Full Name

Frederick Beauclerk (Lord Beauclerk)

Born

May 08, 1773, London

Died

April 22, 1850, Westminster, London, (aged 76y 349d)

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Slow

Playing Role

Allrounder

Height

5ft 9in

Education

Trinity College, Cambridge

Other

Administrator

Lord Frederick Beauclerk was one of the great characters from the early days of MCC. He was a descendant of King Charles II and his mistress Nell Gwynn, and although he was a cleric by profession, he also claimed to have made at least £600 a year - a colossal sum at the time - from playing cricket for stakes. He was one of the best single-wicket cricketers of his time: a fine batsman, his style was rather scientific, in the more orthodox manner of the professionals, while his under-arm bowling was very slow, but extremely accurate - and he could get the ball to rise abruptly off a length. Lord Frederick was the second president of MCC in 1826 and one of the handful who actually played while in office. He made eight centuries on the first Lord's ground, at Dorset Square, which was an exceptional achievement in an era of low-scoring and uneven pitches. It was Lord Frederick who persuaded MCC to call a meeting to ban round-arm bowling in 1822, even though he had been known to claim wagers when playing alongside the earliest round-armers like John Willes.

However, he was a "foul-mouthed, dishonest man who was one of the most hated figures in society ... he bought and sold matches as though they were lots at an auction". So unpopular was he, that it is said that a notorious criminal once refused to travel in the same coach as him on account of his "fluent and expressive vocabulary". Another source said he was "cruel unforgiving, cantankerous and bitter". When he died, in 1850, The Times didn't even give him an obituary.
Martin Williamson

  • Quotes from Presidents of MCC by Jonathan Rice.

  • Lord Frederick Beauclerk Career Stats

    Batting & Fielding

    FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAve100sCtSt
    FC130240205525129*25.1151121

    Bowling

    FormatMatBallsRunsWktsBBIAveEconSR5w10w
    FC130003547/?0.00-0.030

    Recent Matches of Lord Frederick Beauclerk

    MatchBatBowlDateGroundFormat
    The Bs vs England5 & 0--11-Jul-1825Lord'sFC
    M.C.C. vs Godalming3 & 134/023-Jun-1825GodalmingFC
    M.C.C. vs Godalming14 & 562/016-Jun-1825Lord'sFC
    Gentlemen vs Players14 & 213/002-Aug-1824Lord'sFC
    The Bs vs England99 & 30*--26-Jul-1824Lord'sFC

    Photos of Lord Frederick Beauclerk

    Lord Frederick Beauclerk
    Lord Frederick Beauclerk