Robert Grimston

Robert Grimston was born on 18 September 1816 in Mayfair, London. He was the fourth son of James Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam. Grimston died on 7 April 1884 at Gorhambury House, Hertfordshire.

He received his education at Harrow School and subsequently attended Christ Church, Oxford. During his time at Oxford, John Ruskin, a fellow-undergraduate, described Grimston as "a man of gentle birth and amiable manners, and of herculean strength." Ruskin noted Grimston's fondness for dogs, horses, and boxing.

Grimston participated in cricket from an early age. He represented Oxford University, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), and played for several other teams. His first-class cricket career spanned from 1836 to 1855, during which he made at least 63 known appearances. He batted right-handed and was among the first members of the cricket club I Zingari, serving as its honorary treasurer. He was also a member of the MCC, serving as its president for some time, and frequently played matches at Lord's Cricket Ground. In 1846, he helped establish a Surrey county cricket eleven, which played at Kennington Oval.

Grimston maintained a lifelong interest in cricket. The MCC's annual report after his death highlighted his long association with the sport, describing him as a true friend, a sportsman, and an example of an honorable English gentleman.

Following his graduation from Oxford, Grimston studied law and was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1843. However, he did not pursue a legal career extensively and nearly abandoned law by 1852. Instead, he turned his focus toward the emerging field of electric telegraphy. Grimston joined the board of the Electric Telegraph Company and later served as a director of the Atlantic Telegraph Company and as chairman of the Indo-European Telegraph Company.

His family background includes several relatives involved in cricket. His brothers James, Edward, and Francis all played first-class cricket, as did his nephews Walter Grimston and Lord Hyde. Besides his sporting pursuits, Grimston was interested in boxing. In the early 1850s, he and his brother James visited Nat Langham's Rum Pum-Pas club in Westminster, which was popular among the aristocracy.

There is an oak tree in Epping Forest, Essex, named Grimston's Oak in his honor. This Quercus robur stands between Fairmead Bottom and Connaught Water, at the grid reference TQ 4042095658. The tree has a girth of approximately 4.95 meters as of 2007 and is estimated to be about 350 years old.

References for Grimston's biographical details include the "Dictionary of National Biography" (1890) by George Barnett Smith and records from Arthur Haygarth's "Scores & Biographies."