Diana Rait Kerr (11 August 1918 – 18 December 2012) was an English curator, cricket writer and cricket historian. She was the first full-time curator of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and one of the first women to be an elected honorary member of the MCC.[1][2]
Born in Dublin, Rait Kerr attended Perse High School, Cambridge, and Stoatley Hall, Haslemere. Her father, Rowan Rait Kerr, was Secretary (i.e. chief executive) of the MCC from 1936 to 1952. At the outbreak of World War II, she was 21 years old; she spent the war driving ambulances in London during the Blitz and in Cambridge and Cardiff.[1]
Careeredit
As part of her father's effort to restore Lord’s Cricket Ground after its occupation by the Royal Air Force during the war, Rait Kerr helped him to sort and catalogue the ground’s records and artefacts.[3] Rait Kerr became the MCC's curator, and held the position from 1945 to her retirement in 1968. She was the first person to hold the position as a permanent full-time role, as previous staff had been either part-time or volunteers. During her tenure, she organised much of the MCC’s collection of artefacts and documents into a museum, housed in the club’s converted racquets court.[3]
In 1999, when Lord’s Cricket Ground ended its 212-year policy of only admitting men, Rait Kerr was one of the first women members.[4]
Retirementedit
Rait Kerr spent much of her retirement travelling. Based in a cottage at Little Gaddesden, near Berkhamsted, she would travel abroad to watch Test matches, often on tours organised by The Cricketer magazine.[1]
Bibliographyedit
Hambledon Cricket and the Bat and Ball Inn, Henty & Constable (Brewers), 1951.
Lord's 1946-1970, with Ian Peebles, Pavilion Books, 1987, ISBN 978-1851451418.
Referencesedit
^ abc"Diana Rait Kerr". The Times. 1 January 2013. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
^Duncan, Isabelle (2013). Skirting the Boundary: A History of Women's Cricket. Biteback Publishing.
^ ab"Diana Rait Kerr". 22 January 2013. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
^"BBC News | UK | MCC delivers first 10 maidens". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
December 15, 2023
diana, rait, kerr, august, 1918, december, 2012, english, curator, cricket, writer, cricket, historian, first, full, time, curator, marylebone, cricket, club, first, women, elected, honorary, member, contents, early, life, career, retirement, bibliography, ref. Diana Rait Kerr 11 August 1918 18 December 2012 was an English curator cricket writer and cricket historian She was the first full time curator of the Marylebone Cricket Club MCC and one of the first women to be an elected honorary member of the MCC 1 2 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Retirement 4 Bibliography 5 ReferencesEarly life editBorn in Dublin Rait Kerr attended Perse High School Cambridge and Stoatley Hall Haslemere Her father Rowan Rait Kerr was Secretary i e chief executive of the MCC from 1936 to 1952 At the outbreak of World War II she was 21 years old she spent the war driving ambulances in London during the Blitz and in Cambridge and Cardiff 1 Career editAs part of her father s effort to restore Lord s Cricket Ground after its occupation by the Royal Air Force during the war Rait Kerr helped him to sort and catalogue the ground s records and artefacts 3 Rait Kerr became the MCC s curator and held the position from 1945 to her retirement in 1968 She was the first person to hold the position as a permanent full time role as previous staff had been either part time or volunteers During her tenure she organised much of the MCC s collection of artefacts and documents into a museum housed in the club s converted racquets court 3 In 1999 when Lord s Cricket Ground ended its 212 year policy of only admitting men Rait Kerr was one of the first women members 4 Retirement editRait Kerr spent much of her retirement travelling Based in a cottage at Little Gaddesden near Berkhamsted she would travel abroad to watch Test matches often on tours organised by The Cricketer magazine 1 Bibliography editHambledon Cricket and the Bat and Ball Inn Henty amp Constable Brewers 1951 Lord s 1946 1970 with Ian Peebles Pavilion Books 1987 ISBN 978 1851451418 References edit a b c Diana Rait Kerr The Times 1 January 2013 ISSN 0140 0460 Retrieved 21 December 2019 Duncan Isabelle 2013 Skirting the Boundary A History of Women s Cricket Biteback Publishing a b Diana Rait Kerr 22 January 2013 ISSN 0307 1235 Retrieved 21 December 2019 BBC News UK MCC delivers first 10 maidens news bbc co uk Retrieved 21 December 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Diana Rait Kerr amp oldid 1187360062, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
