Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 3.djvu/179

 the government refusing to extend to Ireland the Cattle Diseases Act which had been passed for Great Britain. This, however, soon afterwards became law. Upon his resigning his government appointment, he was presented by the farmers of England with a silver salver and a purse of 5500l. at a dinner given at the Cannon Street Hotel on 2 May 1876.

On the appointment in June 1879 of the duke of Richmond's royal commission on agriculture, Clare Sewell Read and [q. v. Suppl. II] were made assistant commissioners to visit the United States and Canada to inquire into and report on the conditions of agriculture there, particularly as related to the production and exportation of wheat to Europe. They were away six months, and travelled 16,000 miles.

In 1848 Read won the Royal Agricultural Society's prize essay on the farming of South Wales, and in 1854 and 1856 obtained the society's prizes for similar reports on Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. He contributed numerous other papers to the Royal Agricultural Society's 'Journal,' and acted frequently as judge at the Royal, Smithfield, Bath and West of England, and other agricultural shows.

He also wrote a valuable article on the Agriculture of Norfolk for the 4th edition of White's 'History, Gazetteer and Directory' of that county (1883).

In January 1866 he joined the Farmers' Club (originally founded in 1842), and was an active member till his death, frequently reading papers at meetings, serving on the committee, and acting as chairman for two separate years, in 1868 and again in 1892 (jubilee year). He was also a member of the council of the central chamber of agriculture (of which he was chairman in 1869) and of the Smithfield Club.

When his intention to give up farming in Norfolk was made known, a county committee organised a fund for presenting him with his portrait. This picture, painted by J. J. Shannon, R.A., now hangs in the castle at Norwich. In his later years Read lived in London at 91 Kensington Gardens Square, where he died on 21 Aug. 1905, but he was buried in his native soil at Barton Bendish. In 1859 he married Sarah Maria, the only daughter of J. Watson, and had by her four daughters.

 READ, WALTER WILLIAM (1855–1907), Surrey cricketer, was born at Reigate on 23 Nov. 1855. He was educated at the Reigate Priory school, which was managed by his father. Showing early aptitude for cricket, he joined the Reigate Priory Club, and at the age of thirteen scored 78 not out against Tonbridge and the bowling of Bob Lipscombe. In 1873 Read was introduced to Charles William Alcock, the secretary of the Surrey cricket club, and from that date to 1897 was a regular member of the Surrey team. He assisted his father at Reigate Priory school until 1881, when he became assistant secretary to the Surrey cricket club, and thenceforth he devoted all his time to cricket. From 1883 he helped [q. v. Suppl. II] to restore Surrey to a leading cricketing position among the counties. In 1885 he became partner in a City auctioneering and surveying business. In his last years he was coach to young players at the Oval. During his twenty-five years' career in first-class cricket (1873-97) Read gained triumphal success as a batsman, scoring no fewer than 46 centuries. At his best from 1885 to 1888, he scored in successive matches in June 1887 for Surrey v. Lancashire and Cambridge University respectively 247 and 244 not out, and 338 in 1888 for Surrey v. Oxford University. Between 1877 and 1895 Read played in 23 matches for Gentlemen v. Players, his best score being 159 in July 1885, and in twelve test matches in England against the Australians between 1884 and 1893, his most memorable performance in Austrahan matches being at Kennington Oval in August 1884, when going in tenth he scored 117. In this match [q. v. Suppl. II] scored 211 for the Australians. Read twice visited Australia: in 1882-3 with Ivo Bligh's team, and in 1887-8 with G. F. Vernon's team. In the second tour Read averaged over 65 runs per innings in eleven-a-side matches. He took a team in the winter of 1891-2 to South Africa. Of strong physique, Read was a determined hitter, and a very attractive batsman who brought 'pulling' to a fine art. A very safe field, he shone especially at point, and he was also a useful 'lob' bowler. As a captain he had few superiors.

Read, who published a useful record called 'Annals of Cricket' in 1896, died on 6 Jan. 1907 at Colworth Road, Addiscombe Park, Croydon, and was buried at Shirley. He married and had issue. A painted portrait depicting Read at the wicket, by G. H. Barrable and Mr. Staples,