William Mycroft is a suggestion that Arthur Conan Doyle derived the name of Mycroft the older brother of Sherlock Holmes from William Mycroft. Conan Doyle was a first-class cricketer who later played for MCC and had a respect for fast bowlers. Mycroft played his last first-class match for MCC in 1886. He umpired four first-class matches before his retirement and later umpired two more during the 1891 season. He died of influenza at the age of 53 in Derby. Mycroft's half-brother, Thomas, played for Derbyshire between 1877 and 1885. William Mycroft William Mycroft (1 February 1841 – 19 June 1894) was an
Thomas Mycroft Thomas Mycroft Thomas Mycroft (28 March 1848 — 31 August 1911) was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire and MCC between 1877 and 1887. Mycroft was born in Brimington, Derbyshire, the son of George Mycroft and his second wife Elizabeth Lowcock. His father was an ironstone and coal miner who kept the Red Lion public house at Brimington. Mycroft became an iron moulder. He was playing cricket for Chesterfield in 1871. His first-class career started in the 1877 season, when he made his debut for Derbyshire as wicket-keeper against Kent, scoring eight runs. He played one more match that