An interesting letter has been found whilst cataloguing the Lyttelton family collection, from Katherine Lyttelton to her husband General Sir Neville Lyttelton about women’s cricket.
The letter was sent on 17th August 1888 to Katherine’s husband who was stationed in India. She asks to be taught how to play cricket, a sport that was becoming more popular among women in England at that time. She writes to say that when she next came out to India he was to teach her how to play. She also mentioned having already had a lesson in England which she found ‘wildly exciting’ and ‘such real exercise.’
Cricket was a sport the Lyttelton family excelled at, most notably Alfred Lyttelton. Katherine remarks that she should be taught by ‘somebody of the name Lyttelton’ so she could be ‘a credit to the family.’
Several generations of the Lyttelton men played first-class cricket and all of Neville’s brothers and he himself played for the "Gentlemen of Worcestershire.” One of the Lyttelton brothers, Robert, successfully campaigned for changes in the laws of the game to penalise blocking the wicket with the legs (lbw).
If you would like to know more about the Lyttelton collection please see the catalogue or email the archives at archives@qmul.ac.uk.