Born on 29 August 1863 in Clifton, John Butler was a right-hand batsman. He appeared in the Colts match of 1883 but without success. In 1889 however, he was given a trial in the Notts XI, due to John Dixon’s absence, in a non-First-Class fixture v Derbyshire at Trent Bridge and showed an excellent defence in an innings of 18 lasting an hour. He made his First-Class debut v Kent at Trent Bridge on 18 and 19 July 1889, Notts winning in two days by an innings and 43 runs, Butler run out for 24. His best score was 56 versus Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge in early August and his last First-Class match was against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge in August 1889. In six First-Class games, he scored 111 runs @15.85. In 1890 he represented Notts v XXII Colts and the following year played for Notts Seconds v Surrey Seconds. The briefness of his career was in some part attributable to his poor fielding.
He played club cricket for Clifton Village and Notts Castle. He resided variously in Clifton, Beeston, Mapperley and Daybrook, following no fixed occupation, being generally of an indolent disposition. He died on 21 May 1945 in Belper, Derbyshire, aged 81 years.
Butler came from good cricketing stock. His brother-in-law was John Moss (1864-1950), the well-known first-class umpire who played one first-class game for Notts in 1892. His uncle was George Wootton (1834-1924) the famous Notts, MCC and All England Eleven bowler, and his great nephew was Harold Butler (1913-1991) the Notts and England bowler.
June 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 210