by Abhishek Mukherjee
Henry Mills and Martha (Pocock) Grace had eight children: Henry, Anne, Fanny, Alfred, EM, Alice, Elizabeth Blanche, WG, and GF.
This central character of this story, however, is Walter Raleigh Gilbert, a son of Martha's sister. To avoid confusion, we shall refer to him as Walter (WG was typically called Gilbert in his close circle).
While not in the same league as EM, WG, or GF, Walter had 5,290 runs (at 19) and 295 wickets (at 18) in First-Class cricket. He also toured Australia in 1873-74. He was also the only one present at GF's bedside when the latter passed away in 1880, at only 29.
Unfortunately, Walter never enjoyed affluence. WG appointed him as manager of his team, Gentlemen of the South. This was a paid job, so it helped him temporarily.
But as county cricket became popular, WG's team took a financial hit. Walter was held responsible. He was even taken to court in 1882 for not being able to pay a professional cricketer.
Walter's own salary took a hit as a result. He needed money, and needed it desperately.
In 1885, WG proposed a raise for Walter from the county. However, WG did not attend the Gloucestershire CCC committee meeting himself, and the proposal got turned down.
By 1886 Walter was desperate enough to 'relegate' himself to the status of a professional. Gloucestershire promised him a £25 bonus if he played all their matches. He also signed up as a professional for East Gloucestershire in club cricket.
The incident took place at Charlton Park Ground, when East Gloucestershire were playing Stroud.
The first day, a Friday, went by peacefully. Walter arrived at about noon on Saturday.
By then some East Gloucestershire cricketers had reported theft in the dressing-room. Walter was a suspect, given his monetary status and the fact that he was one of the new members. But they still needed evidence.
Captain Harry Willes, a retired army officer, and Lieutenant Barrington Piers, a subaltern with Bombay Staff Corps, had planned it out.
The dressing-room was left empty. Trousers, coats, and waistcoats were left on the hooks. In one of them was a previously marked half sovereign.
Walter waited till when he thought the coast was clear. Then he rummaged through his the pockets. He found a few coins, among which was that sovereign. That was all the detectives needed.
Walter confessed immediately, not only to that day's act but also to several others in the dressing-room.
He pleaded to be forgiven. He vowed to leave the country for good. But the detectives did not relent. He spent the Sunday in custody before being presented in the court on Monday.
Whether WG had rushed back is not clear. He was playing against the Australians till Saturday, and led Gloucestershire against Sussex at Hove on Monday. But at least five regular cricketers (including EM) did not play the Sussex match.
Walter was sentenced to twenty-eight days of hard labour. It would have been more, but his advocate mentioned that he used to have bouts of erysipelas in the head, which resulted in him losing control from time to time.
By the time Waler's sentence was over, the Grace brothers had decided that their cousin would have to leave England as soon as possible.
It could not be Australia, where he had toured before. Being WG's cousin would also not give him the anonymity he needed.
He settled down in Calgary, Canada. Even there, several local newspapers had been reprinting the allegations from the British newspapers. But Walter managed to find work at the Land Titles Office and led an honest and peaceful life. He also played some cricket.
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What happened to the match? East Gloucestershire took field with ten men (there was no substitute).
Walter did not bat either. The last row on the East Gloucestershire scorecard read
"Mr E. L. Even did not bat".
Walter Gilbert was arrested on 5 June 1886.
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The image is from 1876.
In the back row, Walter Gilbert and GF Grace are third and fifth from left.
In the front, EM and WG are the first two from right.
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