ABSTRACT

In 1932, C.L.R. James sailed to England with the ambition of establishing himself as a novelist. After a period in London, where he rubbed shoulders with notable literary figures such as the Woolfs and the Sitwells, James moved to the Lancashire town of Nelson where his friend and fellow Trinidadian, Learie Constantine, was employed as a highly-paid professional cricketer. 2 Here James acted as Constantine’s amanuensis on his memoirs Cricket and I and wrote an essay on the great Lancastrian bowler, Sydney Barnes. Constantine suggested he send the Barnes piece to his acquaintance, the renowned cricket correspondent of the Manchester Guardian, Neville Cardus, with his personal recommendation. Cardus was impressed and duly offered James the opportunity to deputise for him as a reporter on county cricket.