E. M. Grace

English cricketer

Edward Mills Grace (28 November 1841 – 20 May 1911) was an English first class cricketer in the second half of the 19th century who was an all rounder, batting right handed and bowling slow right arm underarm. He played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and was the elder brother of W. G. and Fred Grace. All three played for England against Australia in September 1880 two weeks before Fred Grace died. Always known by his initials, E. M. Grace controversially held amateur status but was criticised for the money he made by playing.

E. M. Grace was born on Sunday, 28 November 1841 in Downend, near Bristol. He was one of the great cricketers of the 1860s and 1870s, though he was overshadowed by his younger brother W. G. He was called Ted by the Grace family but elsewhere by his initials only. He then pulled out of first class cricket whilst he qualified as a surgeon, but returned on the formation of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in 1871, of which he was secretary until his resignation in 1909. Thanks mainly to the combined efforts of the Grace brothers, Gloucestershire became the champion county in 1874, 1876 and 1877; they also shared the title in 1873. All three brothers were selected for the first Test match played in England, which was at the Oval in 1880. This remains the only instance of three brothers playing for England in the same Test. Grace's nickname was "The Coroner", since he was coroner for the lower division of Gloucestershire. He was married four times and sired eighteen children. His first wife, Annie, was born at Demarara. Their eldest daughter, Annie, was labelled a dumb imbecile. By 1881, they had at least six other daughters: Edith, Florie, Mina, Sarah, Alice and Sybil; and three sons Edward, Francis and Norman. His daughter Mina Gertrude Grace married stockbroker Henry Willis, son of the cricketer Henry Willis. He died 20 May 1911 in Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England.