John Thewlis Senior
Encyclopedia
John Thewlis senior was an English
first-class cricket
er, who played in forty four matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club
, and fifty six first-class matches in all between 1862
and 1875
. Thewlis was noted as a right-hand batsman with a full range of strokes.
, Yorkshire
, England
to play for his home county. The first, Luke Greenwood
, played a significant role in his doing so: George Parr, successor to William Clarke
in the management of the All-England Eleven, approached him for advice: "Greenwood, we are going to Southampton
to play 22 there. Do you know a good batter?" Greenwood replied that, in Thewlis, he did, and so, on nothing more than that brief paean, Parr included him as opening batsman. He was bowled first ball and, as he left the wicket, turned and vowed to the bowler that it would not happen again; nor did it, as Thewlis worked his way to 41 not out in the second innings.
, whom he met seventeen times. He also appeared for the All-England Eleven (1862), North of England
(1864
-1865
), England (1864-1868
, albeit not at Test
level), United England Eleven
(1865), the Players
(1868) and the United North of England Eleven (1875). With his playing days all but behind him, he umpired at least sixteen first-class matches from 1869
to 1887
.
, cricket and rugby
correspondent for the Yorkshire Evening Post
, sought to track him down for one of eighteen interviews with veteran cricketers in the winter of 1897-1898, he was unable to locate his home. On inquiring of Yorkshire CCC as to his whereabouts, he was informed, "think dead; if not, in Manchester
".
When Pullin finally did find Thewlis, "he was trudging on foot with a heavy basket of laundry clothes on his shoulder" and, at the end of the four mile trek "was anxious to walk back again, as soon as possible, to earn a few coppers by getting in a load of coals". Thewlis was seventy years old then. He died the following year, in December 1899, at Lascelles Hall.
"Old Ebor". In a subsequent volume, Talks with Old English Cricketers, Greenwood pronounced Thewlis "one of the best all-round men that ever Lascelles Hall turned out: he had strokes all round the wicket, and he was perfect in them all."
, Henry Lockwood
and Ephraim Lockwood
, all played first-class cricket for Yorkshire.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
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...
er, who played in forty four matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club
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....
, and fifty six first-class matches in all between 1862
1862 English cricket season
The 1862 English cricket season saw the overarm issue come to a head in a controversial match at The Oval.-First-class matches:* -Events:26 August. Surrey v. England at The Oval. Edgar Willsher of England was no-balled six times in succession by John Lillywhite for bowling with his hand above...
and 1875
1875 English cricket season
-Events:* 18 August – formation of Somerset CCC by a team of amateurs at a meeting in Sidmouth, Devonshire, immediately after a match against a local side.-External sources:* -Annual reviews:...
. Thewlis was noted as a right-hand batsman with a full range of strokes.
Yorkshire breakthrough
Although he came late into the game, Thewlis was only the second man to emerge from Lascelles Hall, HuddersfieldHuddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to play for his home county. The first, Luke Greenwood
Luke Greenwood
Luke Greenwood was an English first-class cricketer, who played 48 matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1861 to 1874...
, played a significant role in his doing so: George Parr, successor to William Clarke
William Clarke
William or Bill Clarke may refer to:People*Sir William Clarke , English politician and Secretary to the Council of the Army*William Clarke *William Clarke...
in the management of the All-England Eleven, approached him for advice: "Greenwood, we are going to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to play 22 there. Do you know a good batter?" Greenwood replied that, in Thewlis, he did, and so, on nothing more than that brief paean, Parr included him as opening batsman. He was bowled first ball and, as he left the wicket, turned and vowed to the bowler that it would not happen again; nor did it, as Thewlis worked his way to 41 not out in the second innings.
Career overview
Thewlis went on to enjoy a successful first-class career with his county and elsewhere, scoring 1,548 runs at an average of 15.48. His solitary century came against 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...
, whom he met seventeen times. He also appeared for the All-England Eleven (1862), North of England
North of England cricket team
The North of England appeared in first-class cricket between 1836 and 1961, most often in the showcase North v. South matches against the South of England although there were also games against touring teams, MCC and others....
(1864
1864 English cricket season
The 1864 English cricket season was an important year in cricket history, as it saw the legalisation of overarm bowling and the first edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.-Inter-county cricket:...
-1865
1865 English cricket season
The 1865 English cricket season saw the first-class debut of WG Grace-Events:15 & 16 February. Earliest inter-colonial match in the West Indies was Barbados v. Demerara at Bridgetown. This is recognised as the start of West Indian first-class cricket.3 March. Formation of Worcestershire CCC.22...
), England (1864-1868
1868 English cricket season
-Events:* C A Absolom became the first player to be given out obstructing the field when playing for Cambridge University v. Surrey at The Oval.* A team of Australian Aboriginals was the first overseas side to tour England...
, albeit not at Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
level), United England Eleven
United All-England Eleven
The United All-England Eleven was an English cricket team formed in 1852 by players breaking away from William Clarke's All-England Eleven . Key UEE players included John Wisden and Jemmy Dean, who became joint secretaries of the team....
(1865), the Players
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
(1868) and the United North of England Eleven (1875). With his playing days all but behind him, he umpired at least sixteen first-class matches from 1869
1869 English cricket season
The 1869 English cricket season saw the demise of the Cambridgeshire club. A team called Cambridgeshire played in two specially arranged matches, one in 1869 v. Yorkshire and one in 1871 v. Surrey...
to 1887
1887 English cricket season
-External sources:* -Annual reviews:* James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual , Lillywhite, 1888* Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1888...
.
Late life hardship
Like many professional cricketers of his era, Thewlis fell on hard times after the end of his career. When Alfred PullinAlfred Pullin
Alfred William Pullin, known by the pseudonym Old Ebor , was a British sports journalist who wrote about rugby union and cricket. He wrote mainly for British newspapers the Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Evening Post...
, cricket and rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
correspondent for the Yorkshire Evening Post
Yorkshire Evening Post
The Yorkshire Evening Post is a daily evening publication published by Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, sought to track him down for one of eighteen interviews with veteran cricketers in the winter of 1897-1898, he was unable to locate his home. On inquiring of Yorkshire CCC as to his whereabouts, he was informed, "think dead; if not, in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
".
When Pullin finally did find Thewlis, "he was trudging on foot with a heavy basket of laundry clothes on his shoulder" and, at the end of the four mile trek "was anxious to walk back again, as soon as possible, to earn a few coppers by getting in a load of coals". Thewlis was seventy years old then. He died the following year, in December 1899, at Lascelles Hall.
Contemporary opinion
Pullin's account of the meeting was published in his Talks With Old Yorkshire Cricketers, which he wrote under the pseudonymPseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"Old Ebor". In a subsequent volume, Talks with Old English Cricketers, Greenwood pronounced Thewlis "one of the best all-round men that ever Lascelles Hall turned out: he had strokes all round the wicket, and he was perfect in them all."
Kinsmen
Thewlis's nephews, John Thewlis juniorJohn Thewlis junior
John Thewlis junior was an English first-class cricketer, who played three matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1876....
, Henry Lockwood
Henry Lockwood
Henry Lockwood was an English first-class cricketer, who played sixteen matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1877 and 1882....
and Ephraim Lockwood
Ephraim Lockwood
Ephraim Lockwood was an English first-class cricketer, and captain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the 1876 and 1877 seasons.-Life and career:...
, all played first-class cricket for Yorkshire.