The Australians at Sheffield Park 1884 to 1896 (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798307921746)

Henry Holroyd, the third Lord Sheffield, was a cricket enthusiast who played one first-class match but is remembered, not as a player, but as an extremely generous patron of the game.
Upon inheriting his title, and the estate of Sheffield Park in 1876, he spent an enormous amount of money to establish a private cricket ground reputed to be the prettiest ground in England, if not her Empire.
He welcomed the touring Australian's for the first time in 1884. So impressed were the Australians with his lavish hospitality that a visit to Sheffield Park to meet his Lordship's XI became a customary way to open an Ashes tour.
It wasn't just the Australians who were recipients of Lord Sheffield's hospitality. He opened his ground free of charge for any who wished to watch the games. On the final occasion, in 1896, 25,000 attended the first day's play, amongst the spectators was the Prince of Wales himself.
Read about this extraordinary man, his ground and some wonderful cricket from the golden age.