James Dark 1795 - 1871

Proprietor of Lord's

James Dark
Plaque by Dark's bar
Louise Brodie
Representation of James Dark
Louise Brodie

 

 

James Dark was involved with Lord’s for 59 years. He was born on 24 May 1795, the son of a saddler and lived close by the ground in St John’s Wood. He was a professional cricketer of some success, appearing for the Players in the match versus the Gentlemen in 1835.  He was a good batsman and fielder, acting intermittently as a wicket keeper, and later an umpire. Heused his earnings as a cricketer to become a property developer.

Thomas Lord opened the current ground in 1814 on land leased from the Eyre estate. His original plan to develop the ground with houses was opposed and in 1825 he sold his leasehold interest to William Ward for £5000. Ward sold the leasehold on to Dark in 1835, for an upfront payment of £2000 and an annuity of £435 to the Ward family on Michaelmas Day each year.  Dark’s brother Benjamin set up a bat making business at the ground and another brother Robert, sold cricket equipment such as the new pads and gloves. The family association with Lord’s stretched over 100 years.

In 1860 the Eyre estate decided to sell the freehold at auction. The MCC were urged to bid but would not, and the ground was bought by Isaac Moses, a property speculator, for £7000.  Dark  resigned the leasehold in 1864 and it was taken over by the MCC. In 1866 William Nicholson provided funds for the MCC finally to buy the freehold from Isaac Moses, which now cost them £18,333 6s 8d!

James Dark died on 18  October 1871 aged 76 and is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.

This page was added on 27/06/2016.

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