Earl of Tankerville

Charles Bennett, Fourth Earl of Tankerville, played an important part in Chertsey's preeminence in the late 18th century. Educated at Eton from 1753 to 1760, he succeeded to the Earldom in 1767. In 1771 he married Emma, daughter of Sir James Colebrook of Gatton, and soon afterwards they settled at Walton on Thames. He had a rather murky reputation - he once got involved in a brawl with a coachman - and one report said that he was "renowned for nothing but cricket playing, bruising and keeping low company." A sound batsman, for much of the 1770s he was a keen patron of Surrey cricket and a regular member of the Chertsey side. His enthusiasm for the game extended to him employing "Lumpy" Stevens as his gardener as well as William Bedster.
Martin Williamson