'Ah, Morton-Sims,' said the captain deferentially, 'would you care to bat at number three?'

One of the many stories told about him referred to his teenage years on the ground staff at Lord's. Occasionally these youngsters would be included in MCC out-matches against schools and clubs. In his first match, smartly dressed in blazer and tie, he was asked his name by the captain. 'Sims,' he said; 'Jim Sims.' 'OK Sims,' said the captain, 'you can bat at number ten.' Next match, he again turned up early, impeccably dressed. The captain asked him his name. 'Morton-Sims, sir; James Morton-Sims.' 'Ah, Morton-Sims,' said the captain deferentially, 'would you care to bat at number three?'

M. Brearley, On cricket (2018), 13

It made me feel older than grandchildren would to see my daughter touch a man - a boy - this way

Judith moved ahead and touched Don's arm. I knew that touch - an apology, an anxious reassurance. You touch a man that way to remind him that you are grateful, that you realize he is doing for your sake something that bores him or slightly endangers his dignity. It made me feel older than grandchildren would to see my daughter touch a man - a boy - this way.

A. Munro, 'The moons of Jupiter', The moons of Jupiter (1984), 223

She's very noticeably a Christian don't you think? I'm amazed how mean she makes me feel

"Life would be grand if it weren't for the people," said Vera moodily. "That sounds like a quotation, but I think I just made it up. The problem is that Kimberley is a Christian. Well, that's fine. We could use a Christian or two. For that matter, I am not un-Christian. But she's very noticeably a Christian don't you think? I'm amazed how mean she makes me feel."

A. Munro, 'Labor day dinner', The moons of Jupiter (1984), 144

I like this because it's so deliciously double-edged from a woman about her prospective daughter in law. Is it Kimberley's behaviour that shames the narrator. Or is Kimberley irritatingly religious? I think it's also pretty much on point for dating, capturing that still ambiguous point about the moral position of religion a generation ago.

Cricket is also ideally suited to boarding-school life because it goes on for hours and soaks up whole afternoons

St Leonads, Wycombe Abbey, Rodean, Cheltenham, Sherborne School for Girls and Malvern Girls' College modelled themselves on boys' public schools: hence the cricket. Cricket is also ideally suited to boarding-school life because it goes on for hours and soaks up whole afternoons.

Y. Maxtone Graham, Terms and conditions: life in girls' boarding schools 1939 - 1979 (2016), 188

The acceptable home address was: name of large house; village it was quite near; county.

The acceptable home address was: name of large house; village it was quite near; county. It was not done to live at any kind of obscure urban address, such as 24 Whitfield road, Haslemere. Only one girl on the whole list did live at that kind of address and I pity her, because its stands out. If you did have an urban address it had to be a London one, and ideally Cadogan, Belgrave or Eaton something

Y. Maxtone Graham, Terms and conditions: life in girls' boarding schools 1939 - 1979 (2016), 125

No fewer than fifteen had lost one or both parents when they were children

All told, of the twenty-four individuals who became Prime Minister between 1809 and 1937, no fewer than fifteen had lost one or both parents when they were children. ... [the 1921 census] suggested that about 1 per cent of children under the age of fifteen had suffered the death of one or both parents. Yet the figure among Prime Ministers was 62 per cent. 

J. Paxman, The political animal (2002), 34-35

You are expecting the nectar of the gods, and what you get is cough mixture

I have tried meads that taste of urine, and meads that taste of petroleum waste . What I have not tasted are any that are particularly nice. Bad mead is worse than the most mediocre wine, because of the expectations it raises. You are expecting the nectar of the gods, and what you get is cough mixture, if you are lucky.

B. Wilson, The Hive (2004), 159

This has really put me off mead, which instinctively, I feel I would like very much.