Mr. J. M. Richardson's Writings Collated 



In those days the Hon. Robert Grimston and the Hon. 

 Fred Ponsonby, afterwards Lord Bessborough — brother of the 

 present Sir Spencer Ponsonby Fane — were always at Harrow 

 during the summer, coaching the boys at cricket. Old Bob 

 Grimston had a catapult, with which he used to bowl at us 

 when practising, and as he could always bowl a ball exactly 

 where he liked, if a boy had a weak spot in his batting he would 

 bowl ball after ball at that particular spot. 



Dear old Bob was wonderfully keen at cricket, as indeed he 

 was about all kinds of sport, especially hunting. 



Curiously enough, in spite of his devotion to Harrow and 

 his love for the game itself, Bob Grimston steadily avoided 

 being present at Lord's on the occasion of the Eton and 

 Harrow match, the reason being that he felt himself unable to 

 stand the excitement. Whether this was always so I am not 

 in a position to state, but it certainly was the case during the 

 latter period of his life. 



The wags would have it that by way of an alternative Bob 

 used to while away the time when the match was in progress 

 in deep meditation, seated on Ben Caunt's tombstone — Ben 

 being the prizefighter who fought the bold Bendigo for the belt 

 many years ago. This little fairy-tale may, of course, be taken 

 for what it is worth. 



There is one part of the programme in connection with the 

 Eton and Harrow match which, I am bound to say, I never 

 think quite fair — that the captains of the teams should toss for 

 innings. It is such a manifest advantage to boys to bat when 

 fresh, over their opponents, who, in addition to the journey up 

 to London, have had a long and tiring day in the field, that to 

 my mind it would be much fairer to both if, instead of leaving 

 it to chance, they took it in turn each year. 



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