William James Laidlay (12 August 1846 – 25 October 1912) was a Scottish first-class cricketer, barrister and artist.

William Laidlay
Personal information
Full name
William James Laidlay
Born12 August 1846
Calcutta, Bengal Presidency,
British India
Died25 October 1912(1912-10-25) (aged 66)
Freshwater, Isle of Wight,
England
BattingUnknown
BowlingUnknown
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 1
Runs scored 14
Batting average 7.00
100s/50s –/–
Top score 11
Balls bowled 228
Wickets 3
Bowling average 35.00
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling 2/85
Catches/stumpings –/–
Source: Cricinfo, 12 September 2019

The son of John Watson Laidlay, he was born in August 1846 at Calcutta in British India. He was educated in Scotland at the Loretto School, before going up to Peterhouse, Cambridge, from where he graduated in 1872.[1] A student of the Middle Temple, he was called to the bar in April 1875.[2] In the same year that he was called to the bar, Laidlay made a single appearance in first-class cricket for the North in the North v South fixture at Chelsea.[3] Batting twice in the match, he was dismissed for 11 runs by James Lillywhite in the North's first-innings, while in their second-innings he was dismissed for 3 runs by W. G. Grace. He took three wickets across the match, dismissing Grace and Charles Buller in the South's first-innings, while in their second-innings he dismissed George Wyatt.[4] He was a member of the Faculty of Advocates in 1874 and served on the Scottish courts circuit until 1878, after which he studied art in Paris from 1879–85.[1] Laidlay was a founding member of the New English Art Club in 1885. He regularly exhibited his works at the Royal Academy of Arts, the Paris Salon, and the New Gallery.[1] Laidlay died in October 1912 at Glenbrook House in Freshwater on the Isle of Wight.[5] His brother was the amateur golfer, Johnny Laidlay.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Venn, John (2011). Alumni Cantabrigienses. Vol. 6. Cambridge University Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-1108036153.
  2. ^ Foster, Joseph (1885). Men-at-the-bar. Reeves and Turner. pp. 263.
  3. ^ "First-Class Matches played by William Laidlay". CricketArchive. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  4. ^ "South v North, 1875". CricketArchive. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Wisden - Obituaries in 1912". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
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