John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset (24 March 1745–19 July 1799) was a keen cricketer, billiards player, tennis player and womaniser. He is best remembered for his love for and patronage of cricket, which he also gambled heavily on. Lord Sackville succeeded to the Dukedom of Dorset in 1769 on the death of his father; he had previously been styled Lord John Sackville by virtue of his father's dukedom. March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in Leap years). ... Events May 11 - War of Austrian Succession: Battle of Fontenoy - At Fontenoy, French forces defeat an Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian army including the Black Watch June 4 – Frederick the Great destroys Austrian army at Hohenfriedberg August 19 - Beginning of the 45 Jacobite Rising at Glenfinnan September 12 - Francis I is elected... July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ... 1799 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... For more coverage of cricket, go to the Cricket Portal. ... Pool table with cue ball, object balls, cue stick, and rack Billards balls Billiards is a game played on a table with low rubber boundary around the edges, small balls, and a stick or cue used to push the white ball into other balls. ... Tennis balls This article is about the sport, tennis. ... The title Earl of Dorset has been created at least four times in the Peerage of England. ... 1769 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Cricket

Dorset was schooled at Westminster, which was where he first became a noted proponent of cricket. He went on to join Hambledon Cricket Club, based in Hambledon, Hampshire, which was the leading cricket club of the day. He was joined there by Sir Horace Mann, a Carthusian, and Lord Tankerville of Eton and Surrey, who was his keenest rival. Motto: Dat Deus Incrementum Westminster School (in full, The Royal College of St. ... Hambledon is a village in Hampshire It is thought that Hambledon Cricket Club was formed circa 1750, making it the oldest known. ... Charterhouse School is a British public school, located in Godalming in the county of Surrey. ... The Kings College of Our Lady of Eton beside Windsor, commonly known as Eton College or just Eton, is a public school (that is, an independent, fee-charging secondary school) for boys located in Eton, Berkshire near Windsor in England, located about a mile north of Windsor Castle. ... Surrey County Cricket Club (SCCC) is an English domestic first-class cricket team based at The Oval in London. ...

Dorset gained a reputation as a keen competitor. The Morning Post in 1773 wrote: 1773 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

The Duke...having run a considerable number of notches from off strokes, the [opposing fielders] very unpolitely swarmed round his bat so close as to impede his making a full stroke; his Grace gently expostulated with them on this unfair mode, and pointed out their danger, which having no effect, he, with proper spirit made full play at a ball and in so doing brought one of the gentlemen to the ground.

In the same year, Dorset presented the Vine Cricket Ground, at Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent to the town, at a peppercorn rent, in the literal sense. It is one of the oldest cricket grounds in England. The first nationally reported cricket match had taken place here in 1734 when "The Gentlemen of Kent" beat "The Gentlemen of Sussex". Sevenoaks Town Council still has the Vine Cricket Club, though the rent doubled to two peppercorns with the pavilion was built in the 19th century. They must also pay Lord Sackville (if asked) one cricket ball on the 21st July each year. Location within the British Isles. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... Events January 8 - Premiere of George Frideric Handels opera Ariodante at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1775 a full-scale riot broke out at the Artillery Ground when Dorset's side was not performing too well. In 1782 the Morning Chronicle noted that "His Grace is one of the few noblemen who endeavour to combine the elegance of modern luxury with the more manly sports of the old English times". 1775 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Dorset's patronage of cricket was expensive — the Whitehall Evening Post in 1783 noted that the cost to Dorset of maintaining his team, before bets, was £1,000 a year. This was a lot, but less than the amounts some of his contemporaries were spending on racing. 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Ambassador to France

In 1784 Dorset moved to Paris, surprising his critics with newfound public dedication, to serve as ambassador to France. He continued to promote cricket amongst the locals and British expatriates. In 1786 The Times reported on a cricket match played by some English gentlemen in the Champs Elysées: 1784 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... 1786 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The masthead of The Times The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom. ... Avenue des Champs-Élysées from Place de la Concorde Looking east along the Champs-Élysées from the top of the Arc de Triomphe The Champs-Élysées (pronounced  audio literally the Elysian fields) is a broad avenue in the French capital Paris. ...

His Grace of Dorset was, as usual, the most distinguished for skill and activity. The French, however, cannot imitate us in such vigorous exertions of the body, so that we seldom see them enter the lists.

