Paper
Category
Books
Date
29 Dec 1958
Materials
paper
Order this imageCollection
Mr Straw's House, Nottinghamshire
NT 3168004.2
Summary
The original postal wrapping for the book 'Alletson's Innings' by John Arlott (1914-1991) (record 3168004), the book is still kept in the wrapping. The heavy brown paper outer layer with a white stick on label with blue type 'Books With Care From Epworth Secondhand Books 25-35 City Road, London, E.C.1'. Beneath this the address typed in black 'Mr. W. Straw, 7 Blyth Grove, Worksop, Notts.'. Written on the label in pencil is a large number 7. Above this is a cream postal label with two red postal marks, the first round with 'London 29 XII 58 E.C.I.', the second square with 'GREAT BRITAIN POST PAID 17 UB 607'. Along the bottom of the serrated cream label in black is 'LONDON E. C. I. UB 607 LONDON E. C. I. UB. 60'. John Arlott was born in 1914 at Cemetery Lodge, Chapel Hill, Basingstoke in Hampshire, the son of William John Arlott and Nellie Arlott. He attended Fairfields Primary School in Basingstoke before winning a scholarship to Queen Mary's Grammar School. Once at the school, however, he became embroiled in a feud with the headmaster, as the school "had not been wholly receptive to his young, independent, inquiring mind." Arlott eventually left the school of his own accord. He meanwhile showed an early interest in the local cricket matches; in 1926 he watched England and Australia play at The Oval, becoming a fan of Jack Hobbs, and later watched Sussex play Lancashire. Edwin Boaler (Ted) Alletson, (March 6, 1884 in Welbeck – July 5, 1963 in Worksop), played English county cricket for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club during the early years of the 20th Century. He was predominantly selected by Nottinghamshire as a right-handed batsman and a not-very-successful fast bowler and, with one exception, his career was unspectacular. Over the 179 innings of his career, he passed 50 runs only 14 times, and converted just one of those 50s to a century. Alletson secured his place in cricket history with one record-breaking innings played against Sussex County Cricket Club in May 1911. The innings rescued the game for Nottinghamshire and became known as Alletson's Innings. He never repeated this success and his career ended three years later, aged 30, when cricket was suspended at the onset of World War I. He died in 1963, aged 79.
Provenance
Straw collection bequeathed to The National Trust on the death in 1990 of William Straw.