# Thomas Waymark

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**Thomas Waymark** (probably baptised 17 June 1705;[1] date of death unknown) was an English professional [cricketer](/source/Cricket) in the first half of the 18th century. Although he was associated with cricket in [Sussex](/source/Sussex_county_cricket_team_(pre-1839)) and [Berkshire](/source/Berkshire_county_cricket_team_(18th_century)), Waymark was probably born in or near [Mitcham](/source/Mitcham), [Surrey](/source/Surrey), in June 1705. He is one of the earliest-known players on record, and is widely accounted the sport's first great [all-rounder](/source/All-rounder). Waymark played for over 20 years and was noted for his "extraordinary agility and dexterity".[2][3] A top-class player, he made numerous appearances in [historically important matches](/source/First-class_cricket#Historically_important_matches), both eleven-a-side and [single wicket](/source/Single_wicket_cricket).[note 1][note 2]

## Duke of Richmond's XI

Surviving details of Waymark's life are few, but it is likely that he began his [cricket](/source/Cricket) career during the 1720s. The earliest definite mention of him is in the [1730 season](/source/1730_English_cricket_season) when a match between the [2nd Duke of Richmond's XI](/source/2nd_Duke_of_Richmond's_XI), and [Sir William Gage's XI](/source/Sir_William_Gage's_XI) was postponed "on account of Waymark, the Duke's man, being ill".[4][5] In contemporary sources, he was described as "the famous Waymark".[3]

Waymark was employed as a [groom](/source/Groom_(profession)) by the [Duke of Richmond](/source/Charles_Lennox,_2nd_Duke_of_Richmond) on his estate at [Goodwood](/source/Goodwood_House). He owed the job, in part at least, to his cricketing ability.[6][7] This type of arrangement, between [patron and professional](/source/Professional_and_amateur_status_in_first-class_cricket), became common in the 18th century. In later years, [Lumpy Stevens](/source/Lumpy_Stevens) and [John Minshull](/source/John_Minshull) were employed by their patrons as a [gardener](/source/Gardener) and a [gamekeeper](/source/Gamekeeper) respectively.[8]

When Richmond and [Alan Brodrick](/source/Alan_Brodrick,_2nd_Viscount_Midleton) drew up [Articles of Agreement](/source/Articles_of_Agreement_(cricket)) for their matches in 1727, one of the clauses included the right of Brodrick to select "any Gamesters within three Miles of [Pepperhara](/source/Peper_Harow), provided they actually lived there last [Lady Day](/source/Lady_Day)". Lady Day usually fell on 25 March which, until 1752, was [New Year's Day](/source/New_Year's_Day). [Derek Birley](/source/Derek_Birley) wrote that Lady Day was significant as "the usual hiring day for new servants". Richmond and Brodrick both had servants in their teams, including Waymark in Richmond's team.[9]

## Sir William Gage's XI

On 28 August 1729, [Edwin Stead's XI](/source/Edwin_Stead's_XI) met [Sir William Gage's XI](/source/Sir_William_Gage's_XI) at [Penshurst Park](/source/Penshurst_Park). Waymark played for Gage's team, who are believed to have gained the earliest known [innings victory](/source/Innings_victory). Gage's XI was also known as [Hampshire, Surrey & Sussex](/source/Hampshire,_Surrey_%26_Sussex_cricket_team). A newspaper report says Gage's XI "got as many within 3 in one Hand, as the former did in two, so the Kentish men flung it up". A "hand" was a team's [innings](/source/Innings) but the report is confusing because Stead's XI must have batted last, and they apparently conceded the match when still three runs behind—therefore Gage's XI won by an innings and three runs. Waymark, described as "a groom of the Duke of Richmond" was the outstanding player. The report says he "signalised himself by extraordinary agility and dexterity" and "turned the scale of victory".[10][11][12][6][13][14]

## 1740s

By the 1740s, Waymark was working at [Bray](/source/Bray,_Berkshire) Mills in [Berkshire](/source/Berkshire) as a [miller](/source/Miller) where he was employed by a [Mr Darville](/source/Darville_(Berkshire_cricketer)).[3]

He is known to have played in a number of matches during the 1740s, including both of the [1744 matches](/source/1744_English_cricket_season) of which the [scorecards](/source/Scoring_(cricket)) have survived.

