Ralph Bagnall-Wild MA, JP, born 23rd March 1845 was the second son of William Kirkby. He assumed the names of Bagnall-Wild (by royal licence) in November, 1868.
Bagnall-Wild was educated at Ruabon Grammar and went on to undergraduate studies at Caius College, Cambridge – on a Senior Open Scholarship, 1864.
He rowed in the college boat before graduating BA in 1868 and MA in 1871. He was then a pupil of Arthur Cohen, KC, PC, and Thos Lewin when he was called to the Bar in November 1870 at the Inner Temple. He practised on the Northern Circuit in the Liverpool and Kirkdale Sessions.
He was later appointed Justice of the Peace for Nottingham County and was an elected member for the East Leake Division of the Nottinghamshire County Council and of the Leake Rural District Council. He was Vice-Chairman of the Nottinghamshire County Education Committee and Guardian of the Loughborough Union. He also served as Chairman of the Costock Parish Meeting.
In July 1871 he married Alice, second daughter of R. Pfeil of Boxgrove, Guildford. They had a son, Ralph, and a daughter, Maude.
In the Lawn Tennis World he is known for introducing the system of the “draw ” for matches known as the “Bagnall-Wild” system which is also used in golf and croquet tournaments: “in arranging a club tournament or match of this nature, it frequently happens that the number of entries is such that, by drawing the couples together in the usual way, it will not be possible to conclude the tournament without having byes right up to the final stages. This is rightly felt to be unfair, and in such a case the Bagnall-Wild system will ensure that no byes will occur after the first round”.