AS much of England marked a famous Ashes triumph, one cricket fan who lives near Tenbury had more reason than most to celebrate.

In the dark days of English cricket before 2005 when the team registered its first Ashes win after nearly a decade and half, he regularly received calls from Australian journalists asking why the famous Ashes urn should stay at Lord’s cricket ground any longer, instead of being shipped down under pronto.

The reason for the calls dates back to 1882, when Lord Darnley’s grandfather, MCC captain the Honorable Ivo Bligh, docked in Australia in a bid to avenge a defeat by Australia at the Oval, earlier that year.

Shortly before, a mock obituar y notice had appeared in the Sporting Times lamenting the loss, which read: “The body (of English cricket) will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”

While down under, he and teammates were invited to spend Christmas at the home of wealthy landowner Sir William Clarke.

Following a friendly cricket match, Lady Clarke’s companion Florence Morphy, along with other ladies, burnt a veil and placed the ashes in a small urn which was presented to Ivo.

His team did triumph, becoming the first English team to ‘reclaim’ the Ashes.

Ivo later married Florence and the couple eventually returned to England, with the urn still in his possession until his death in 1927.

Two years later Florence, by now Lady Darnley, presented the urn to the Lord’s cricket ground in London for safe-keeping, where it has remained ever since, despite the calls from Australians to fly it d o w n u n d e r w h e n they were holders throughout the 1990s and first half of the last decade.

Now, after England’s triumphant tour – the first time in 24 years the team has retained the Ashes in Australia, the phone has well and truly gone quiet.

“I think England retaining the Ashes is terrific news,” said Lord Darnley, who lives north of Bromyard.

“We went over there four years ago to see the test match in Sydney. England lost but it was great to be there.”

He has received plenty of calls in the past from Aussies insisting the urn should be in their possession while they were holders.

“Those calls seem to have dried up,” he added.