James Charles Laker (1922 - 1986)

Born 9 Feb 1922 in Shipley, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died 23 Apr 1986 at age 64 in Wimbledon, London, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Jim Laker is Notable.

Wikidata: Item Q3526029, en:Wikipedia - Surrey and England cricketer

Jim Laker was a cricketer - specifically a right arm spin bowler - who played for Surrey County Cricket Club from 1946 to 1959 and represented England in 46 Test matches.

Jim was born in 1922 in Shipley, Yorkshire. He was the son of Sussex-born stonemason James Laker and Yorkshire schoolteacher Ellen Oxby. His birth (as "Charlie") was registered in the Jan-Feb-Mar quarter of 1922 in the North Bierley district.^[1] His parents were not married, and he had three half-sisters from his mother's first marriage. His father left the family around 1924 and passed away in 1931. His mother would later remarry and the family settled at Saltaire, Yorkshire.

He attended Frizinghall School where his mother was a teacher. It was she who encouraged him to play cricket, being a lifelong enthusiast of the sport.

While he was eligible to play cricket for Yorkshire - who at the time would only use players born in the county boundaries - and attended special training from them as a junior, his life changed when he entered military service.

He went to Leicestershire for infantry training and was then posted to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, serving in Palestine and Cairo until 1945. While serving in Egypt he gained a reputation as an expert spin bowler in inter-service matches, and after the war both his mother and stepfather had passed away and he had no reason to return to Yorkshire. He settled in London and played for a local team, Catford, and it was only a matter of time before a county team came calling, in his case Surrey.

In 1952 he was selected as one of the Wisden Cricketer's Almanack's five Cricketers of the Year - a huge accolade for any cricket player.

In 1953 he married his long-time fiancée, Austrian-born Lilly Gottlieb Gingold. Jim's marriage to Lilly was registered in the Jan-Feb-Mar quarter of 1951 in the Kensington district.^[2] They had two daughters, Fiona and Angela.

In 1956 he was the first cricketer to be voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year after taking 46 wickets over that summer's Ashes series against Australia, including 19 in the fourth Test alone (for context only 3 first-class players have ever taken 10 wickets in a single innings, he almost did it twice in the same game!).

He retired from first class cricket in 1959 following an injury to his spin finger, however he came out of retirement to play two seasons for Essex, retiring permanently in 1964. His 1960 autobiography ruffled a few feathers, resulting in his privileges at Surrey County Cricket Club and the MCC being temporarily withdrawn.

After retirement he worked as a commentator for ITV and BBC.

He passed away at the Parkside Clinic in Wimbledon in 1986. His death (age 63) was registered in 1986 in Surrey, England.^[3] He was cremated at Putney Vale Cemetery and Crematorium and his ashes scattered at Surrey's The Oval cricket ground^[4]

Find A Grave: Memorial #6821072

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Registration: "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008"
   citing Birth Registration, North Bierley, Yorkshire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England
   FamilySearch Record: QV3C-BHZH (accessed 21 August 2023)
   Charlie Laker birth registered Jan-Feb-Mar 1922 in North Bierley.
2. ↑ Marriage Registration: "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005"
   citing 1951, quarter 1, vol. 5C, p. 2871, Kensington, London, England, General Register Office, Southport, England
   FamilySearch Record: QVD8-9G3H (accessed 21 August 2023)
   James Laker marriage to Gottlieb Or Gingold registered Jan-Feb-Mar 1951 in Kensington.
3. ↑ Death Registration: "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007"
   citing UK General Register Office. Volume: 14; Page: 871
   FamilySearch Record: QVZ9-M4M1 (accessed 21 August 2023)
   James Charles Laker death registered 1986 in Surrey, England, United Kingdom (born 9 Feb 1922).
4. ↑ Burial: "Find A Grave Index"
   citing record ID 6821072, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com
   FamilySearch Record: QVV9-14CW (accessed 21 August 2023)
   James Laker burial (died on 23 Apr 1986) in Putney Vale, London Borough of Wandsworth, Greater London, England.

• Familysearch: James Charles Laker (created as part of research for this profile)

• "Over To Me" (1960) - autobiography
• Wisden obituary
• Cricinfo career stats