Edward Thwaites (4 October 1801 – 18 January 1872) was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket between 1825 and 1837. He played in 25 first-class matches, including for the Players in 1827.[1]
Thwaites was born at Staplehurst in Kent in 1801, the son of Stephen and Mary (née Simmons) Thwaites.[2] He was a member of Hawkhurst Cricket Club[a] and made his first-class debut for a Kent side against one from Sussex, playing in a pair of matches organised by the club in 1825, one at Brighton and the other at Hawkhurst Moor. He played a single match for an England XI later in the year.[b][2]
The following year Thwaites played for an England XI before playing for Sussex in July and then for Kent in a repeat of the pair of matches against Sussex in August.[c][2] Thwaites played regularly for Sussex between 1827 and 1829, making nine appearances for the side, including playing in all three roundarm trial matches in 1827. He was chosen to play for the Players in the 1827 Gentlemen v Players match and played in other matches for East Sussex sides, but was not selected for the county side after 1829 until 1836 when he played for Sussex against MCC at Lord's.[2]
Thwaites made a further six first-class appearances for the side between 1835 and 1837, his final first-class match coming in August 1837 against MCC at Brighton.[1] A total of 19 of his 25 first-class matches were for Sussex sides. In first-class cricket he scored 397 runs with a highest score of 37 not out, made for Sussex against an England XI at Sheffield in 1827.[2]
Thwaites worked as a tallow chandler in Hastings. He married Mary Standen in the town in 1833; the couple had eight children.[2] Thwaites died at Hastings in 1872. He was aged 70.[6]
Notes
^The Hawkhurst club was one of the strongest in Kent between 1800 and 1830 and regularly challenged Kent county teams during this period.[3]
^During the period in which Thwaites played, England sides were not representative of the country. Instead, they were sides composed of players from a range of locations brought together to play against another side.[4]
^Both these matches and those in 1825 were made up to Kent teams organised by the Hawkhurst club.[3][5]