Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Ford, William Justice
FORD, WILLIAM JUSTICE (1853–1904), cricketer and writer on cricket, the eldest of seven sons of William Augustus Ford, of Lincoln's Inn Fields, by his wife Katherine Mary Justice, was born in London on 7 Nov. 1853. Of his brothers, Augustus Frank Justice (b. 1858) and Francis Gilbertson Justice (b. 1866) distinguished themselves in Repton, Cambridge University, and Middlesex cricket, while a third, Lionel George Bridges Justice (b. 1865), became headmaster of Harrow in 1910. Educated at Eagle House, Wimbledon, and at Repton, where he played in the cricket eleven (1870–2). William entered St. John's College, Cambridge, as minor scholar in 1872, became foundation scholar in 1874, and graduated B.A. with second-class classical honours in 1876, proceeding M.A. in 1878. He was a master at Marlborough College from 1877 to 1886, and from that year till 1889 was principal of Nelson College, New Zealand. On his return to England he became in April 1890 headmaster of Leamington college, from which he retired in 1893.
Of splendid physique (he was 6 ft. 3 in. in height and weighed in 1886 over 17 stone), Ford was as a cricketer one of the hardest hitters ever known, surpassed only by Mr. C. I. Thornton. His longest authenticated hit was 144 yards; in August 1885 at Maidstone he scored 44 runs in 17 minutes in the first innings, and 75 runs in 45 minutes in the second innings for Middlesex v. Kent. He was a slow round arm bowler and a good field at point. After retiring from his work as schoolmaster, he wrote much on cricket, publishing 'A Cricketer on Cricket' (1900); 'Middlesex County C.C. 1864–1899' (1900); and 'The Cambridge C.C. 1829–1901' (1902). He compiled the articles on 'Public School Cricket' for Wisden's 'Cricketers' Almanack' (1896–1904) and in Prince Ranjitsinhji's 'Jubilee Book of Cricket' (1897). He also contributed articles to the 'Cyclopaedia of Sport' and to the 'Encyclopædia Britannica,' and the chapter on 'Pyramids and Pool' to the Badminton volume on 'Billiards.'
Ford died of pneumonia at Abingdon Mansions on 3 April 1904, and was buried at Kensal Green. He married in 1887 Miss K. M. Browning, of Nelson, New Zealand.
[The Times, 4 and 6 April 1904; Wisden's Cricketers' Almanack, 1905; Haygarth's Cricket Scores and Biographies, 1879, xii. 747; xiv. xcii; Cricket, 17 June 1886 (with portrait); J. Pycroft's Cricket Chat, 1886 (with portrait).]