C. B. K. Beachcroft

Beachcroft was the son of a vicar, John Lowder Kay, and Elizabeth Beachey. He was born on 21 January 1870 at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.[3] His father died in 1877 and Charles and his mother moved to Devon. He grew up to become a county level player in rugby, hockey and cricket, introduced the game of ping-pong to the county, and also competed in shooting. He played as opening bat for Exeter and various other local cricket teams, including Starcross. He married a local girl in 1889 and had four children before being arrested for abduction of a 17-year-old girl. The following year he married this girl, returned to Devon and took on the license of the Royal Hotel, Dawlish, under the name of C. B. Kay Beachcroft.[4]

In the 1901 census his occupation is listed as a licensed victualler. His biography (One of Life's Great Charmers: A Biography of Charles Kay) shows that he was later declared bankrupt. In 1905, under the name of Charles Kay, he joined the stage and became a variety artist, humorist, comedian, actor, pantomime villain and touring theatre company manager, touring Stoll Moss theatres throughout England and Scotland over 16 years with different stage assistants/partners (Sybil Franklin, Lola Trent and Sadie Logan) and fathering a total of 13 children. He emigrated to Australia in 1921 and toured theatres in Australia and New Zealand until his death in Melbourne in 1928.[1]

In the only match of the Olympics against France, he scored 23 runs in the first innings and 54 in the second.[1]

• C. B. K. Beachcroft at Olympedia
• C. B. K. Beachcroft at the British Olympic Association
• Olympic Final scorecard
• Profiles of the British players at the 1900 Olympics

• Michael Fairley, One of Life's Great Charmers: A Biography of Charles Kay (2015)