiling the list himself, his secretary did the honours. Trouble was C.B had only read one of them, The Pickwick Papers which he didnt enjoy. Compare this with Batchelors recollection of C.Bs understanding of more obscure literature. I once took him to a learned diplomats lecture on a text book on Government written by a Pole in Latin during the last years of Elizabeth 1st reign. Charles discussed the book knowledgeably to the bafflement of the lecturer, who finally explained:, But there are only two copies of this book in existence. Of course, replied Charles airily, I read the one in the Bodleian.

In 1946 Beatrice had an unfortunate fall down the staircase at the house at Hamble and the injury was so devastating that within a week her remarkable life was at an end. While tributes flowed in for a remarkable woman C.B took it in his stride. Of course their marriage had been in name only for decades. Indeed at her memorial service C.B seemed more interested in showing Denzil Batchelor an infallible way to play a googly than mourning her loss. On another occasion an acquaintance wrote to C.B offering his condolences to which he replied Its quite all right and then proceeded to complain about his income tax for the remainder of the letter. Several weeks after Beatrices death one of the students re-acquainted himself with the old lady. After a communion to give Beatrice her last rights, the boy asked the chaplain why he didnt offer the bread and wine to the old lady kneeling next to him, in the spot where Beatrice usually knelt. Of course there was no such woman present. Upon Beatrices death C.B was promoted from Commander to Captain of the Royal Navy Reserve. Most felt Commander suited him better. C.Bs mind was never idle and even considered a new career in coal mining or horse racing. Neither panned out but he did dabble in poetry of which some were published in The Times. Another past time was translating English hymns into Greek or Latin verse, just to exercise his mind. However ballroom dancing continued to be his major activity passion. John Arlott related how C.B in his late 70s had taken a much younger bird out for a magnificent meal followed by hours of modern dancing. The young lady was to explain to Arlott And do you know, hes seventy eight and he didnt have a piss for five hours. It was, Arlott added, Terribly observant of the girl! He displayed his athleticism all during his seventies by continuing with his party trick of jumping onto a mantle piece from a standing start and taking stairs four at a time. C.Bs eccentricities continued on both in dress and behaviour. It seems he continued to re live former glories and was always on hand to give advice. One example in 1946 saw C.B being introduced to Ian Peebles fianc and immediately launching into a dissertation on the scoring position past mid-on from the back foot. The fianc seemed somewhat perplexed which caused C.B to snatch an umbrella from a passerby to demonstrate his point.

Despite his behaviour Fry was wont to help colleagues to get ahead. One example of this was in relation to a Peter West who at the time in 1947 was a junior agency reporter. One day he found himself sitting next to C.B in the press box. When his assistant failed to turn up, West helped C.B phone through his copy. Impressed with his thoroughness and enthusiasm C.B enquired if he had ever considered becoming a BBC commentator. West replied that he had been tested by the BBC but had failed the audition. Undeterred C.B contacted the Head of Outside Broadcasts. In no time at all West was re auditioned and thus began a distinguished radio career which was to last forty years. Not all of C.Bs deeds were to provide a positive outcome. Once on a radio programme devoted to Physical Prowess he described the famous American sprinter Jesse Owens as the American darkie Jessie Owens. Despite arguing that the term darkie was less offensive than Negro which sounded much like nigger he was severely reprimanded by the BBC management.

THE FINAL YEARS In 1950 C.B retired from The Mercury. By this time he had lost interest in the school and was obviously failing to provide the leadership that his wife had once commanded. He had made a significant contribution to the school over a period of fifty years especially at critical times. Unfortunately he was now forced to leave his residence at Hamble. By this time C.B was becoming more withdrawn and depressed and diabetes was now afflicting him. His 80th birthday was to perk him up and he received numerous accolades. The Times said it best when they reported that: If Mr Charles Burgess Fry had never been bornit would have been necessary to invent him. This new lease of life saw him continuing his poetry and even writing that the Cold War could be thawed by the Russians learning to play cricket. Of course this is what he suggested the Albanians and the Nazis do as well. In 1955 C.Bs name was put forward by The Daily Express as a male counterpart to the hugely successful Miss World competition. Clearly in his

eighties C.B still cut a magnificent figure. His showmanship was still in evidence when he began not only signing autographs for young admirers but drawing himself, monocle and all. C.B even started to take an interest in Womens cricket and was a great supporter. He also followed junior cricket and one time at Lords observing a young boy batting in the nets noticed something unusual about the boys technique. He explained to the M.C.C secretary who was standing next to him, There is something wrong with this boy but I cant tell what it is..before deciding that the boy who was batting right handed should actually be a left hander. Upon turning around and trying to bat left handed, the boy was a totally different player, it was a revelation. It seems a travesty that Fry was never prominently honoured by the M.C.C nor even Hampshire where he had the highest batting average in the history of the club. He never had a pavilion named after him at Lords or The Oval, the scene of his greatest Test triumphs. Again it was his pre war association with the Nazis that probably explained his lack of recognition. In fact C.B Fry seems to be a forgotten man in the 21st Century, despite being the most famous and popular man in Britain at the turn and early decades of the 20th Century. Towards the end of his life Fry became disenchanted with many of the pursuits he had enjoyed over his storied career. He became critical of football with the decline of amateurism and the rise of the game as a professional pursuit which he described as industrial entertainment. He became disenchanted at what he saw at Lords, from the style of play to the womens hats and their state of undress. He believed that batting was more concerned with how many runs were scored rather than how they were scored. On the 18th of December 1955, CB was to make his final major public appearance, on the newly developed This is Your Life programme. The show concentrated on the two major accomplishments of Frys life, cricket and The Mercury. Such cricket luminaries as Sir Jack Hobbs, Sydney Barnes and Tiger Smith were in attendance as well as colleagues from his publishing career, family members and even his dancing teacher. It was a fitting tribute to a man who had given so much pleasure to so many people in a myriad of interests.

