The Reverend Lord Frederick de Vere Beauclerk (8 May 1773 – 22 April 1850), a 19th-century Anglican priest, was an outstanding but controversial English first-class cricketer, the leading "amateur" player of the Napoleonic period.

[11] In his prime, his height was 5 ft 9 in and he weighed between 11 st and 12 st.[10] Lord Frederick's cricketing talent as an accurate slow bowler was spotted at Cambridge University by the George, 9th Earl of Winchilsea, who invited him to play for MCC.

[17] In 1810, Beauclerk and Thomas Howard, cousin of the Earl of Carlisle, were due to play George Osbaldeston and William Lambert in a lucrative single wicket match.

[18] The humiliated and vindictive Beauclerk would have his revenge on Osbaldeston and Lambert in years to come but first he used his influence at MCC to secure a change in the Laws of Cricket so that wide balls were for the first time banned in 1811.

[22] His batting style was "rather scientific, in the more orthodox manner of the professionals", while his under-arm bowling was very slow, but extremely accurate and he could get the ball to rise abruptly off a length.

[26] Beauclerk was also an astute tactician and it has been recorded that he carefully studied opposing batsmen and had the ability to quickly understand their strengths and weaknesses so that he could set his field accordingly.

[28] His competitive approach to the game was well summarised in a verse written by a contemporary:[4] My Lord he comes next, and will make you all stareWith his little tricks, a long way from fair.Much that is hagiography exists about cricketers but "an unqualified eulogy of Beauclerk has never been seen and that is significant".

[17] Among the quotations about him is one that he was a "foul-mouthed, dishonest man who was one of the most hated figures in society ... he bought and sold matches as though they were lots at an auction".

[22] The fourth son and fifth child of the 5th Duke of St Albans, Beauclerk descended from Charles II and Nell Gwyn.

They had four children: His sons, Charles and Aubrey Beauclerk, also being in remainder to the dukedom, played first-class cricket as did his nephew, William, 9th Duke of St Albans.

[11] Beauclerk was lord of the manor and patron of the advowson of Winchfield, Hampshire, as well as owning a London town house at 68 Grosvenor Street, Mayfair, where he died aged 76 on 22 April 1850.

[10] Buried at St Mary's Church, Winchfield, a tablet in memory of "his many virtues" was erected in the nave[31] by his widow, Lady Frederick Beauclerk.