10 Facts About James Dark

James Henry Dark was an English professional cricketer who later became a noted patron of the sport and was, from 1835 to 1864, the proprietor of Lord's Cricket Ground.

An occasional wicket-keeper, James Dark was mainly associated with Middlesex and he made 17 known appearances in first-class matches from 1815 to 1843.

James Dark was a respected umpire who stood intermittently from 1829 to 1860.

James Dark used his earnings from cricket to become a property owner and developer.

James Dark lived close by the ground in a house which was "near the present members' luncheon room".

James Dark added a billiard room, a real tennis court, a running track and planted 400 trees.

James Dark struggled to improve the notoriously bad pitch and some of his extra attractions, such as pony racing and Red Indian encampments, cannot have helped the condition of the outfield.

James Dark brought his family into Lord's to help develop the business.

James Dark resigned the leasehold in 1864 and it was taken over by MCC.

The son of a saddler, James Dark was connected with Lord's in some capacity for 59 years from 1805 to 1864 and it was said of him in Alfred D Taylor's Annals of Lord's and History of the MCC: "having, perhaps, done more for MCC than any other individual".