Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Football & Sporting Memorabilia

Percy George Herbert Fender. Sussex, Surrey & England 1910-1935. ‘P.G.H. Fender Scrapbook’. Excellent original album, compiled personally by Fender covering his early cricket career from 1908 to 1911, comprising a comprehensive selection including fourteen official scorecards, also cuttings, letters, telegrams, membership cards, small original photographs etc., all extensively annotated in ink in Fender’s own hand. The album opens with letters and cuttings relating to Fender’s first-class debut for Sussex in 1910, with cuttings listing Fender in the team for the match v Surrey at The Oval, ‘the first intimation that I had... been thought of for the County. It appears I was chosen late to fill [Reginald] Heygate’s place, who was indisposed. But before I was informed Heygate wired his ability to play. I went to Leyton v Essex 2nd XI instead’. The eighteen year old Fender made his first-class debut in the following match v Nottinghamshire. One page comprises five original candid photographs of the Trent Bridge ground and pavilion taken at that match, also newspaper cuttings reporting Sussex losing by ten wickets, Fender scoring 1 & 2, and taking one wicket for 14 runs off three overs in the first innings, with an incomplete official scorecard. Other scorecards featured include for the subsequent match v Lancashire at Old Trafford, Fender was twelfth man, also matches in which Fender played for Sussex v Warwickshire at Priory Park, Chichester 1911, Kent 2nd XI v Sussex 2nd XI, Sittingbourne 1911, Lancashire v Sussex, Old Trafford 1911, and five scorecards of matches in which Fender appeared for the Manchester Club in 1911 etc. Throughout the album is a large selection of letters and telegrams relating to Fender playing in 1908-1911 for Sussex Club & Ground and Brighton Brunswick. Accompanying an official scorecard for M.C.C. v Public Schools, Lord’s 1909, in which Fender played as a pupil of St. Paul’s School, are signed letters from Teddy Wynyard inviting Fender to play again in 1910. Fender was unable to fulfil the fixture as he was no longer qualified to represent Public Schools having recently left St. Paul’s School, with a response card acknowledging the fact also signed by Wynyard. There are numerous signed letters from Billy Newham, former captain of Sussex C.C.C., and A. Millward (umpire?), inviting Fender to play for Sussex Club & Ground and Sussex 2nd XI in 1909 and 1910, Also letters relating to playing football for Scot-Lane F.C. in the Bolton League 1910/11, the timing of which corresponds with Fender moving up to Lancashire in 1910 to work in a paper mill where he damaged his hand in an accident. Also included is correspondence with invitations from various cricket clubs in the area with a view to Fender playing. Other items include six official folding club membership and fixture cards, some issued to Fender 1909-1911, a luggage label annotated ‘Fender, Sussex XI’ being a ‘Present from W. Gunn’ etc. Slipped in is an official receipt for the purchase of this album at the Phillips auction of 22nd October 1986, Lot 60, hammer price £240. The album has subsequently been attractively rebound in full black leather, marbled endpapers, gilt title to spine, with original receipt from the bookbinder dated 2010. Some staining to the original page edges, the later binding in very good condition. A wonderfully compiled personal album detailing the early playing career of this iconic and popular cricketer.