Born on 7 November 1869 in Keyworth, Thomas Attewell was the brother of Notts and England cricketer William (“Dick”) Attewell (1861-1927). He was a right-hand bat and right-arm medium-pace bowler, who played seven First-Class games for Notts. He made his debut at Lord’s v MCC on 1 June 1891, in a match completed in a single day! Notts 21 and 69 MCC 127; the unfortunate Attewell bagged a pair. A couple of weeks before he had taken 8-30 for Notts Seconds v Surrey Seconds at the Oval. His final match for Notts was against Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge in July 1894. He scored 53 runs @7.57 with a top score of 23 not out v Kent at Canterbury in 1893. He bowled once 4-0-12-0.
In 1891 Attewell was engaged with Nottingham Commercial and the following year was with Notts Castle. He became the first Keyworth CC player to perform the ‘hat-trick’ against Digby Colliery CC in 1895. From 1893 to 1925 he was on the ground staff at Lord’s and was awarded £500 in lieu of a benefit by MCC on his retirement. Thomas Attewell umpired in 27 first-class matches between 1894 and 1921. He also stood in 50 Minor County Championship games between 1906 and 1927.
He died on 6 July 1937 in the General Hospital in Nottingham aged 67 years. His cousin, Walter Attewell (1865-1919) played five games for Notts in 1891. Thomas Attewell’s brother-in-law William Lane Pike made appearances for Notts Colts in 1880 and 1881.
June 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 216