William Story played eight First-Class matches between 1878 and 1883, half of them against Derbyshire. He was a right-hand bat, bowled (very occasionally) fast round-arm and excelled as a wicket-keeper, being one of the first stumpers to dispense with the services of a long-stop.
Born in Stockport, Cheshire on 3 April 1852, he was educated at Repton, where he was in the XI for two seasons, playing against Uppingham School in 1869 and 1870. In the next summer, he began an association with the Gentlemen of Nottinghamshire, playing the first of ten matches for that side, taking two wickets in his first game, against the Free Foresters.
Story made his debut for Nottinghamshire v Leicestershire in June 1878 and had his initial First-Class outing the following week versus Derbyshire. He played twice more against the East Midlands neighbours that season, for Notts and for the All England Eleven; his final First-Class game was for the MCC at Derby in July 1883.
His other First-Class matches were for Notts, against Lancashire, Yorkshire, MCC and Middlesex. In all First-Class matches he made 41 runs at 3.41 with a top score of 16; he took six catches and made four stumpings. Story did not bowl in the First-Class game.
He continued to play for the Gentlemen of Nottinghamshire, combining his cricket with service in the Highland Light Infantry. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and took charge of a battalion in the Second Boer War in 1899. Story retired with the honorary rank of Colonel.
Although closely connected with Nottinghamshire CCC – he served on the committee and was elected as Club President in 1929 when Nottinghamshire won the Championship for the first time for twenty-two years – in his later years he was as well known as a racehorse owner as for his cricket. Story was a JP and in 1937 was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire.
Col William Frederick Story died in Marylebone, London, on New Year’s Day 1939.
July 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 159