From the Archives - John Cartwright Jones - Vicar of Thrumpton

When you look at scorecards from village cricket in the 1800s, one thing seems common with most teams.

The link between the local church, the reverend and the cricket team.

A clergyman’s main duty occurred once a week on a Sunday, freeing up their time for intellectual pursuits.

Many Victorian clergymen would add considerably to the recording of local historians, natural history, and forming clubs.

The most common secondary occupation for a clergyman of this time was as school teachers and university professors.

Was the cricket club formed as a way of adding men to the congregation?

When you look at the 1860 and 1861 scorecards one man, the reverend John Cartwright Jones links the church to the cricket team.

After completing his education, he was accepted into the prestigious Christ Church College of Oxford University in 1849.

He was ordained as a clergyman in the Anglican Church of England in October 1854. In the church he would serve as the Curate of Breaston (1854-1857), incumbent of Thrumpton (1857-1863) and Rector of Shelton (1863-1875).

Unfortunately he died of lung disease at the young age of 43 whilst Rector of Shelton.

The door is left open, but was this the man that was responsible for the formation of Thrumpton Cricket team.

Coming next, the link between Thrumpton Cricket Club and a Wisden Cricketer of the Year who captained England on their tour to Australia.

Updated 18:20 - 31 Aug 2019 by Mark Sampson