[2] He was the son of a London-based builder, Henry Lee, described as coming from Chiswell Street in Finsbury but later settling in Balham; John Lee's younger half-brother, Frederick, 15 years younger, was also a first-class cricketer, playing for Cambridge University, Surrey and other amateur sides.
[1] In his first match of 1846, his round-arm bowling proved decisive with nine wickets in a narrow victory for the university over the MCC.
[8] Lee played very little cricket in 1849 but returned, without distinction, in 1850 in eight first-class games, including an appearance for the All-England side, and another in the Gentlemen v Players series.
In 1855, his father bought for him the benefice of Botley, Hampshire, and he remained as rector there for 48 years to his death in 1903, also acting as rural dean of Bishop's Waltham and from 1877 as an honorary canon of Winchester.
[10] In 1855, Lee married Emily Mary Gingell of Wood House, East Ham; they had two daughters.