Within four days in February, two former Mitre players passed away.
Douglas Fraser Mann, who played for Mitre from its inaugural season of 1954, died on 22nd February 2016 at the age of 94. A distinguished school career at James Gillespie’s Primary and Royal High School was followed by graduation from Edinburgh University with a Bachelor of Law degree. He was then commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders where his legal expertise enhanced and enlivened his military service in the later stages of World War 2 and beyond. On his return to Edinburgh he became Depute Town Clark to Edinburgh City Council.
As his son Tom related in his eulogy, Douglas had wide sporting interests and had been an Honorary Vice-President of Mitre in addition to holding high office in Royal High F.P. Cricket and Rugby Clubs and Craigmillar Park Bowling Club. For much of his playing career Douglas captained R.H.S. F.P. Second Eleven. Both for them and for Mitre Douglas played as a top order bat and medium pace bowler. Three sons, Douglas (sometimes referred to as Young Dougie), Allan and David and son-in-law Hugh Penman all also played for Mitre.
Douglas was pre-deceased by his wife Betty and his second son Allan. Our sympathy has been extended to all his surviving relatives.
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Peter Lucas was of a younger generation, but the sad news of his death on 26th February 2016 has also reached us. Peter came to Edinburgh as a young Englishman in the mid 1980s, and he was a colleague of Gerry Dodson in Royal Bank.
His introduction to the cricket club soon followed, and he played for Mitre Firsts, Seconds and Deacons for much of the second half of the 1980s. Later he represented Scottish Equitable when he moved across St Andrew Square to work for them.
Peter generally was a quietly spoken chap, but he took advantage of his height to bowl probingly at batsmen, usually as opening bowler or first change. In all, Peter took 126 wickets for Mitre. His best bowling figures were 7 for 23 and he achieved five wickets or more in an innings on 5 occasions.
Our sympathy goes to his wife Kit-Yi, daughter Alexandrina, mother, brother and two sisters.