On 2 June 1744, he played for [London](/source/London_Cricket_Club) v [Surrey & Sussex](/source/Surrey_%26_Sussex_cricket_team) (backed by his old employer Richmond) at the [Artillery Ground](/source/Artillery_Ground). The match has left the earliest-known scorecard, which records that Waymark made 13 [runs](/source/Run_(cricket)) in the first [innings](/source/Innings), and 16 in the second. Surrey & Sussex won by 55 runs.[15][16]

Then, on 18 June 1744, Waymark played for [England](/source/Rest_of_England_cricket_teams) against [Kent](/source/Kent_county_cricket_team_(pre-1843)) at the Artillery Ground in the match which commences [Arthur Haygarth](/source/Arthur_Haygarth)'s *Scores & Biographies*.[17][18] He made scores of 7 & 9. With Kent needing three [runs](/source/Run_(cricket)) to win, and with one [wicket](/source/Wicket) remaining, Waymark is reported to have "missed a [catch](/source/Caught)" which would have ended the match in his team's favour; Kent went on to win.[19]

## Single wicket

Waymark was a noted [single wicket](/source/Single_wicket_cricket) player. This was the most lucrative form of cricket in the 1740s, and he took part in several big money contests.[19][20]

There was a three-a-side match on Monday, 1 October 1744, played "for a considerable sum" by players who had previously been described as the "best in England". The teams were [Robert Colchin](/source/Robert_Colchin), [James Bryant](/source/James_Bryant_(Kent_cricketer)), and [Joe Harris](/source/Joe_Harris_(cricketer)) against [John Bryant](/source/John_Bryant_(cricketer)), [Val Romney](/source/Val_Romney), and Waymark.[19][21]

On Monday, 21 July 1746, there was a four-a-side match at the [Artillery Ground](/source/Artillery_Ground) between Four Millers of Bray Mills (in [Berkshire](/source/Berkshire)) and Four Best Players of [Addington](/source/Addington_Cricket_Club). It was played for fifty pounds but the result is unknown. Waymark was by this time employed at Bray Mills, and so he was almost certainly involved.[19]

In 1748, Waymark and Colchin played two "doubles" matches against [Tom Faulkner](/source/Tom_Faulkner) and Joe Harris at the Artillery Ground.[22] At the time, these four were arguably the best players in England. The matches were played for huge prizes of fifty [guineas](/source/Guinea_(British_coin)) each. Waymark and Colchin won them both, the first by 12 runs, and the second by an unrecorded margin.[22][20]

## End of career

The last matches Waymark is known to have played took place in July 1749 when he played in a series of three single wicket "fives" matches against [Addington](/source/Addington_Cricket_Club), although Waymark did not play in the third match.[20] He is known to have [umpired](/source/Umpire_(cricket)) a match later in the year involving the sons of the Duke of Richmond,[5][23] but there are no other references to him. It is not known when he died.

## Notes

1. Matches at this time were played on rudimentary [pitches](/source/Pitch_(cricket)) with a two-stump [wicket](/source/Wicket). The [batter](/source/Batting_(cricket)) used a curved [bat](/source/Cricket_bat) and the [bowler](/source/Bowler_(cricket)) delivered [the ball](/source/Cricket_ball) with an [underarm action](/source/Underarm_bowling) by bowling it all along the ground. The sport underwent an evolutionary change in the 1760s when bowlers began [pitching the ball](/source/Pitched_delivery_bowling), still using an underarm action, and the modern straight bat was introduced in response.[24]

1. [Scorecard data](/source/Scoring_(cricket)) till [at least 1825](/source/1825_English_cricket_season) was never comprehensive, especially the [dismissal](/source/Dismissal_(cricket)) information: [bowling analyses](/source/Bowling_(cricket)) lacked [balls bowled](/source/Delivery_(cricket)) and [runs conceded](/source/Run_(cricket)); bowlers were not credited with [wickets](/source/Wicket) when the batsman was [caught](/source/Caught_(cricket)) or [stumped](/source/Stumped); in many matches, the means of dismissal were omitted.[25][26]

## References

1. ["Thomas Waymark's likely birth record"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070313194318/http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/search/IGI/individual_record.asp?recid=500152377071&lds=1&region=2&regionfriendly=British+Isles&frompage=99). Archived from [the original](http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/search/IGI/individual_record.asp?recid=500152377071&lds=1&region=2&regionfriendly=British+Isles&frompage=99) on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2009. The date and location strongly suggest that this Thomas Waymark was the famous cricketer.

1. Major 2007, p. 47.

1. Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (26 April 1900). ["At the Sign of the Wicket"](https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1900/89/). *Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game*. **XIX** (535): 83–85. London: Merritt & Hatcher Ltd. – via ACS.

1. Waghorn 1899, pp. 1–2.

1. Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (29 November 1900). ["Sussex Cricket and Cricketers"](https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1900/467/). *Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game*. **XIX** (558): 461. London: Merritt & Hatcher Ltd. – via ACS.

1. Light 2011, pp. 33–34.

1. ["Class, cricket and the French Revolution"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16821779). *[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)*. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2023.

1. Haygarth 1996, pp. 44, 98–99.

1. Birley 1999, p. 19.

1. Waghorn 2005, p. 7.

1. Wilson 2005, p. 50.

1. Birley 1999, p. 20.

1. McCann 2004, p. 9.

1. Maun 2009, p. 39.

1. Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (22 February 1900). ["At the Sign of the Wicket"](https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1900/26/). *Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game*. **XIX** (531): 20–22. London: Merritt & Hatcher Ltd. – via ACS.

1. ["London v Slindon; Other matches in England 1744"](https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/98/98236.html). *CricketArchive*. Retrieved 28 February 2022.

