English descendent Sean Beardmore has recently discovered that his great grandfather was none other than Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, the first non-white cricketer to play for England. Nicknamed Ranji, his international ancestor wowed his contemporaries with an unusual cricketing technique that later led him to play for the England. Ranji earned his first golden stripe when England played Australia in July 1896, scoring 154 runs, more than half of the side's total of 305.
Born in the Indian province of Nawanagar, he came over to study at the University of Cambridge. This is where he met with the upper-class Edith Borissow, the daughter of his tutor, with whom he fathered a child, Kirk. For many reasons then, the truth has remained hidden: 'We don’t know the full story behind what happened,' says living relative Beardmore. 'Pieces of the puzzle are missing but the circumstantial evidence points to Edith Borissow being the mother and I’m sure any DNA test would show a connection with Ranji.'
The trophy awarded to the winners of India’s domestic cricket championship has Ranji's name inscribed. During his Australia season, Ranji, scored a total of 2,780 runs in first-class cricket, breaking the record of WG Grace and elicited the response of “the midsummer night’s dream of cricket”.One of his nephews, Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji, also took the bat for England, scoring almost 1,000 runs in 12 Test matches.
Unfortunately despite the lobbying of Lord Hawke, the Yorkshire and England cricket captain, for the total incorporation of his Indian friend into the team, racist values hindered an official position. Ranji finally returned to India where he became ruler of Nawanagar in 1907. The son Kirk was adopted by Paul Beardmore, a Bradford shoemaker, and his wife,Jane, and took their surname.
