#winchester harrow

Thomas Lord Sells the Ground — William Ward Saves Lord's, July 1825

In 1825 Thomas Lord, the founder of the ground that bears his name, decided that property development would pay him better than cricket and obtained planning permission to build housing across most of the playing field. The MCC member William Ward MP, a Bank of England director and noted batsman, bought him out for £5,000 to save the ground. Weeks later, on the night of 28 July 1825, the pavilion burned to the ground after a Winchester v Harrow match, destroying the club's records.