The following year The Times noted that horse-racing was losing popularity in France, with cricket, on Dorset's recommendation, taking its place. In 1789 Dorset planned what would have been the first international cricket tour. His touring side got as far as congregating on 10 August at Dover. But the French Revolution meant that they never got to France, thereby making his tour the first international cricket tour to be cancelled for political reasons. Just as the American Civil War 80 or so years later destroyed the prospect of cricket becoming popular there, so the French Revolution destroyed any footholds the game had in France. 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Location within the British Isles. ... The period of the French Revolution in the history of France covers the years between 1789 and 1799, in which democrats and republicans overthrew the absolute monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ... The period of the French Revolution in the history of France covers the years between 1789 and 1799, in which democrats and republicans overthrew the absolute monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ...

Back in England, Dorset became one of the first members of the Marylebone Cricket Club; his public life continued in the post of Steward of the Royal Household — in which capacity his his main role was to keep an eye on the dissolute Prince of Wales, the future George IV. The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) was the original governing body of international cricket. ... George IV King of the United Kingdom George IV (George Augustus Frederick) (12 August 1762–26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom and Hanover from 29 January 1820. ...

Personal life

Dorset's best-known mistress was Venetian ballerina Giovanna Zanerini, who was the principal ballerina at the King's Theatre, Haymarket, and used the stage name Giovanna Baccelli. Dorset commissioned a painting of her from Thomas Gainsborough, which is reckoned to be one of Gainsborough's later masterpieces. Blue boy, painted 1770 Thomas Gainsborough (May 14, 1727 (baptised) - August 2, 1788) was one of the most famous portrait and landscape painters of 18th century Britain. ...

The 3rd Duke of Dorset was also known for his affair with the Countess of Derby, born Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of the 5th Duke of Hamilton and the beauty Elizabeth Gunning. Since her husband refused to divorce her, her child with Dorset was born illegitimate. The Earl of Derby is a title in the peerage of England. ... The Mausoleum of the Dukes of Hamilton sits in the grounds of the old Hamilton Palace in Hamilton The Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland created in 1643. ... Elizabeth Gunning (~December 1733 - December 20, 1790) was a celebrated Irish beauty and society hostess. ...

In 1790 Dorset married Arabella Diana Cope. They had one son together, George John Frederick, who was born on 15 November 1793. George John Frederick became the 4th Duke of Dorset on his father's death at the family seat, Knole House, by Sevenoaks, Kent in 1799. Knole was then inherited by his sister the Countess De La Warr, who was created Baroness Buckhurst in her own right (a title later inherited by a younger son who is ancestor of the present Earl). Another line stemming from this lady is that of the Baron Sackville. The 3rd Baron Sackville was father of the writer Vita Sackville-West who created a wonderful garden at Sissinghurst. Knole House and Sissinghurst have both been given to the National Trust. 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... 1793 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Knole House in 1880. ... Location within the British Isles. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... 1799 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Earl De La Warr (pronounced Dellaware) is a title created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1761. ... Vita Sackville-West (March 9, 1892 - June 2, 1962) was an English writer and landscape gardener. ... The gardens at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, near Cranbrook, Goudhurst and Tenterden, are owned and maintained by the National Trust. ... The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is an organisation which works to preserve and protect coastline, countryside and buildings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. ...

References

• A Social History of English Cricket by Derek Birley ISBN 1-85410-941-3
• Cricinfo page on the 3rd Duke of Dorset (http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PLAYERS/ENG/D/DORSET_DUKE_01029488/) (Retrieved on 20 February 2005)
• A database entry on the 3rd Duke of Dorset (http://web.ukonline.co.uk/nigel.battysmith/Database/D0008/I22619.html) (Retrieved on 20 February 2005)
• Tate Britain - Giovanna Zanerini (http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:4bPngkzPeH0J:www.tate.org.uk/britain/explore/work06giova.html+%223rd+Duke+of+Dorset%22&hl=en) (Retrieved on 20 February 2005)
• Sevenoaks Life - A History of Sevenoaks Town (http://www.sevenoaks-life.co.uk/index.php/article/articlestatic/69/1/1/) (Retrieved on 20 February 2005)
• Artchive page on Thomas Gainsborough (http://www.artchive.com/artchive/G/gainsborough.html)

External link

• Pictures of the 3rd Duke of Dorset held by the National Portrait Gallery (http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp53591)
• Houses in Kent - Knole (http://www.touruk.co.uk/houses/housekent_know.htm)

The Captain of the Queens Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is presently a UK government post usually held by the Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords. ... Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household, in England, an important official of the monarchs household. ...