James Parfitt
Encyclopedia
James John Alexander Parfitt (23 December 1857 – 17 May 1926) was an amateur
English cricket
er who played fourteen first-class cricket
matches during a career that spanned from 1881 until 1885. He played for both Surrey
and Somerset
during this time, and later appeared for Warwickshire
in second-class cricket.
in Bath, and from there went up to London University. He worked in education for a time, acting as a tutor at Lord Petre's School in Weybridge
, Surrey
and for three years at The Oratory School
in Edgbaston
, Birmingham
. He was called to the bar
in 1887, and appointed as a Queen's Counsel
in 1908.
. His debut came on 11 August against Yorkshire
, in which he claimed three first-innings wickets. In his second match, a week later, Parfitt returned the best figures of his first-class career, taking seven wickets during the first innings, every one of them bowled
. He collected another three wickets in the second innings to complete his only ten-wicket haul. In the six first-class matches he played during his maiden season, Parfitt took 22 wickets at an average of 17.95. He appeared just twice for Surrey in 1882, taking two wickets.
He played his first match for Somerset
in August 1883, during which he scored his largest total with the bat, remaining unbeaten on 41 runs when Somerset were dismissed in their second innings against Gloucestershire
. He appeared for the county in four matches in 1883, and then twice more during 1885, his final first-class match being played 10–12 August 1885, between Somerset and Surrey. He claimed one wicket in the match, which Somerset lost by an innings and 301 runs to Parfitt's former club. He played one second-class match for Warwickshire
in 1886, batting at number six against Staffordshire
.
Amateur status in first-class cricket
Amateur status in first-class cricket had a special meaning, especially in England, in that the amateur in this context was not merely someone who played cricket in his spare time but a particular type of first-class cricketer who existed officially until 1962, when the distinction between amateurs...
English cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played fourteen first-class cricket
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...
matches during a career that spanned from 1881 until 1885. He played for both Surrey
Surrey 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...
and 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...
during this time, and later appeared for Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
in second-class cricket.
Life and career
Parfitt was educated at Prior Park CollegePrior Park College
Prior Park College is a Roman Catholic co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils.It is situated on a hill overlooking the city of Bath, in Somerset, in south-west England...
in Bath, and from there went up to London University. He worked in education for a time, acting as a tutor at Lord Petre's School in Weybridge
Weybridge
Weybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. It is bounded to the north by the River Thames at the mouth of the River Wey, from which it gets its name...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and for three years at The Oratory School
The Oratory School
The Oratory School is a Roman Catholic, independent school for boys in Woodcote, Berkshire. It is the last Catholic all-boys boarding school remaining in Great Britain. It has approximately 420 pupils...
in Edgbaston
Edgbaston
Edgbaston is an area in the city of Birmingham in England. It is also a formal district, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Edgbaston ward and the wards of Bartley Green, Harborne and Quinton....
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. He was called to the bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
in 1887, and appointed as a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1908.
Cricket career
Parfitt began his cricket career in 1881 at Surrey County Cricket ClubSurrey 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...
. His debut came on 11 August against Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
, in which he claimed three first-innings wickets. In his second match, a week later, Parfitt returned the best figures of his first-class career, taking seven wickets during the first innings, every one of them bowled
Bowled
Bowled is a method of dismissing a batsman in the sport of cricket. This method of dismissal is covered by Law 30 of the Laws of cricket.A batsman is out bowled if his wicket is put down by a ball delivered by the bowler...
. He collected another three wickets in the second innings to complete his only ten-wicket haul. In the six first-class matches he played during his maiden season, Parfitt took 22 wickets at an average of 17.95. He appeared just twice for Surrey in 1882, taking two wickets.
He played his first match 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 August 1883, during which he scored his largest total with the bat, remaining unbeaten on 41 runs when Somerset were dismissed in their second innings against 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....
. He appeared for the county in four matches in 1883, and then twice more during 1885, his final first-class match being played 10–12 August 1885, between Somerset and Surrey. He claimed one wicket in the match, which Somerset lost by an innings and 301 runs to Parfitt's former club. He played one second-class match for Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
in 1886, batting at number six against Staffordshire
Staffordshire County Cricket Club
Staffordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Staffordshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
.