Thomas Hearne

Thomas Hearne died at Ealing on May 13, in his 74th year. Born on September 4, 1826, he was late coming before the cricket public, little being known of him outside local circles till he was over thirty. His reputation, however, was firmly established in 1859, when for the United against the All England Eleven at Lord's he and Carpenter scored 149 for the first wicket. Carpenter made 97 and Hearne 62. From that time till his retirement from the Middlesex eleven in the "70"s Tom Hearne played regularly in the best matches, proving himself a first-rate bat, and by no means a bad bowler. One of his best innings was 122 not out for Players against Gentlemen at Lord"s in 1866. He was in particularly good form that year, and largely helped to place Middlesex first among the Counties. Against Surrey he scored 146. His career as an active player terminated in 1876, in which year he had a very severe stroke of paralysis. He made a remarkable recovery, however, and for more than twenty years afterwards kept his post as chief of the ground staff at Lord"s, only resigning after the season of 1897. In personal character no professional cricketer stood higher, and all through his life he enjoyed the repect of everyone who knew him. Lovers of cricket who have reached middle-age will remember him particularly in connection with the Middlesex matches more than thirty years ago at the Cattle Market Ground. He went to Australia with the first English eleven in 1861, but could not do himself justice in the Colonies. He was perhaps the last batsman who played the old-fashioned draw. His eldest son, Thomas Hearne, junior, is now the Ground Superintendent at Lord;s, and his second son, George Hearne, has for years been Pavilion Clerk at Lord;s. Tom Hearne was very proud of the success gained in the Kent eleven by his three nephews-G. G., Frank and Alec Hearne .
Wisden Cricketers Almanack