to be a perfectly ethical code as well as a legal code". He later served as president of Wiltshire County Cricket Club, guiding the club to become debt free for the first time in its history in 1932. He remained club president until 1946, when ill health necessitated Sir Henry Everitt to deputise for him in a meeting to discuss the resumption of cricket following the Second World War. Personal life Outside of cricket, Lacey as a member of the Inner Temple was called to the bar to practise as a barrister in 1889, which limited his availability to appear in cricket matches. Lacey married twice. Firstly, on 9 April 1890, he married Helen Carnegie, daughter of the 9th Earl of Northesk. She died on 18 May 1908. He married secondly Mary Marshall (née Ramsay), former wife of J. Campbell Walker. He served in the First World War with the Secret Service, from its start in 1914 to 1919, the year following its conclusion. Lacey was knighted in the 1926 Birthday Honours for services to cricket and was the first sportsman to be knighted for services to any sport. In 1927, he was appointed chairman of the London Playing Fields Society. His portrait was painted by George Spencer Watson in 1928. Death He died on 26 May 1946 at his home, Sutton Veny House in the Wiltshire village of Sutton Veny, and was survived by his wife. Flags were flown at half-mast at Lord's upon his death. He was remembered by Sir Pelham Warner as "a man of high character and integrity". References Further reading Barclay's World of Cricket – 2nd Edition, 1980, Collins Publishers, External links 1859 births 1946 deaths People from Wareham, Dorset People educated at Sherborne School Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge English cricketers Hampshire cricketers Cambridge University cricketers Cambridge University Past and Present cricketers A. J. Webbe's XI cricketers Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers I Zingari cricketers Hampshire cricket captains Members of the Inner Temple English barristers Oxford and Cambridge Universities Past and Present cricketers Gentlemen cricketers Secretaries of the Marylebone Cricket Club English cricket administrators Secret Intelligence Service personnel Knights Bachelor Cricket players and officials awarded knighthoods