| Sir Francis Ley | |
|---|---|
from a photo with his Baseball team |
|
| Born | 3 January 1846 [1] Derby, Derbyshire |
| Died | 17 January 1916 [1] Epperstone |
| Education | Burton Grammar School and privately |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouse | Georgina Townsend Alison Catherine Jobson |
| Children | five |
| Parents | George and Sarah Ley |
Sir Francis Ley, 1st Baronet (3 January 1846 – 27 January 1916) created Ley's Malleable Castings Vulcan Ironworks in Derby.[2] He owned Ley's Baseball Ground from 1890 to 1924 which was the home to Derby County F.C. He (re-)introduced baseball into the United Kingdom with the Derby County Baseball Club.[3] In 1905, Ley was created a Baronet, of Epperstone Manor.[4] In the same year he served as High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.[5]
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Francis Ley was born on 3 January 1846 in Winshill which at the time was in south-west Derbyshire (its now in Staffordshire). He was the only son of George Phillips Ley[6] and Sarah (born Potts).[1] He started work at Andrew Handyside & Co. as a draughtsman and learnt about engineering. At the age of 28 he founded his own company besides the railway line in Derby.[2]
In 1878 he had the dubious pleasure of being sued for patent infringement by an American drive chain belt company. The case was settled to the benefit of all and Ley's company was awarded sole manufacturing rights. By the 1880's Ley was demolishing his old works and rebuilding on a grander scale. Ley was never sporting but was an enthusiast for sport. He sat of the board of Derbyshire County Cricket Club.[1] The new factory was to include expensive sporting facilities.
Ley visited America and he was impressed by the game of baseball. Ley wanted to improve the fitness of his workers so he decided to build what was to be called "Ley's Baseball Ground". Some were intrigued by Albert Spalding's world tour with his baseball team in 1889 when it played in England.[8]
A national professional body was started in 1890 and a letter was sent to Albert Spalding in America requesting help in establishing a league. The British requested eight to ten players to coach and convert the existing players who whose primary game was usually soccer. Spalding, who also sold sporting goods, was enthusiastic and sent a skilled manager, Jim Hart and players: William J. Barr, Charles Bartlett, J.E.Prior and Leech Maskrey.[8]
The intention had been to have eight teams but initially there were just four Aston Villa, Preston North End, Stoke and Derby. The first three used Jim Hart to decide the line-up of their teams, but Ley, who had more experience of baseball, made his own decisions.[8] The ground had its own professional team that won the British .... times in the 1890's. The team was criticised for having too many American professionals (three) who assisted in the victories. Derby County therefore withdrew their team for the first year when they would have been the first league champions.[7] The other accusation was that baseball was being hyped in a way that the British found offensive.
Another problem was the start of Derby County Football Club in 1895. This team was based at the "Baseball Ground" and that association continued for many years.
Francis Ley's grounds were not dedicated to football but were used for a variety of sports. A picture below shows Ley's 1912 Cricket team. Remarkably it contains three players who were capped for England at Soccer. These were S. Bloomer on the right of the back row; H. Barnes on the left but one of the middle row and J. Bagshaw who is first on the front row.
Ley first married Georgina Townsend and they had a son and two daughters. Following his wife's death he married Alison Catherine Jobson in 1888. They had two sons who both joined the Armed forces. Captain Christopher Francis Aden Ley was the eldest and he was born in 1893. He joined the South Nottinghamshire Hussars and became a Captain whist working with the that part of the British army known as the Royal Flying Corps. He died in March 1918 having survived the 1915 Gallipoli campaign and outlived his younger brother. Maurice Aden Ley was two years younger than his brother and he was a 2nd Lieutenant. He died in November 1914.[9] His first son, H.Gordon Ley is pictured left with his father. On their left is Steve Bloomer who became a legend at Derby County Football club although Ley also knew him as a talented baseball and cricket player.
Ley bought Epperstone Manor in Nottinghamshire and he was created a Baronet, of Epperstone Manor in 1905.[4] In the same year he was honoured with the title as High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for twelve months.[5] When Ley died he owned the company and Derby County F.C.s sports ground. He also owned 6,500 aces of farmland and was the Lord of the Manor at Epperstone, Lazonby, Staffield, Glassonby around Kirkoswald in Cumbria.[6] There is an industrial estate named after him in Derby and his Manor and grounds have been converted to residential dwellings.
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New creation |
Baronet (of Epperstone Manor) 1905–1916 |
Succeeded by Henry Gordon Ley |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by Thomas Lewis Kekewich Edge |
High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire 1905 |
Succeeded by Joseph Frederick Laycock |