An elm tree standing inside the boundary at Trent Bridge on the Bridgford Road side became the most famous tree in cricket because George Parr — the dominant Nottinghamshire batsman from the late 1840s to the late 1860s — habitually hit it for six with his trademark leg-side sweep. Parr's Tree stood for more than a century until it was felled by gales at New Year 1976; a branch had earlier been laid on Parr's coffin in 1891.
Trent Bridge was laid out by William Clarke in 1838. The trees along the Bridgford Road boundary were original features of the riverside meadow. Parr's leg-side hitting matured in the late 1840s, by which time he was already a senior Notts player.
Parr's leg-hit was the most distinctive stroke in the country. The trajectory of his strokes meant that hits beyond the rope landed regularly in the boundary trees on the Bridgford Road side; one elm in particular caught the ball most often.
Trent Bridge had been laid out by William Clarke in 1838 on land at his wife's Trent Bridge Inn. The pitch was set out west to east, with a row of trees along the southern boundary on the Bridgford Road side; one of these elms stood close enough to the playing area that a hard leg-side hit reached its branches. George Parr's signature stroke — described by Caffyn as a leg-hit in a 'sort of half-circle' off the front foot — was so consistent in direction that the elm was struck regularly through 28 consecutive summers, from his arrival at Trent Bridge in the late 1840s to his retirement around 1870. The tree became a Trent Bridge landmark in his lifetime and was widely known as Parr's Tree by the early 1860s. After Parr's death in 1891 a branch was laid on his coffin and buried with him — the first great example of a cricketer being commemorated by his ground in a personal way. The tree itself stood until severe gales at New Year 1976 finally brought it down. The fallen elm was turned into hundreds of souvenir bats and tables for the President's Room at Trent Bridge. The Parr Stand, opened in 1955, had already been built in front of the tree.
Late 1840s: Parr's leg-hitting matures; the elm starts to be struck regularly
Early 1860s: The tree is widely known as Parr's Tree
1870: Parr retires from playing
1891: Parr dies; a branch of the elm laid on his coffin
1955: Parr Stand built in front of the tree
New Year 1976: Severe gales fell the tree; wood used for souvenir bats and President's Room tables
1838
Trent Bridge laid out by William Clarke; the elms already standing
Late 1840s
Parr's leg-hitting begins striking the tree regularly
1870
Parr retires
1891
Parr dies; branch of the elm laid on his coffin
1955
Parr Stand built in front of the tree
Jan 1976
Tree felled by gales
“George Parr's tree was christened after the great Notts batsman who hit the ball over, through or round the tree for 28 consecutive summers.”
The Parr Stand replaced the visible position of the tree as a memorial. The wood from the felled elm was distributed among Nottinghamshire members and used to make commemorative bats, walking canes and the President's Room tables that still stand today.
The most famous tree in cricket history and the embodiment of Parr's leg-hitting style — a piece of ground folklore that survived the player it commemorated by 85 years.
Parr's Tree is the most famous tree in cricket and the only one with its own folklore that has long outlived its eponymous player. The custom of laying a branch on the coffin in 1891 set the template for the kind of personal cricket memorialising that runs through Wisden obituary culture.
Yorkshire v Essex
1932-06-16
On 15-16 June 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe (313) and Percy Holmes (224*) put on 555 for the first wicket against Essex at Leyton, breaking the world first-class record for any wicket and adding a layer of folklore — including a scoreboard that read 554 for several minutes and a hastily reversed declaration — that has clung to the partnership ever since.
Australia v England
1933-02-14
With the fate of the Bodyline series in the balance and England 216 for 6 chasing 340, Eddie Paynter checked himself out of a Brisbane hospital where he was being treated for acute tonsillitis, taxied to the Gabba in pyjamas and a dressing gown, and batted for nearly four hours to score 83. England drew level on first innings, won the Test by six wickets and the series 4-1.
Australia
1934-09-25
Days after the 1934 Oval Test, Bradman fell seriously ill with appendicitis that progressed to peritonitis. With antibiotics not yet available, he was given little chance of survival; his wife Jessie left Adelaide on a sea voyage to England prepared for the worst. He recovered after weeks of intensive nursing in a London nursing home and returned to first-class cricket the following Australian summer.