Charles Corfe (headmaster)

Charles Carteret Corfe (8 June 1847 – 26 June 1935) was a cricketer in New Zealand and a school headmaster in New Zealand and Australia.[1][2]

Charles Corfe
Personal information
Full nameCharles Carteret Corfe
Born(1847-06-08)8 June 1847
Guernsey
Died26 June 1935(1935-06-26) (aged 88)
Peterborough, England
BattingRight-handed
RelationsArthur Corfe (son)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1871–72 to 1883–84Canterbury
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 8
Runs scored 235
Batting average 19.58
100s/50s 0/1
Top score 88
Balls bowled 280
Wickets 5
Bowling average 9.40
5 wickets in innings 1
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 5/22
Catches/stumpings 2/0
Source: CricketArchive, 7 October 2014

Early life

Corfe's father Arthur Thomas Corfe was the headmaster at Elizabeth College in Guernsey, where Charles gained his school education. He then studied mathematics at Jesus College, Cambridge, gaining his BA degree in 1869. He won athletics blues in 1867, 1868 and 1869.[3]

Teaching career

Corfe went to New Zealand to teach at Christ's College in Christchurch in 1871. He was headmaster at Christ's College from 1873 to 1888. His resignation was forced by the board as they wanted to see a classically trained cleric at the helm of the school rather than a scientist. However, he received high praise from the Christ's College Register in his obituary.[4] One of the school's houses—Corfe House—is named for him.[5]

Corfe went from Christchurch to Toowoomba Grammar School in Queensland, where he was headmaster from 1890 to 1900.[6] The Year 7 boarding house, Corfe House, is named after him. He later occupied relieving positions at schools in Australasia, including at Christ's College during the First World War.[4]

Cricket career

He played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 1871 to 1884. In 1875 against Otago he scored 88 in a little over two hours from "some really fine cricket, playing the bail balls from all the bowlers well down, and hitting well when a chance offered".[7] It was the highest first-class individual score in New Zealand until George Watson of Canterbury made the first century in 1881.

Personal life

He married Emily Hudson Evison in St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, on 17 December 1874.[8] They had four sons and a daughter. After Emily died, Charles lived with his widowed daughter in England for the last seven years of his life.[9]

References
  1. "Charles Corfe". CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. Greg Ryan, Where the Game Was Played by Decent Chaps, PhD thesis, University of Canterbury, 1996, pp. 258–59.
  3. Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 2011, p. 137.
  4. Ryan, Greg (2004). The Making of New Zealand Cricket, 1832–1914. London: Psychology Press. p. 108. ISBN 0714653543. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  5. "History of Corfe House". Christ's College. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  6. Kelly, Graeme (29 May 2015). "Toowoomba Grammar School History". Highlife Magazine. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  7. The Press, 29 January 1875, p. 2.
  8. Argus, 19 Dec 1874, p.1.
  9. "Obituary: Mr. C. C. Corfe". Press. LXXI (21511): 18. 28 June 1935. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
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