Walter Wright (1856-1940)

Walter Wright was born Walter Shooter on 29th February 1856 in Hucknall. His mother Elizabeth was a single parent who by the age of 29 had four children, Walter being the second youngest. Elizabeth supported her family with what she could earn stitching gloves, and if this was their only income, the early years of Walter's life must have been hard even by the standards of the day.

In 1866 Elizabeth married Arthur Wright, a framework knitter, and the family moved into Arthur's cottage on Lambert Hill. When the children were old enough, as was the norm, they were put to work in the 'family business' of making Shetland shawls and falls. Whether or not Arthur was Walter's true father is not known, but throughout his sporting career he was known as Walter Wright.

Walter was a type of professional sportman not seen today: the all-rounder. His earliest successes were as a sprinter winning the Sheffield Handicap in 1880 and 1881. His best distance was 130 yards, and in his prime he was reputed to be 'the second fastest runner in the world'.

Walter began playing cricket at junior county level with Notts Colts at the age of 18 or 19, but made his professional debut in 1878 with Mote Park Cricket Club in Maidstone, Kent. He was soon, however, to return to his native county and in 1879 was recruited by Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club after putting in an outstanding performance in the Colts trial, taking the first five Notts batsmen for only 11 runs. Soon afterwards he was drafted into the first team, but not until 1883 did he become a regular first choice player, established himself as a top class left-arm fast medium bowler and a useful tail end right-handed batsman. The most famous cricketer of the age, W.G. Grace, was reputed to have described Walter as the originator of swing bowling.

His good form continued the following year when Nottinghamshire won the County Championship. Unfortunately, in 1886 his career with Notts came to an abrupt end when he resigned over a dispute with the committee for extra payments for match against Australia.

Walter returned to Kent and played first class cricket for his adopted county for the rest of his professional career. In 1890 playing against Surrey at the Oval he suffered a severe dislocation of his left thumb, which at first appeared would require amputation. Although the thumb was not removed, it was left permanently disfigured, but nevertheless he continued to be an effective bowler.

Unlike the professionals of today, Walter only received payment during the cricket season, which ran from May to early September. For the more well healed professionals this was not a problem, but for Walter it necessitated throughout his career an annual return to his roots and seven month stint working as a coal miner at which ever East Midlands colliery he could find employment.

In Maidstone on 18th May 1895 at the age of 39 Walter married Mary Gude Wenman who was 19 years his junior. They had eight children, five girls and three boys.