Crescens Robinson
Encyclopedia
Crescens James Robinson (21 May 1864 – 8 June 1941) played first-class cricket
for Somerset
in 31 matches from 1885 to 1896. He was born in Gloucester
and died at Chelsea
in London
.
and London and in a wide range of goods in Singapore
. The family company of E. S. & A. Robinson owned a large printing and paper-bag manufacturing site at Bedminster in Bristol. Crescens Robinson's unusual name was a family name: his uncle Crescens had a firm called "Crescens Robinson & Co" in Islington
, London, which acted as an agent for his uncle Philip who was the founder of Robinson & Co in Singapore and later became a lithographic printing company which specialised in fine printing of posters, with London Transport among its customers.
The extensive Robinson family had estates at Flax Bourton
and Backwell
, near Nailsea
, south of Bristol, and in 1879 Crescens was part of a team of "Eleven Robinsons" that played a match against the Backwell Cricket Club at the Flax Bourton ground. This event was repeated in various forms until 1964 and included a match against an all Grace team in 1891. The Eleven Robinsons consisted of Crescens and five of his brothers, augmented by five cousins, all descended from Edward Robinson and directly related to Elisha Smith Robinson
, Crescens' most prosperous uncle. Apart from Crescens, two others of the Robinson Eleven graduated to first-class cricket: cousin Arthur played three matches for Gloucestershire
, while Crescens' brother Theodore
also played a few times for Somerset.
towards the end of the 1885 season, after which Somerset lost its first-class cricket status for five seasons. Robinson, a right-handed middle- or lower-order batsman, played during the years of second-class cricket from 1886 to the triumphs of 1890, when a winning streak in matches against leading teams opened up a new set of fixtures for Somerset of sufficient depth to enable the county to qualify for first-class status again. Robinson was then a regular member of the teams in both 1891 and 1892, though he was scarcely prolific. Played only as a batsman, he made only one score of more than 50 in the two seasons, an innings of 55 made batting at No 9 in the match against Kent
in July 1891.
Robinson did not play first-class cricket after the 1892 season until he reappeared in two Somerset matches in 1896, but he made little impact in those, and they were the final games of his cricket career.
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
in 31 matches from 1885 to 1896. He was born in Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
and died at Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Family and background
Robinson was a member of an entrepreneurial family who had interests in paper-making and printing in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and London and in a wide range of goods in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The family company of E. S. & A. Robinson owned a large printing and paper-bag manufacturing site at Bedminster in Bristol. Crescens Robinson's unusual name was a family name: his uncle Crescens had a firm called "Crescens Robinson & Co" in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, London, which acted as an agent for his uncle Philip who was the founder of Robinson & Co in Singapore and later became a lithographic printing company which specialised in fine printing of posters, with London Transport among its customers.
The extensive Robinson family had estates at Flax Bourton
Flax Bourton
Flax Bourton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. The parish, with a population of 659, is situated within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset, on the edge of Nailsea Moor on the A370 road south west of Bristol city centre....
and Backwell
Backwell
Backwell is a suburban village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It falls within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset and has a population of 5,455.It is south west of Bristol, on the A370 to Weston-super-Mare...
, near Nailsea
Nailsea
Nailsea is a town in the unitary authority of North Somerset within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, approximately to the southwest of Bristol and about to the northeast of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. The nearest village is Backwell, which lies south of Nailsea on the...
, south of Bristol, and in 1879 Crescens was part of a team of "Eleven Robinsons" that played a match against the Backwell Cricket Club at the Flax Bourton ground. This event was repeated in various forms until 1964 and included a match against an all Grace team in 1891. The Eleven Robinsons consisted of Crescens and five of his brothers, augmented by five cousins, all descended from Edward Robinson and directly related to Elisha Smith Robinson
Elisha Smith Robinson
Elisha Smith Robinson 1817-1885 was the son of a Gloucestershire paper maker Edward Robinson. In 1840 his father threatened to replace him within the family business with a Londoner so he ventured to Bristol with a small loan and within 20 years his own printing and packaging business E. S. & A....
, Crescens' most prosperous uncle. Apart from Crescens, two others of the Robinson Eleven graduated to first-class cricket: cousin Arthur played three matches for Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
, while Crescens' brother Theodore
Theodore Robinson (cricketer)
Theodore Robinson played first-class cricket for Somerset in 10 matches between 1884 and 1894. He was born at Beaminster in Dorset and died at Backwell, Somerset.-Family and background:...
also played a few times for Somerset.
Cricket career
Crescens Robinson made his first-class debut for Somerset in a crushing defeat by SurreySurrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
towards the end of the 1885 season, after which Somerset lost its first-class cricket status for five seasons. Robinson, a right-handed middle- or lower-order batsman, played during the years of second-class cricket from 1886 to the triumphs of 1890, when a winning streak in matches against leading teams opened up a new set of fixtures for Somerset of sufficient depth to enable the county to qualify for first-class status again. Robinson was then a regular member of the teams in both 1891 and 1892, though he was scarcely prolific. Played only as a batsman, he made only one score of more than 50 in the two seasons, an innings of 55 made batting at No 9 in the match against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
in July 1891.
Robinson did not play first-class cricket after the 1892 season until he reappeared in two Somerset matches in 1896, but he made little impact in those, and they were the final games of his cricket career.