Peter Burrell, 1st Baron Gwydyr PC (16 June 1754 – 29 June 1820) featured in English politics at the end of the 18th century, but he was best known for his involvement in cricket, particularly his part in the foundation of

Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...

in 1787. He was the son of Peter Burrell and educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, ...

and St John's College, Cambridge.

Career

He was elected Member of Parliament for Haslemere from 1776 to 1780 and for

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

from 1782 to 1796. He married in 1779, Lady Priscilla Barbara Elizabeth Bertie, the daughter of

Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven General Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven (171412 August 1778), styled Lord Willoughby de Eresby from 1715 to 1723 and Marquess of Lindsey from 1735 to 1742, was the son of Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. ...

. She succeeded to a large part of the Ancaster estates in 1779, to the barony of Willoughby of Eresby in 1780 and to the hereditary office of Lord Great Chamberlain. Burrell was knighted in 1781 and became her deputy. The highlight of his career was his role as Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain, '' jure uxoris'', in the famous trial of

Warren Hastings Warren Hastings (6 December 1732 – 22 August 1818) was a British colonial administrator, who served as the first Governor of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal), the head of the Supreme Council of Bengal, and so the first Governor-General ...

. Hastings had been the first

Governor-General of India The Governor-General of India (1773–1950, from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, commonly shortened to Viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom and after Indian independence in 1 ...

from 1773 to 1786, but in 1787 he was impeached and subsequently tried for corruption, but was acquitted in 1795. He succeeded his father in 1775 and his great-uncle Sir Merrick Burrell as 2nd Baronet in 1787. He was created Baron Gwydir on 16 June 1796.

Cricket

A keen amateur cricketer, Burrell has been called the third most influential member of the

White Conduit Club The White Conduit Club (WCC) was a cricket club based on the northern fringes of London that existed from c.1782 until 1788. Although short-lived, it had considerable significance in the history of the game, as its members created the first Lord ...

and of the early MCC, after

George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea (4 November 1752 – 2 August 1826), was an important figure in the history of cricket. His main contributions to the game were patronage and organisation but Winchilsea, an amateur, was also a very keen pla ...

and Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond. he played in seven matches which have been awarded

first-class cricket First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officia ...

status between 1787 and 1790.Peter Burrell
CricInfo. Retrieved 2 August 2021. In a non-first-class match for White Conduit Club against the

Gentlemen of Kent Kent County Cricket Club is one of the eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Kent. A club representing the county was first founded in 1842 but Ke ...

White Conduit Fields White Conduit Fields in Islington was an early venue for cricket and several major matches are known to have been played there in the 18th century. It was the original home of the White Conduit Club, forerunner of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). ...

in 1785 he scored 97 runs in an innings.

Family

He died in 1820. With Priscilla Bertie he had lived at Langley Park, Beckenham and had three sons and a daughter. He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son Peter Robert Drummond-Burrell, 2nd Baron Gwydyr, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gwydyr, Peter Burrell, 1st Baron 1754 births 1820 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

Peers of Great Britain created by George III English cricketers of 1701 to 1786 English cricketers of 1787 to 1825 Kent cricketers Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom English cricketers Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784 British MPs 1784–1790 British MPs 1790–1796 White Conduit Club cricketers Non-international England cricketers Cricket patrons