Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - David Sheppard, clergyman and former cricketer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews as he arrived for what he believed to be a meeting at the Islington Boys Club in London - from where the programme was broadcast.

David, who was born in Reigate and educated at Sherborne School, showed an early passion for cricket. After completing his National Service and studying law at Cambridge University, he was offered a trial with Sussex CCC in 1949. Within the year, he was playing first-class cricket with the club, and in August 1950, he made his Test debut for England against the West Indies.

Although David had played in five test matches and captained England and Sussex by 1953, he retired from cricket at the age of 24 to study for the church. He was ordained in 1955 and became curate at St Mary's Church in Islington before becoming warden of the Mayflower Family Centre in Canning Town in 1957. However, he continued to play Test cricket sporadically, being the first ordained minister to do so.

programme details...

• Edition No: 132
• Subject No: 132
• Broadcast live: Mon 3 Oct 1960
• Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
• Venue: Islington Boys Club
• Series: 6
• Edition: 3

on the guest list...

• Grace - wife
• Mary Maxwell - sister
• Barbara - mother
• Micky Walford
• Michael Charlesworth
• Douglas Spankie
• George Cox
• Godfrey Evans
• Florence Withers
• Ronald Evans
• George Burton
• Hilary Harman
• Florence Olley
• Ronnie Waite
• Samson Obiora
• Miss Davies
Filmed tributes:
• Richard Attenborough
• John Dewes

production team...

• Researcher: Ronald Vivian
• Writer: Robert Stuart
• Director: Michael Goodwin
• Producer: T Leslie Jackson

Life's Vocation

celebrating the 'men of God'

Life Before Wicket

bowling up the cricketers

Split Second Danny

Radio Times feature on the programme's chauffeur

Richard Attenborough

Interviews

Grace Sheppard, wife of David Sheppard, recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in September 2010

Photographs of David Sheppard This Is Your Life