Six months after his appearance on This is Your Life, C.B was admitted to hospital suffering from neuritis. His residence in hospital was to stretch from July to September 1956, where on the 7th of that month and suffering from kidney failure C.B Frys life of 84 years drew to an end. Eulogies came thick and fast, the West Sussex Gazette describing him undoubtedly the greatest all-rounder of sport of all time-outstanding at cricket, rugby, soccer and athletics, and a good performer at practically everything else. In the News Chronicle, C.B is gone to Olympus. We and our world are the poorer. He was an Englishman of tradition. The Englishman we would all of us like to be. However it seems that C.Bs legacy has not lived on, at least at the Sussex Cricket Club. As late as the turn of the 21st Century, original photographs of C.B and contemporary players lay in broken frames, behind cracked glass, in an out of the way cellar at Hove. The Oxford jumper he wore in 1901 when he scored six successive centuries was stuffed in a black bin liner, in a porter bin only metres away from the centre pitch where he had produced some of his most memorable deeds. And in 1968 The Mercury naval training school was closed and bulldozed into oblivion. The only trace left of C.B is a couple of non descript streets named Fry Close and Mercury Gardens.

CB FRY. A FORGOTTEN MAN. C.B Fry certainly had his faults. He was wont to exaggerate his sporting deeds; he was self-indulgent, stubborn and snobby. He has been criticised for his Test batting record, even his first class record which spanned almost 30 years, he only scored 94 centuries. This criticism is without doubt unfair as the wickets played on in those days were far inferior than they are today. Added to that he missed a number of seasons and some seasons only played a hand full of matches. If he had played for 30 years in the modern era he would have almost certainly scored 150 centuries and would have threatened Hobbs 198 centuries. C.B has also been criticised for his showmanship, his eccentricities and his self absorption. However it should be remembered he had suffered a nervous

breakdown in his early 20s, endured serious mental illness from his mid 50s to his early 60s and had received electric shock treatment right up until his early 70s. Despite all the criticisms C.B was generous to a fault and was always prepared to help anyone who he felt would benefit from his influence. He was ahead of his times, not by years but at times decades on such issues as covered pitches, womens cricket, knock- out competitions and most importantly in the art of batsmanship which is one of his most enduring legacies. To study the life of Charles Burgess Fry merely as a cricketer, indeed just as an all round sportsman is missing half the story of this remarkable man. The life of C.B. Fry is a study of late Victorian and early Edwardian England. Images in popular culture of those times such as Chariots of Fire, Gosford Park and Downton Abbey all remind us of the romanticism of the era when C.B was in his pomp and at his most popular. C.B was what many of us imagine a true Englishman was like in this era. He was a man who truly believed that an amateur sportsman had a birthright to play the game unhindered by the industrialisation of the game. Yet he was also a contradiction. Despite his conservative views on class he was an early advocate for womens rights which of course extended to his encouragement of womens cricket, his left leaning views on divorce laws, social and political rights and social health care all seem to be at odds with Frys perceived attitude as an aristocratic English gentleman. So what makes the life of C.B Fry so fascinating for me? Aside from a fascination of this period of English cricket and the romanticism of the era, I found C.Bs life to be a strange mixture of triumph and sadness. His achievements and exploits on the field would be enough to be regarded as one of the truly great players in any era. His longevity fascinated me, how he could miss a whole season or even six seasons and come back and be dominant. His study of batting as an art and a science was an indication of his intellect and a visionary. The fact that he could be considered to play for his country at the age of fifty is amazing and his ability to represent his country in two sports and probably four if circumstances had gone his way.

Most of all I found C.Bs complex personality as a fascinating study into a man troubled throughout is life by fear of the unknown. His clinical depression which led to nervousness could not have helped his cricket career where nerves can play a large part in the disciple of batting, more so than football or rugby. Certainly his Test record suffered because of this. His belief in the occult further exacerbated his mental state especially in later life. His marriage to Beatrice who as a teenager was a beautiful free spirited girl with a wont for romance and sex and who transformed into a grizzled monster with a complete disregard for compassion and a total amnesiac double standard from her early romantic years chasing Charles Hoare. There were times in C.Bs life where the almost unbelievable seemed to attract to him. Being selected as a candidate as the King of Albania, helping to avert Mussolinis intended invasion of Corfu and his liaison with the Nazis and a meeting with the Fuehrer all seem to be the stuff of fantasy. Yet C.B experienced all this and more. All of this is what makes C.B such a fascinating character study. However the C.B. Fry that I find the most endearing is the man and his intellect and eccentricities. It would be difficult in these modern times to find a world class sportsman who could be regarded as having one of the finest minds of his age. Frys ability to talk endlessly on any topic, especially the obscure, combined with his eccentric behaviour and dress, albeit due to his mental affliction makes C.B Fry a man that if he hadnt been born, would have had to be invented.