All at Sefton Park Cricket Club are saddened to hear of the passing of Judge John Ambrose Morgan. He was 86 years old.
Born on 22nd September 1934, John was educated at St Edward's College in West Derby before going on to the University of Liverpool where he graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree.
He served his National Service as a junior technician in the RAF from 1958 to 1960 during which time he spent twelve months in Hong Kong. He played cricket for the RAF and the Combined Services in 1960.
John was affiliated to Gray's Inn, London and was a Barrister at Law from 1970 to 1990 before becoming a Circuit Judge. He retired from the Circuit Bench in 2003.
John joined Sefton Cricket Club in 1951 and made his 1st XI début in 1953. He retired in 1981 having enjoyed most of his cricket in Sefton’s 2nd XI as wicket keeper with cricketers such as Charlie O'Mahony, Butch Bottger and Denis Bromilow.
John also played for Sefton's Sunday XI and the Rabbits.
He once claimed his most memorable achievement was probably participating in Ray Digman's hat trick against Southport and Birkdale at Trafalgar Road in 1956 when he caught the first victim, Bill Cotton, down the leg side.
Several of Sefton's players impressed John during their playing days, namely Wilf Johnstone for his extraordinary stamina and whirlwind action and Ted Williams for his durability, eternal youthfulness and fitness that enabled him to continue playing until a year before his death this year at the age of 75.
He listed 1951 and 1952 as golden years in Sefton's Schoolboy's XI with Noel and Syd Cooke, Ray Digman, John Hobbs (who went on to play for Oxford University and Worcestershire), Cedric Lynch and a chap called Dick Stannard from St Edward's College who scored century after century before joining the Army, never to be heard of again.
John was our President at Sefton Park from 2003 to 2005 and then stayed on the Management Board as Hon. Secretary in 2006.
John became a very accomplished and much sought after 'after dinner' speaker. It is sad to think that we will never hear the story of Wundke Sunday again (this was the story of Sefton Park getting well beaten by Chester Boughton Hall in the Echo Cup Final of 1996)
An enthusiastic golfer, John was a member of Woolton Golf Club.
In 1970, John married Rosalie Tyson and they had two children.
Our thoughts and condolences go to John's family at this sad time.
John attending the opening of the new net facility in July 2019