Kenneth Farnes was fast bowler for England, Essex, and Cambridge University in the years before the Second World War.  He played 15 Tests for England and took 60 wickets.  In 1939 he was the Wisden Cricketer of the Year.¹

He was born on 8th July 1911, in Leytonstone, Essex¹, and attended the Royal Liberty School, Upper Brentwood Road, Romford.²

During the Second World War he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a Pilot Officer.  He died in plane crash on 20th October 1941 at the age of only 30, and is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey.^1,3

His old school, the Royal Liberty, has a memorial stained glass window in the centre of the north wall of the school hall.²  He is also commemorated by Farnes Drive, off Upper Brentwood Road, immediately to the south of Gallows Corner (see map).

A biography of Ken Farnes is published as Ken Farnes: Diary of an Essex Master.

¹ Based on the entry for Kenneth Farnes in the CricInfo Players Database.
² Romford History email group, message 147.
³ Based on the entry for Kenneth Farnes in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register.

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