Edward Arthur Howsin was born in North Muskham on 26 July 1838. He qualified as a doctor of medicine at St Andrews in 1862 and later studied at Bristol and at Guys. When chosen for the XXII Colts in 1863 he is described as from East Surrey and South Wales, though in 1861 he turned out for Newark. In 1862, Howsin played several games at The Oval and this gave him the right to represent Gentlemen of the South v North, at Trent Bridge in August 1862 when he had a particularly good game. Howsin scored 25 and 48no in the drawn game; he also took two catches and two stumpings as keeper, then switched to bowler and took the last wicket of the North's innings for 34 runs.
This was the first of four First-Class matches that Howsin played. The next, in June 1863, was also at Trent Bridge when he appeared for Notts v Kent, making 0 and 24; he did not keep wicket, Sam Biddulph was the regular keeper at that time, and did not bowl. Against Yorkshire in the same month he made 9 and 4. In his final First-Class fixture he had switched to representing the North v Surrey at The Oval when he made 0 and 4, again without being ask to bowl or keep. He appeared both for and against the Surrey club and for South Wales, for which side he made his highest innings of 52 v I Zingari.
A good batsman and excellent outfield as well an occasional keeper, Howsin lived in several places, perhaps as a result of medical appointments - at Goole in 1866, Newton-le-Willows in 1872, Stroud in 1879 and then back in Yorkshire at Reedness Manor, near Goole.
He died in Boscombe, Hampshire, on 27 February 1921 of a cerebral haemorrhage.
July 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 99