Dictionary of National Biography, 1927 supplement/Stoddart, Andrew Ernest
STODDART, ANDREW ERNEST (1863–1915), cricketer, was born at Westoe, South Shields, 11 March 1863. He was the younger of the two sons of George Best Stoddart, by his wife, Elizabeth Whinney. When he was nine years old, his father, who had owned a wine merchant's business, went south, and Stoddart was educated at a private school kept by a Mr. Oliver in St. John's Wood. His reputation was made in London club cricket, and it was as a prominent player for Hampstead that he was chosen to play for Middlesex in August 1885. He soon established himself in first-class company with an innings of 79 against the strong bowling of Nottinghamshire. In the following season, playing for Hampstead against the Stoics, he scored 485, at that time the highest individual innings on record; and in 1887, in the Marylebone Club's centenary match, he made 151, putting up, in company with Arthur Shrewsbury [q.v.], 266 for the first wicket.
For the next ten years Stoddart was in the front rank of English amateurs. Most of his finest performances were for Middlesex, a county which at this period could put into the field a powerful batting side. The captain, A. J. Webbe, Stoddart, S. W. Scott, Sir T. C. O'Brien, and F. G. J. Ford were players who attracted large crowds to Lord's cricket ground during the last decade of the nineteenth century. The best of them was Stoddart, whose great scores are too numerous to give in detail. In 1891 he made 215, not out, against Lancashire, and in 1893, his most successful season, he scored at Lord's against Nottinghamshire, 195, not out, in the first innings and 124 in the second. He was chosen to represent England against Australia in 1890 at Manchester, but rain prevented play. In 1893 he played in all three test matches against Australia, making 83 at Kennington Oval and 42 at Manchester.
Stoddart's reputation in Australia stood as high as in England. He visited the colony in the winter of 1887, and again with the eleven taken out by the third Earl of Sheffield [see HOLROYD, Henry North] in 1891, when he made 134 in the third test match. In 1894 he went out as captain of a representative English team. Australian cricket was very strong, and the five test matches constituted a struggle of giants. In the first engagement England, after following on against a total of 586, won a surprising victory by ten runs. When the fifth game took place at Melbourne on 1 March 1895, the position was two matches each, and the fortunes of the deciding contest aroused intense interest. Eventually England, put in to make 297 in the last innings, succeeded in scoring the necessary runs for the loss of four wickets. Stoddart's own share in the triumphs of the tour was considerable, his consistent batting and judicious captaincy contributing much to the result. On his return to England he was received with enthusiasm. A second trip, which he organized in 1897, proved a complete disappointment. His eleven, of whose success high hopes were entertained, was handicapped by various misfortunes, and was overwhelmed in the test matches. The captain himself was obliged to stand down on several occasions, and could show nothing approaching his proper form. He retired soon afterwards, for after the summer of 1898 he ceased to play regularly for Middlesex. Now and then he took part in a match; on his last appearance, indeed, he made his highest score in first-class cricket— 221 for Middlesex against Somerset at Lord's in June 1900.
Stoddart's style as a batsman was a model for imitation: his driving, cutting, and leg-play were admirable. Though essentially a forcing player, his defence on difficult wickets was sound. He was also a first-rate fieldsman anywhere, and a useful change bowler. He was also well-known as a three-quarter back at Rugby football. He played for the Harlequins Club as well as for Blackheath, and represented England in the international matches between 1886 and 1893. He enjoyed the uncommon distinction of captaining an English international team both at cricket and football.
Apart from his skill as an athlete Stoddart deserves to be remembered for the success with which he filled the difficult office of leader and manager of a touring side in Australia. His relations with his opponents were as pleasant as those with his colleagues, a happy result due to his genuine and unassuming character.
Stoddart as a youth was articled to a London architect, and passed into the Royal Academy School, but he did not follow the profession; he subsequently became a member of the Stock Exchange. On his retirement from first-class cricket he was for a time secretary of the Queen's Club, West Kensington. He married in 1906 Ethel Luckham, a widow, the daughter of Theodor von Sinnbech. There was no issue of the marriage. The early failure of his health, and his death at his house in St. John's Wood under sad circumstances on 3 April 1915, caused grief to his numerous friends, both in this country and in the colonies.
[Wisden's Cricketers' Almanack, 1916; private information.]