A special 1941 Wisden

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cridler
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A special 1941 Wisden

Post by cridler »

Hi,

this is worth showing off...

http://www.wisdenauction.com/detail.asp?id=187955" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Provenance of the linen covered 1941 Wisden that in 2016 was discovered in the effects of Thomas Keith Jackson (1918 - 1997).

Thomas Keith Jackson, known as Keith Jackson, was born in 1918 in Barnard Castle, County Durham. He was educated at Barnard Castle public school where he attained a lot of scholastic honours as well as sporting ones – especially cricket. What he did after leaving school is not precisely known excepting he was a member of the local Territorial Army at Barnard Castle attached to the Durham Light infantry and joined the regiment full-time around 1939 as a Second Lieutenant.

In 1940, before Dunkirk (26th May to 4th June 1940), Keith Jackson was captured by the Germans during the Battle of France. He ended up in the German prisoner of war camp Oflag V11B in Bavaria, Germany. Offlag V11B was a large camp and was used to intern allied officers from many different countries.

Keith Jackson had a lifelong interest in all forms of classical music and was involved in the many activities that were arranged by the prisoners to amuse themselves. He also formed lasting friendships with a number of fellow prisoners. The camp was liberated by the U.S. Army on 16 April 1945

How the Wisden, obviously part of the POW library in Oflag VIIB, firstly came there and then, secondly, came back to the UK as one of Keith Jackson’s possessions, is not known as the book only came to light in 2016. One can only presuppose it was stuffed into a haversack as something to while away time during what would be a long and arduous trip back to the UK from Germany across war torn Europe.

After the war Keith Jackson qualified as a Brewer and joined the Castle Eden, County Durham based family Brewery of J Nimmo and Son Limited as second brewer. As a keen cricketer he was a county player for Durham and also was a scratch golfer.

In 1958, aged 40, he married Joan Nimmo and enjoyed life working and travelling. In 1963 the brewery was sold to Whitbreads and Keith declined to relocate to London. Thus he retired to a life of travelling with Joan, playing high class bridge, attending concerts and playing superior golf for his age. The story rather sadly ends as, after a few years in about 1973, Keith was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He did well for a number of years but slowly retired into himself. Beautifully nursed, he still had a great number of happy years happily sitting next to his wife welcoming the people he knew with a grin and a smile. He peacefully died, aged 79, in 1997.
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