Brother of the great Arthur and father to Arthur junior, William Shrewsbury had a more limited First-Class cricketing career - just nine matches, all for Nottinghamshire, spread over four seasons.
His first such game came in June 1875 when he played for Notts against the MCC at Lord’s, making 0 and 5; in the second innings he was clean bowled by one W G Grace, becoming the great man’s 650th First-Class wicket. William’s highest First-Class innings was 34 v Lancashire in 1876 but probably his most memorable knock came in the same season when he made 88 for the Colts of Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire v Colts of England, also at Lord’s. His last appearance for Notts was at Cheltenham in 1879 when he made 4 in his only innings, once again falling victim to the bowling of WG.
In his nine First-Class matches, he made 77 runs at 7.00 and took five catches. He was rated a good fielder, often at long stop or long on, and a useful batsman in club cricket – he played for Nottinghamshire Castle and Meadow Willow. Though never asked to bowl in First-Class cricket, he was a fast round-arm bowler who took wickets at club level for the Colts. William Shrewsbury was engaged as the professional at Port Hope School in Toronto, Canada in 1891 and coached at Eton College at one time.
He became a First-Class umpire and stood in more than fifty matches from 1896 until 1904, making his final appearance as an umpire at the same Cheltenham ground where he had ended his playing career.
Originally a lacemaker by trade, he later succeeded his father to became landlord of the Queens Hotel in Arkwright Street, Nottingham – handily placed for the Midland railway station.
William Shrewsbury was born in New Lenton on 30 April 1854 and died in Fiskerton on14 November 1931, aged 77 years.
Acknowledgement to The Provost and Fellows of Eton College for the photograph
June 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 143