Ludford Docker

Ludford Charles Docker (26 November 1860 – 1 August 1940) was a businessman and an English cricketer. He played first-class cricket for Derbyshire between 1881 and 1886, captaining the side in 1884, and for Warwickshire in 1894 and 1895.

Early life

Docker was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire, the son of Ralph Docker and his wife Sarah Sankey. His father was a solicitor in practice at Birmingham and Smethwick who took on a large number of public appointments.^[1] He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham.

Cricket career

Docker played cricket for Birmingham and Kidderminster in 1879 and also played for Derbyshire Colts in the 1879 season. His first-class debut was for Derbyshire in the 1881 season. He topped their batting averages that season. He played 48 first-class matches for Derbyshire and captained the team in the 1884 season. He played his club cricket with Handsworth Wood, in the Birmingham League and in 1886 presented the Docker Shield for competition between Birmingham Schools. In 1887 he moved to Warwickshire and in the winter of 1887/88 he played with Arthur Shrewsbury's XI in Australia. He played several non-class games and some first-class games for Warwickshire when they joined the league, his last match being in 1895.^[2]

Business and public service

Docker had joined his brother Frank Dudley Docker in Docker Brothers in 1886 and in 1898 became a director of Metropolitan Railway Carriage and Wagon Company of Saltley Birmingham before the amalgamation of carriage companies by his brother in 1902. He was President of Warwickshire CCC from 1915 to 1930 and in 1923 was High Sheriff of Warwickshire. He was also a J. P..

Docker died in Alveston Leys, Warwickshire aged 80. Docker's brothers Ralph Docker and Frank also played cricket for Derbyshire and Warwickshire.

References