THE LATE MR GEORGE DICKINSON.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14696, 19 June 1913, Page 7

THE LATE MR GEORGE DICKINSON.

The late Mr George Dickinson, of St. Albans, whoso death occurred on Sunday, was throughout his long life a most enthusiastic cricketer. In the early sixties ho, with others, played in a paddock near tho Bush Inn Hotel, at Riccarton. Afterwards they transferred their pitch to Latimer square, and then to a corner of tho North Park, near the Riccarton Hotel, where the first pavilion,was built. That pavilion was afterwards removed to the present cricket ground in the Park, and is the pavilion which now stands there. Ho assisted to form tho Albion Cricket Club, the first club in Christchurch, and which afterwards merged into the United. Intecprovincial cricket started with the Albion Club ; and tho late Mr I Dickinson took part in the first match I played against Otago. He was a firstclass slow bowler, breaking both ways, and represented Canterbury in interprovincial and other big fixtures for many years. j Mr Dickinson always took a great interest in his district, served on tho St. Albans Borough Council for fourteen years, and as a churchwarden of St. Mary's for a long period. It was really he who caused St. Albans to be so named, and to a friend he gave the following interesting account of how it came about: —Miss Mellon, the celebrated actress, was a near relative of his (Mr Dickinson's), and was married to Mr Coutts, tho founder of the great bank in London. After the death of Mr Coutts his widow married tho then Dnke of St. Albans. At tho first meeting of the residents held in the district those present were rather at a loss for a suitable name to sive to the locality. The late Mr Dickinson being present, suggested that if they had no name they oarticularly desired, ho should move that the place be named "St. Albans," and that was accordingly done.