Francis Dickinson emulated his father’s achievement by playing for the South Wales Cricket Club but whereas Lieut-Col Douglas Dickinson had only appeared once, and in a low-key match in a Wiltshire village, Francis played on a regular basis between 1877 and 1882, including appearances at Lord’s and The Oval besides being a mainstay of the Brecon Town and Garrison Club.
Francis was born in Brecon and educated at Victoria College in Jersey as well as Malvern College in Worcestershire where he showed decent promise as a cricketer. After impressing for the Brecon club, he made his debut for Breconshire in August 1872 in their friendly against Glamorganshire, but he bagged a pair.
After completing his training as a solicitor in Llandovery during April 1877, Francis made his debut for the South Wales Cricket Club on their tour of the Home Counties later that summer, with his debut coming against the Gentlemen of Sussex at Hove. He went on the tour again in 1878, playing for the second time on the South Coast, as well as at Lord’s, The Oval and Prince’s. The summer of 1878 also saw Francis play in the South Wales XXII against the Australians at Swansea with the young solicitor making 10 and 0.
He appeared again for the South Wales club in 1880 at Hove, as well as joining the 1882 London tour, besides playing in the three matches that summer at the Arms Park, against Clifton, the MCC and Wiltshire. He took 4/28 in the latter match – his best bowling figures for the Club, although his best return in club cricket was 7/48 for Brecon against Llandovery in 1887. His final match of note came in 1895 when he played for the Club in their friendly with Glamorgan at Swansea, and his score of 35 in the second innings at St.Helen’s proved to be his highest score for the Club.
Francis lived with his wife Lucy at Aberyscir Court, four miles west of Brecon and in addition to his legal duties he also acted as a Director of Crynant Colliery in Neath. Tragically, the couple lost their two sons during the final months of the Great War. Both were serving with the South Wales Borderers with Digby being killed on the Western Front on 18 August 1918 and Francis losing his life in Salonica on 17 September 1918. Both are commemorated in a stained glass window in Brecon Cathedral.