Brief profile of Richard Humphrey by Don Ambrose

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Player:

R Humphrey

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HUMPHREY, Richard.
Professional.
Born at Mitcham, Surrey, 12th December 1848.
Died at Westminster, London, 24th February 1906.
He was the younger brother of Thomas (Surrey 1862-79), John (Surrey 1862) and William (Surrey and Hampshire 1864). He was first selected for Surrey in 1870 and played in 194 first-class matches between then and 1881, 145 of them for Surrey. He toured Australia with W.G.Grace’s team in 1873/74.
In 1874 he was living at 10 Huntley Street, Tottenham Court Road, London, and working as a plumber. In December 1879 he went into business at 20 Shepherd’s Walk, City Road, London, as a tobacconist. In 1883 he had to undergo an operation on his left arm and he later moved to 16 King’s Road, Boyce’s Avenue, Clifton, when he took up an engagement as coach at Clifton College, and he followed the business of a sports outfitter. In 1889 he had to give up his position at the College due to ill-health, and in April 1891 was an inmate of Bristol Infirmary with an attack of epilepsy. In 1892-93 he was well enough to be cricket coach at Bedford Grammar School. In his later days he was in very poor circumstances, and his body was found in the Thames at Westminster.
At the time of the 1881 Census he was living at 56 Huntley Street, St Pancras, London, aged 32, cricketer plumber. His wife Sarah Ann was aged 28, and their four children were Richard aged 5, Thomas William aged 4, Sarah Ann Rose aged 2 and Robert Frederic aged six months.

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Don Ambrose)