Francis Fenner

Francis Phillips Fenner (1 March 1811 – 22 May 1896) was an English cricketer for Hampshire. A right-arm fast bowler, Fenner took 176 wickets for his county at 19.00 from his 54 first-class appearances from 1829 until 1856.[1]

Francis Fenner
Personal information
Full nameFrancis Phillips Fenner
Born(1811-03-01)1 March 1811
Cambridge, England
Died22 May 1896(1896-05-22) (aged 85)
Bath, Somerset, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast
RoleBowler
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1832–1855Cambridge Town Club
1839Cambridge University
1843–1855Hampshire
First-class debut28 May 1829 Cambridge Union Club v Cambridge University
Last First-class5 May 1856 Cambridge Town and County Club v Cambridge University
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 54
Runs scored 1,126
Batting average 12.79
100s/50s 0/3
Top score 80
Balls bowled 1,306
Wickets 176
Bowling average 19.00
5 wickets in innings 15
10 wickets in match 4
Best bowling 9/?
Catches/stumpings 27/1
Source: CricketArchive, 22 September 2008

He established Fenner's cricket ground in 1848 on land which he had leased. The ground is still used by Cambridge University for their home fixtures.[2]

Early life

He was born in Cambridge and baptised on 21 April 1811 at St.Andrew the Great's, son of Elizabeth (nee Welch) and Joseph Fenner.[3] He married Mary Williams Smith on 19 May 1836 at the church of the Holy Trinity, Cambridge.[4]

Career

Born in Cambridge, Fenner played first-cricket from 1832 for his local town cricket club,[5] and county,[6] in 1839 for Cambridge University,[7] and made his debut for Hampshire in 1843.[8] Fenner's career had not begun well with the bat, his average never reaching double figures through the first seasons of his pre-Hampshire career from 1829 until 1833.[9] In 1834 he scored 72 runs from four matches at 12.00, and in 1837 he scored 58 in one match at 29.00 including one knock of 37.[9] From 1840 until his debut for Hampshire he averaged 18.90, 16.66 with a career best of 80 and 15.28, however in his debut year for the county side this dropped until 8.62, and in his second season in 1844 he played in only one match, scoring 17.[9]

He would only make a few appearances for the rest of his career never more than three matches in the season.[9] His average did not peak above a season-high of 19.00 from 1844 until 1853. In 1854, however, he hit career best figures with the bat, playing one innings and scoring 62.[9] While his career best individual score of 80 from 1834 remained unbroken, this knock gave him a career best season average of 62.00.[9] This success did not continue, however, and his last seasons during 1855 and 1856 saw averages of 8.00 and 4.50 from only two matches.[9]

It was with the ball that Fenner enjoyed more success.[10] While he began his career as a bowler quietly, with only three wickets across his first two seasons, his bowling improved in 1834 with a return of 22 wickets.[10] Returns of six and eight in the next two years were overshadowed by 14 wickets in 1838, and 11 wickets in 1840, 27 in 1841, 24 in 1843 and 17 in 1844.[10] Single figure returns of seven, six, three and one followed, before a brief resurgence of 15 in 1849, however he was unable to take a wicket with the 48 deliveries of his final season in 1853.[10]

Later life

He is recorded as a tobacconist living in Regent street in the 1851 census, with Mary and son Frank 1 and daughters Emma, Frances, Ellen and Eliza.[11] In the 1861 census he is aged 50 living with his wife Mary 49, son Frank aged 11 and five daughters, Emma 20, Frances 16, Ellen 13, Harriett 9 and Jannette 2, in Emmanuel Street, Cambridge and gives his Occupation as cigar merchant.[12] By 1871 aged 60 he has moved to Bath, Somerset with his wife Mary 59, four daughters Emma, Fanny, Ellen, Jeanette and his sister Elisa 61 and is described as a hotel proprietor.[13] He is still a hotel proprietor in Bath St Peter and Paul in the 1871 census, living with Mary and daughters Emma and Francis, and his sister Eliza.[14] In 1891 he is described as hotel keeper living with Mary his wife and Frances his daughter.[15] He died in Bath, aged 85.[16] He is buried in Bath Abbey Cemetery.[17]

Notes
  1. "Player Profile: Francis Fenner". CricInfo. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  2. "Fenner's". CricInfo. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  3. "England, Cambridge Parish Registers 1538-1983". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  4. "England, Cambridge Parish Registers 1538-1983". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  5. "Cricket". Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. 24 August 1832. p. 3.
  6. "County of Cambridge and Mary-La-Bonne". Bell's Life. 19 August 1832.
  7. Fenner is not, however, listed in Venn's Alumni Cantabrigienses.
  8. "Player Profile@ Francis Fenner". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  9. "First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Francis Fenner". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  10. "First-class Bowling in Each Season by Francis Fenner". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  11. "England and Wales Census 1851". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  12. "England and Wales Census 1861". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  13. "England and Wales Census, 1871". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  14. "England and Wales Census, 1881". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  15. "England and Wales Census, 1891". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  16. "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  17. "Francis Phillips Fenner". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
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