Somerset Cricket Museum announce Charles Clive Ponsonby-Fane as new patron

Somerset Cricket Museum continued it's close association with the famous I Zingari Cricket Club when the curator Tony Stedall announced that Charles Clive Ponsonby-Fane had agreed to become the new patron.

Mr Ponsonby-Fane, who resides at Little Brympton near Yeovil will be well known in cricketing circles because it was his great great grandfather Sir Spencer Ponsonby- Fane who back in 1845 was joint founder of I Zingari, which is probably the most well known of all wandering cricket teams.

Those who have visited the Somerset Cricket Museum will know that one of the most impressive exhibits which has pride of place is a display of I Zingari memorabilia.

The I Zingari items on show at the museum consist of a remarkable collection of material relating to the club and were originally assembled by the new patron of the Somerset Cricket Museum at Brympton before being kindly loaned to the museum.

Sir Spencer Ponsonby-Fane played most of his first class cricket for Surrey, but had a long association with Somerset County Cricket Club and between 1891 until he died in 1915 at the age of 91 he held the post of President of the club.

Speaking for the museum Mr Stedall told me: "We are absolutely delighted that Mr Ponsonby-Fane has agreed to become our new patron."