In 1847 Leigh started at Harrow and was quickly identified by Bob Grimston as a future cricketer to the Harrow XI captain Henry Vernon "There, Vernon, is the young cricketer".
ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɛvən lˈiː stˈɑːɹɾᵻd æt hˈæɹoʊ ænd wʌz kwˈɪkli aɪdˈɛntᵻfˌaɪd baɪ bˈɑːb ɡɹˈɪmstən æz ɐ fjˈuːtʃɚ kɹˈɪkɛɾɚ tə ðə hˈæɹoʊ ɹˌoʊmən ɪlˈɛvən kˈæptɪn hˈɛnɹi vˈɜːnən "ðˈɛɹ, vˈɜːnən, ɪz ðə jˈʌŋ kɹˈɪkɛɾɚ".