1. Haygarth 1996, p. 1.

1. ["Kent v All-England, 1744"](https://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/1.html). CricketArchive. Retrieved 27 March 2026.

1. Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (29 March 1900). ["At the Sign of the Wicket"](https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1900/41/). *Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game*. **XIX** (532): 35–37. London: Merritt & Hatcher Ltd. – via ACS.

1. Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (12 April 1900). ["At the Sign of the Wicket"](https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1900/57/). *Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game*. **XIX** (533): 51–53. London: Merritt & Hatcher Ltd. – via ACS.

1. Maun 2009, pp. 147–148.

1. Buckley 1935, p. 22.

1. Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (19 April 1900). ["At the Sign of the Wicket"](https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1900/73/). *Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game*. **XIX** (534): 67–69. London: Merritt & Hatcher Ltd. – via ACS.

1. Bowen, Rowland (1965). ["Cricket in the 17th and 18th centuries"](https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152818.html). *Wisden Cricketers' Almanack*. Retrieved 26 October 2022.

1. Webber 1951, pp. 7–10.

1. Haygarth 1997, p. 355.

## Bibliography

- Birley, Derek (1999). [*A Social History of English Cricket*](https://archive.org/details/socialhistoryofe0000birl_d1n5). London: [Aurum Press](/source/Aurum_Press). ISBN 978-18-54107-10-7. – via [Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive)
- Buckley, G. B. (1935). *Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket*. Birmingham: Cotterell & Co. [OCLC 23450280](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/23450280)
- Haygarth, Arthur (1996 [1862]). *Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744–1826)*. Kennington: [Frederick Lillywhite](/source/Frederick_Lillywhite). ISBN 978-19-00592-23-9.
- Haygarth, Arthur (1997 [1862]). *Scores & Biographies, Volume 2 (1827–1840)*. Kennington: Frederick Lillywhite. ISBN 978-19-00592-23-9.
- Light, Rob (2011). ["Cricket in the eighteenth century"](https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/history/students/modules/hi2b6/programme/week1/cricket_in_the_eighteenth_century.pdf). *The Cambridge Companion to Cricket*. Bateman, Anthony & Hill, Jeffrey (eds.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 26–39.
- Major, John (2007). [*More Than A Game*](https://archive.org/details/morethangamestor0000majo_b8t0). London: [HarperCollins](/source/HarperCollins). ISBN 978-00-07183-64-7. – via Internet Archive.
- Maun, Ian (2009). *From Commons to Lord's, Volume One: 1700 to 1750*. Cambridge: Roger Heavens. ISBN 978-19-00592-52-9.
- McCann, Tim (2004). [*Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century*](https://www.sussexrecordsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/Digital_editions/SRS-Vol-88.pdf). Vol. 88. Lewes: [West Sussex Record Office](/source/West_Sussex_Record_Office). ISBN 978-08-54450-55-8.
- Waghorn, H. T. (1899). *Cricket Scores, Notes, &c. From 1730–1773*. Edinburgh: Blackwood. [OCLC 1086375331](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1086375331)
- Waghorn, H. T. (2005 [1906]). *The Dawn of Cricket*. London: J. W. McKenzie. ISBN 978-09-47821-17-3.
- Webber, Roy (1951). *The Playfair Book of Cricket Records*. London: Playfair Books Ltd. [OCLC 753176177](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/753176177)
- Wilson, Martin (2005). *An Index to Waghorn*. London: Bodyline Books (limited edition, by subscription only)

## Further reading

- ACS (1981). [*A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709–1863*](https://archive.acscricket.com/online_library/match_guides/bi_imp_match_guide/index.html). Nottingham: [ACS](/source/Association_of_Cricket_Statisticians_and_Historians). [OCLC 85045528](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/85045528)
- ACS (1982). [*A Guide to First-class Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles*](https://archive.acscricket.com/online_library/match_guides/bi_match_guide/index.html). Nottingham: [ACS](/source/Association_of_Cricket_Statisticians_and_Historians). [OCLC 10586869](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/10586869)
- *A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914)*. 5th ed. London: [George Allen & Unwin](/source/George_Allen_%26_Unwin). 1962. [OCLC 894274808](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/894274808)
- Bowen, Rowland (1970). *Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development*. London: [Eyre & Spottiswoode](/source/Eyre_%26_Spottiswoode). ISBN 978-04-13278-60-9.
- Buckley, G. B. (1937). *Fresh Light on pre-Victorian Cricket*. Birmingham: Cotterell & Co. [OCLC 23469107](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/23469107)
- Maun, Ian (2011). *From Commons to Lord's, Volume Two: 1751 to 1770*. Leicester: Martin Wilson. ISBN 978-09-56906-60-1.
- Underdown, David (2000). [*Start of Play*](https://archive.org/details/startofplaycrick0000davi). Westminster: [Allen Lane](/source/Allen_Lane). ISBN 978-07-13993-30-1. – via Internet Archive.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Thomas Waymark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Waymark) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Waymark?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.