William Lithgow
Personal information
Full name
William Samuel Plenderleath Lithgow
Born18 February 1920
Westminster, London, England
Died8 August 1997(1997-08-08) (aged 77)
South Newington, Oxfordshire, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off break
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1937–1949Oxfordshire
1939Oxford University
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 3
Runs scored 69
Batting average 17.25
100s/50s –/–
Top score 27
Catches/stumpings 2/–
Source: Cricinfo, 24 June 2019

William Samuel Plenderleath Lithgow (18 February 1920 – 8 August 1997) was an English first-class cricketer. Lithgow played first-class cricket before the Second World War for Oxford University. After the war he embarked on a career as a professional soldier, serving in both the Royal Artillery and the 10th Royal Hussars until 1968. He later served as a bodyguard to Elizabeth II in the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms from 1970 to 1990.

Early life and first-class cricket

The son of Captain Douglas Plenderleath Lithgow and his wife, Dorothy Kathleen Hughes-Onslow, he was born at Westminster in February 1920.[1] He was educated at Harrow School, before going up to Christ Church, Oxford.[2] While studying at Oxford, he made three appearances in first-class cricket for Oxford University in 1939, playing against the Free Foresters, the Minor Counties cricket team and Surrey.[3] He scored 69 runs in these matches, with a high score of 27.[4] In addition to playing first-class cricket, Lithgow also appeared in minor counties cricket for Oxfordshire, making eight appearances in Minor Counties Championship between 1937 and 1939.[5]

Military career and later life

He was a second lieutenant in the Oxford University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps.[6] Having served in the Second World War, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in July 1974,[7] with promotion to captain coming in August of the same year, at which point he was serving with the Royal Artillery.[8] He married in May 1947, with the couple having three children.[1] He concluded his minor counties career with Oxfordshire in 1948 and 1949, making three final appearances in the Minor Counties Championship.[5] He was promoted to the rank of major in February 1954.[9] Having been transferred to the 10th Royal Hussars at some point prior to 1961, he was placed on the Reserve of Officers list in 1961,[10] before returning to the establishment in April 1965.[11] He had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in April 1962.[12]

Having retired from active service in February 1968,[13] Lithgow was appointed by Elizabeth II to the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms in May 1970.[14] He retired from his bodyguard duties with the Honourable Corps in February 1990.[15] He served as the chairman of selectors of the British Olympic equestrian team.[16] He died in August 1997 at South Newington, Oxfordshire.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 "Lt.-Col. William Samuel Plenderleath Lithgow". thepeerage.com. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  2. ↑ Oxford University Calendar. University of Oxford. 1947. p. 568.
  3. ↑ "First-Class Matches played by Hubert Bassett". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  4. ↑ "First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by William Lithgow". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by William Lithgow". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  6. ↑ "No. 35034". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 January 1941. p. 111.
  7. ↑ "No. 38012". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 July 1947. p. 3197.
  8. ↑ "No. 38039". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 August 1947. p. 3715.
  9. ↑ "No. 40104". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 February 1954. p. 1071.
  10. ↑ "No. 42419". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 July 1961. p. 4241.
  11. ↑ "No. 43632". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 April 1965. p. 3999.
  12. ↑ "No. 42710". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 June 1962. p. 5011.
  13. ↑ "No. 44528". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 February 1968. p. 2073.
  14. ↑ "No. 45095". The London Gazette. 8 May 1970. p. 5245.
  15. ↑ "No. 52055". The London Gazette. 20 February 1990. p. 2307.
  16. 1 2 "Wisden – Obituaries in 1997". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
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