West Indian Cricket Team in England in 1900 - Race Issues

Race Issues

In 1900 the idea of different races playing together in the same match was a bit of a novelty. Only in the West Indies and India were there significant numbers of coloured cricketers playing. Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, an Indian prince (universally known as Ranji), had been playing in English cricket for a few years but otherwise coloured cricketers were rarely seen.

During the opening match a formal welcome was given to the team during which it appears that Aucher Warner had made the remark: "we have come to learn, sir" to WG Grace. The following day a cartoon appeared in the 'Star' in which "Dr Grace, a giant is the central figure, bat in hand, and around him, crouching, stooping, imploring are six black urchins of hideous appearance and rather diminutive in size, all of whom are evidently shedding tears. Below appears the words 'We have come to learn, sah!.'" Designed to be amusing, similar cartoons appeared in this and later tours.

When asked whether the coloured members of the team quickly fell into English ways Mr Nock, the Manager, reported: "Very soon. They are thorough sportsmen, and have given no trouble whatever during the tour." Later he says that "In our first match I was walking through the grounds with Woods, who suddenly said to me: Mr. Nock they have got a lot of white people in this country!".

Woods himself is reported as saying about the tour: "I enjoyed it very much. There was the cricket and going about in trains; I liked the views very much. The travelling didn't tire me much and I never had to be left out of the team. I think I should like to live in England, though I don't know whether I could stand the cold in the winter."

It is also worth noting that Ollivierre, a coloured Amateur, was signed up by Derbyshire during the tour and played for them for a number of years.

Much has been made over the years of Gilbert Jessop's innings of 157 in an hour and the reactions of the coloured cricketers. C.L.R. James reports that Float Woods "went to his captain and asked permission to take off his boots. West Indian captain Aucher Warner asked him why: he replied that he could bowl properly only when barefooted. Woods was making the best response he knew to a truly desperate situation." Sammy Woods in his autobiography reports that Jessop "hit the two famous Black Bowlers (Cumberbatch and Woods) so furiously that not only they couldn't bowl for laughter, but the rest of the dark ones in the field rolled about and set up a howl of delight". Archie Cumberbatch was, of course, not on the tour at all and this and other remarks are probably embellished. Overall the reports are of doubtful accuracy and have racist undertones to them.

So from what is reported it seems that race was not a major issue during the tour. Whether this really reflects the reality is difficult to tell at this distance in time.