lˈiː stˈɑːɹɾᵻd plˈeɪɪŋ kɹˈɪkɪt æz ɐ bˈɔɪ æt stˈoʊnliː ˈæbi ˈæftɚ hɪz fˈɑːðɚ lˈɔːɹd lˈiː, lˈɔːɹd bˈaɪɹɑːnz skˈuːlmeɪt æt hˈæɹoʊ, ɪstˈæblɪʃt ɐ kɹˈɪkɪt ɡɹˈaʊnd æt hɪz kˈʌntɹi ᵻstˈeɪt æt stˈoʊnliː ˈæbi ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi nˈaɪn fɔːɹ hɪz ˈɛldɪst sˈʌn wˈɪljəm hˈɛnɹi lˈiː hˌuː wʌz ɐtˈɛndɪŋ hˈæɹoʊ.
Leigh started playing cricket as a boy at Stoneleigh Abbey after his father Lord Leigh, Lord Byron's schoolmate at Harrow, established a cricket ground at his country estate at Stoneleigh Abbey in 1839 for his eldest son William Henry Leigh who was attending Harrow.