Grace family explained

The Grace family was an English cricketing family. Fourteen members of the family played first-class cricket, with brothers W. G., E. M. and Fred Grace (sometimes called the "three Graces") all going on to play Test cricket for England^[1]

Members

Grace family

• Henry Mills Grace (1808–71), played for West Gloucestershire and South Wales in 1855.^[2]
  • Henry Grace (1833–95), played three first-class matches during the 1871 season.^[3]
  • Alfred Grace (1840–1916), played for Gentlemen of Gloucestershire and two matches for a United South of England XI in 1877 and 1879.^[4]
    • Alfred Henry Grace^[5] (1866–1929), played two first-class matches for Gloucestershire in 1886 and 1891.^[6]
  • E. M. Grace (1841–1911), played 314 first-class matches, including one Test for England.^[7]
    • Edward Grace (1873–1953), played for Thornbury Castle, a South Gloucestershire side, in 1894.^[8]
    • Edgar Grace (1886–1974), played for Gloucestershire Gypsies between 1930 and 1933.^[9]
    • Norman Grace (1894–1975), played three first-class matches for the Royal Navy between 1920 and 1927.^[10]
  • W. G. Grace (1848–1915), played 880 first-class matches, including 22 Tests for England.^[11]
    • W. G. Grace junior (1874–1905), played 57 first-class matches.^[12]
    • Henry Grace (1876-1937), Naval officer and Chief of the Submarine Service
    • Charles Grace (1882–1938), played four first-class matches for London County Cricket Club and WG Grace's XI in 1900.^[13]
  • Fred Grace (1850–80), played 195 first-class matches, including one Test for England.^[14]

Gilbert family

George and Walter Gilbert were nephew and great-nephew respectively of Henry Mills Grace:

• George Gilbert (1829–1906), played 18 first-class matches. Later emigrated to New South Wales.^[15]
• Walter Gilbert (1853–1924), played 157 first-class matches from 1871 to 1886.^[16]

Pocock family

Alfred and William Pocock were brother and nephew respectively of Martha Grace,^[17] the mother of WG Grace:

• Alfred Pocock (1814–97), played for Gentlemen of Gloucestershire and South Wales between 1854 and 1863.^[18]
• William Pocock (1848–1928), played eight first-class matches for New South Wales and Canterbury after emigrating to Australia.^[19] Also umpired a first-class match in 1882.^[20]

NOTE: Some sources suggest that New Zealand cricketer Blair Pocock is related to Alfred and William, but documentary evidence has yet to be shown supporting this claim.

Rees family

William L. Rees married Martha Grace's niece, Mary Pocock. The Rees family later emigrated to Australasia:

• William Gilbert Rees (1827–98), played one first-class match for New South Wales in 1856.^[21]
• William Lee Rees (1836–1912), played four first-class matches in Australia and New Zealand.^[22]
  • Annie Rees (1864–1949) was a New Zealand writer, teacher and lawyer.
  • Arthur Rees (1866–1921), played six first-class matches in New Zealand.^[23]
  • Rosemary Rees (c.1875–1963) was a New Zealand actress, playwright and novelist.

Notes and References

1. http://www.chippingsodburycc.co.uk/cricket-history/the-sodbury-graces,96.htm The Grace Family
2. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/134/134663/Other_matches.html Other matches played by Henry Grace
3. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29728/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Henry Grace
4. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/142/142970/Other_matches.html Other matches played by Alfred Grace
5. http://www.scantlebury.talktalk.net/Pigeon-o/ui12.htm#a17 Descendants chart of Henry Grace
6. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29726/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Alfred Grace
7. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/41/41.html Edward Grace
8. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/902/902720/Other_matches.html Other matches played by Edward Grace
9. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/263/263666/Other_matches.html Other matches played by Edgar Grace
10. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29729/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Norman Grace
11. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/43/43.html WG Grace
12. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29730/29730.html WG Grace (jun)
13. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29727/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Charles Grace
14. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/42/42.html Fred Grace
15. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/5/5867/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by George Gilbert
16. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29642/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Walter Gilbert
17. http://www.frenchay.org/grace.html Cricket and the Graces at Frenchay
18. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/134/134662/Other_matches.html Other matches played by Alfred Pocock
19. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6061/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by William Pocock
20. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6061/Umpire_in_First-Class_Matches.html William Pocock as umpire in first-class matches
21. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6072/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by William Rees
22. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/16/16602/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by William Rees
23. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/22/22731/22731.html First-class matches played by Arthur Rees