Who was the Belfast born Lancashire batsman who played full back for the Lions on a tour of Australia and New Zealand, besides finding time to keep goal for Blackburn Rovers?
The fact that the name ARTHUR GEORGE PAUL may very well be unknown to many readers is cause enough to tell his story in these pages. Arthur was born in Belfast, the son of a British Army colonel, on 24 July 1864. He received his secondary education at Victoria College, Douglas on the Isle of Man. The College, now long defunct, was housed in a somewhat gaunt looking mid -19th century mansion, and had a good academic record. How well the young Arthur progressed in the class room remains lost in the mists of time but he was clearly a talented games player whose abilities soon found a home on the mainland.
He began for Notts Castle CC showing himself to be a good upper order batsman, particularly known for the soundness of his defence and the quality of his driving. These attributes soon earned him a place with Nelson, the Lancashire League side, later to become known for hiring the great West Indian all rounder Learie Consantine.
Arthur also showed himself to be a useful slow right armer and capable reserve wicket keeper. His time with Nelson enabled him to qualify for Lancashire, making his debut as a professional in 1889. It was then somewhat unusual for a former public school boy to choose this road. Arthur made 36* in the first innings of his initial match, topscoring v MCC at Lord's.
Thereafter, though he continued to bat usefully, he did not really come into his own until the early part of the 1895 season, a year best remembered in cricket history as the one in which WG became the first to reach 100 first class centuries.
Arthur's year did not begin too well, a pair against Sussex at Old Trafford being no indication of what was to follow. In the next match however, he made 77* at No 4 topscoring against Leicestershire and setting up a 177 run victory. "Paul," said Wisden," did his side great service."
In the following match, aginst Kent, he did even better. Playing what Wisden called "a fine innings" he batted 270 minutes for 140, his maiden first class century. Another report in Lillywhite recorded that "the weak Kent bowling suffered terribly at Paul's hands. “The visitors' batting was then destroyed by the fearsome pace of Arthur Mold, soon to be hounded out of cricket over throwing allegations. These days, no doubt, he would pass ICC guidelines!
Lancashire then travelled over the Pennines for the Roses Match at Sheffield. Played before crowds of around 20,000 on each of the first two days, this was a low scoring match, in which Arthur Paul hit a second innings 87, before being bowled by future England captain and Conservative Party Chairman Stanley Jackson.
Easily top score of the match it was clearly the crucial innings, highly praised by the cricket press. However his highest score of the season was still to come. A week after the Yorkshire match, Lancashire were at Taunton to face Somerset. Winning the toss, they rattled up the little matter of 801 in the first, with the fluent stylist Archie MacLaren making 424, which, though threatened by Graeme Hick on the same ground in 1988, was to remain the English first class record until a certain Mr Lara joined Warwickshire in 1994!
Arthur's share at Taunton that far off day was 177, an innings described by Wisden as "fine". He and MacLaren put on 363 for the second wicket in 190 minutes. Needless to say the Red Rose county won by an innings and plenty.
Batting was never to be quite the same again for Arthur. Though he made two more first class centuries, both in rain affected draws, his career total was only 2,976 runs at 21.72. Injury and illness dogged him; he did little in Minor County matches either managing just one century in over thirty appearances for the County 2nd XI, 100 v Surrey 2nds at The Oval in1890.
Eventually he was forced to retire - through ill health - in 1900 taking a position on the Lancashire coaching staff. He receiced a benefit of £554 - rather more then than now - and was still umpiring occasional matches in 1920.
Arthur's rugby career was mostly finished before his first class cricket began. He played for several seasons in the 1880s for Swinton RFC either as centre or - more usually - full back. In those days - of course - the full back generally stayed well within his own half, and, with no restrictions on kicking out on the full, was expected to thump the ball into touch on most occasions. Arthur was, however not only a reliable goal kicker but something of a drop goal expert, which suggests, that he may have made forays in the opposition's half or even 25.
Also playing for Swinton was England forward Bob Seddon, thus when Seddon became captain of the team to tour Australia and New Zealand during the antipodean winter of 1888, Arthur got the call, which he might not otherwise have expected. This team is now regarded as the first Lions side, though it was predominantly English in make up. It did include some Welsh and Scottish players, but no Irish unless Arthur is so regarded.
The tour was really a money making exercise for the three cricket entrepreneurs, James Lillywhite, England's first Test captain, Alf Shaw, who had bowled the first ball in Test cricket and is thought by some to have been the most accurate bowler ever and Arthur Shrewsbury, the greatest professional batsman of his age.
They had already, in the days before national governing bodies were fully established, run three cricket tours "Down Under", and were, in fact, already there, their third tour having been in 1886/87. This had been a financial disaster as another England team was also on tour. Though the sides combined for the solitary Test played, neither impressed the watching public. The managers retained the servives of AE Stoddart, the leading member of the rival XI, and one of the outstanding cricketers in England,
An amateur. "Stoddy" was later to captain an Ashes winning side there, but he was now required as one of the best centres in the oval ball game. The side played no Tests, but, cris-crossing the Tasman Sea, turned out on 35 occasions, besides playing over 20 Australian Rules matches. In the latter they were, apart form Stoddart, outclassed, but they won 27 of their Rugby fixtures. Arthur made 27 appearances kicking 13 conversions and two dropped goals.
They also found time to play some cricket. For example as "The English Footballers", they took on Canterbury in New Zealand. Stoddart batted well and Shaw's bowling was formidable; however Arthur at 3 contributed a first innings 12, but did little else.
Tragedy had struck the tour early on, Seddon being drowned in a boating accident. Stoddart took over the captaincy, his leadership being highly praised. It is said that the tour in general and Stoddart in particular, did much to encourage the growth of Rugby in New Zealand! Tragedy followed the tourists in later life also. Stoddart, in a somewhat unhappy marriage and deeply in debt, and Shrewsbury, believing - mistakenly - that he was suffering fronm an incurable disease, were both to take their own lives, by shots through the head. Beside these, Arthur's illness and injury problems pale into insignificance.
Arthur played little more major Rugby after his return home, but became a prominent footballer. In 1899, though past thirty and far from well, his wicket keeping and full back skills came in to force as he became a highly praised goal keeper for Blackburn Rovers. However his health problems made him call a halt to this activity also.
Arthur George Paul died at Didsbury on the outskirts of Manchester on 14 January 1947.He was, perhaps, not a great cricketer or footballer of either code. But as Ireland's first Lion and Belfast's first county cricketer he deserves to be remembered.
