Unwin Sowter
Encyclopedia
Unwin Sowter was an English
corn factor and miller and cricket
er who played for Derbyshire
between 1871 and 1876. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871.
Sowter was born at Derby
, the son of William Sowter and his wife Hannah Unwin. His father had a bakery business which he developed into corn factoring and malting. Sowton attended Derby School
and joined the family business with his brothers.
Sowter was one of the pioneers of cricket in Derby and around. He played against the All England Eleven as part of a Derby Town and South Derbyshire side in 1857 and 1859. The latter team included Lord Stanhope, Lord Paget, the Bodens, and Dove Gregory
, and there was "considerable attendance of spectators, among whom were most of the neighbouring gentry and their families, and gay throngs of ladies". In 1865 Sowter played for a Burton on Trent side.
Sowter took part in Derbyshire's very first match played as a County Cricket team against Lancashire
on 26 and 27 May 1871 at Old Trafford, Manchester. A victory for Derbyshire was down to a record low score by the Lancashire side. He played in both Derbyshire matches in the 1871 season
and was top scorer for the season. He played one match in the 1872 season
and one in the 1873 season
. He played two matches in the 1875 season
and his last match in the 1876 season
. He took part in various other matches over these years.
Sowter was a right-handed batsman and played 11 innings in 7 first class games with an average of 12.8 and a top score of 47 not out.
Sowter was still playing in occasional games in 1879, and for many years afterwards was a vice-president of the Club and a member of the Committee.
He was well-known as the proprietor of the Sowter Brothers flour mill next to the Silk Mill in Derby. He was also a director of the brewers Z Smith & Company. In public life he served as an alderman of Derby and was Mayor of Derby in 1879-80. He was also a J. P.
Sowter died in Derby
at the age of 70.
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...
corn factor and miller and 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 for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
between 1871 and 1876. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871.
Sowter was born at Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, the son of William Sowter and his wife Hannah Unwin. His father had a bakery business which he developed into corn factoring and malting. Sowton attended Derby School
Derby School
Derby School was a school in Derby in the English Midlands from 1160 to 1989. It had an almost continuous history of education of over eight centuries. For most of that time it was a grammar school for boys. The school became co-educational and comprehensive in 1974 and was closed in 1989...
and joined the family business with his brothers.
Sowter was one of the pioneers of cricket in Derby and around. He played against the All England Eleven as part of a Derby Town and South Derbyshire side in 1857 and 1859. The latter team included Lord Stanhope, Lord Paget, the Bodens, and Dove Gregory
Dove Gregory
Dove Gregory was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire in 1871 and 1872. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871 and his early death in 1873 robbed the side of an outstanding bowler.Dove was born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire...
, and there was "considerable attendance of spectators, among whom were most of the neighbouring gentry and their families, and gay throngs of ladies". In 1865 Sowter played for a Burton on Trent side.
Sowter took part in Derbyshire's very first match played as a County Cricket team against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
on 26 and 27 May 1871 at Old Trafford, Manchester. A victory for Derbyshire was down to a record low score by the Lancashire side. He played in both Derbyshire matches in the 1871 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1871
Derbyshire county cricket opening season was in 1871 when Derbyshire County Cricket Club first competed in the county competition, having been founded the previous November.-Foundation:...
and was top scorer for the season. He played one match in the 1872 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1872
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1872 was the second cricket season which the English club Derbyshire played. They had been unable to arrange further first-class fixtures than the two against Lancashire and lost both.-1872 season:...
and one in the 1873 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1873
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1873 was the third cricket season which the English club Derbyshire played. Officials and supporters were disappointed that they had been unable to arrange further first-class fixtures than the two against Lancashire, but they managed to arrange an extra match...
. He played two matches in the 1875 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1875
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1875 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their fifth season. Nottinghamshire had played informal matches aggainst Derbyshire in previous seasons, and joined Lancashire and Kent to make a third County side playing first class matches...
and his last match in the 1876 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1876
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1876 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their sixth season.Hampshire replaced Nottinghamshire as the third county to play Derbyshire, together with Lancashire and Kent. Derbyshire also played their first match against an MCC side, which...
. He took part in various other matches over these years.
Sowter was a right-handed batsman and played 11 innings in 7 first class games with an average of 12.8 and a top score of 47 not out.
Sowter was still playing in occasional games in 1879, and for many years afterwards was a vice-president of the Club and a member of the Committee.
He was well-known as the proprietor of the Sowter Brothers flour mill next to the Silk Mill in Derby. He was also a director of the brewers Z Smith & Company. In public life he served as an alderman of Derby and was Mayor of Derby in 1879-80. He was also a J. P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
Sowter died in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
at the age of 70.