Alfred Grace

Alfred was one of the five Grace brothers, all of whom played cricket: his younger brothers EM Grace, WG Grace and Fred Grace all played in the first-ever Test match in 1880.[2] All five boys were doctors like their father, but the eldest (Henry) and Alfred "took it more seriously than the others".[2] Donald Trelford notes that "although Alfred was the least talented at cricket, he scored several centuries at club level."[2]

Wisden's assessment of Grace's skills was pithy, summing him up as "a very useful cricketer" who didn't ever appear at Lord's.[3] It found space to mention his "usual post" in the field was "long stop", before adding "as a player, he at no time ranked with his brothers".[3] The British Medical Journal noted that Alfred's renown was less than his brothers', but that he played cricket "fairly", an apparent reference to controversies that surrounded WG Grace.[4]

Grace's passion and skill as a horseman led him to a passion for hunting, at which he was "famous for his flair and daring", including a claim that he once jumped a stream that was 30 feet wide, and that he didn't have to buy a hunting horse for 30 years, as friends would give him horses they found difficult.[5] As such, it appears he was known as "the hunting doctor".[5] His skill was such that in 1872, Baily's Magazine of Sports and Pastimes described him as "decidedly one of the best men to hounds in England".[6] He "was a brilliant horseman", according to Trelford.[2]

The British Medical Journal's obituary of Alfred noted that he survived his younger (and hugely famous) brother WG, noted the highlights of his medical career.[4] Alfred studied in Bristol and received MRCS in 1863 and Licenciate of the Society of Apothecaries (LSA) in 1864. He was a member of the British Medical Association and was Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeoman Cavalry.[4]

Grace's medical career was based around Chipping Sodbury.[5] It was a busy practice, and "he attended to one hundred and fifty confinements [births] a year".[5] As well as his military appointment, other sinecures he achieved included appointments to the local workhouse, factories, collieries and as a vaccinator.[5] He also enjoyed boxing.[5] During his practice, he noticed apparent benefits of dosing women who were suffering from seizures during labour with morphine, and wrote a letter about his findings, published in The British Medical Journal in 1889.[7]

Of the five Grace brothers, his lifespan (75 years) was the longest; this despite him being the only one who smoked.[5]

Alfred had at least two sons, one of whom (Gerald) was also a doctor.[8] The other was also a doctor, Dr Alfred Henry Grace, who like many of his family played cricket for Gloucestershire.[9]