Umpire banned from officiating church cricket match because religious ancestor could make him biased

[hrmjustin]

Claire Carter

A councillor and cricket enthusiast has been told he cannot umpire a church match because of fears he may not be ‘theologically neutral’ as his great-great grandfather was a bishop.

Michael Claughton, who has 18 years’ experience as a cricket umpire, offered to officiate the match between the Church of England XI and Vatican XI, due to take place later this month.

But he said he was left baffled after officials said he could not be considered for the charity because they wanted to ensure it was theologically “neutral” and they feared his ancestry could make him biased against the Catholic team.

Mr Claughton’s great-great grandfather is Thomas Leigh Claughton, who was the Bishop of Rochester and of St Albans in the 19th century. He was also professor of poetry at Oxford University between 1852 and 1857 and died in 1892.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11079990/Umpire-banned-from-officiating-church-cricket-match-because-religious-ancestor-could-make-him-biased.html

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

1. He is possibly biased because his two-greats grandfather was an Anglican bishop?

That's really stretching.

My four-greats grandfather was a bigamist. I suppose that would make me unsuitable to say anything about marriage.

[hrmjustin]

2. Yeah it is just ridiculous.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

3. BTW, let me tell you about my bigamous ancestor

In the 1850s, my four-greats grandfather was captain of a merchant ship running a regular route between England and India. He had a wife and two children at each end of the route.

While he was in England, he had a riding accident and broke his pelvis. So, when the ship arrived in India, the Indian wife asked where her husband was. Upon hearing of his condition, she packed up her children and took the ship back to England. Naturally, as soon as she arrived at his house, the two wives discovered each other.

Somehow, he managed to avoid prosecution for bigamy, but the English wife (who was the legal one) divorced him and took him for everything he had. The two women then proceeded to raise their four children together.