White Conduit Club Cricket Team

White Conduit club had a short but colourful existence. It was just one of a series of clubs run by and for gentlemen, although it bolstered its playing strength with professionals such as Thomas Lord and Billy Beldham. The club took its name from its home ground - White Conduit Fields - but that very base was its downfall as the venue was not enclosed and there were constant clashes with locals wanting to use the land for other recreational activities. That led to the Earl of Winchilsea commissioning Lord to find an enclosed area for the club, and in 1787 the first Lord's ground came into use. The sides playing there were immediately known as Mary-le-Bone CC and while the White Conduit name lived on for a couple of years, it was soon subsumed by the MCC.
Martin Williamson