Charles Walter Albyn Napier (28 October 1817 – 23 December 1908) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

first-class

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

er and clergyman. The son of Gerard Martin Berkely Napier and his wife, Mary Paul Napier, he was born at East Pennard, Somerset. He was educated at

Harrow School (The Faithful Dispensation of the Gifts of God) , established = (Royal Charter) , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent schoolBoarding school , religion = Church of E ...

, before going up to

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

. While studying at Oxford, he made his debut in

first-class cricket First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officiall ...

for the

Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...

(MCC) against

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

in 1838, following this up by featuring in the return fixture at

Lord's Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and ...

. In the same year he made his debut ''for'' Oxford University against

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, before featuring in three further matches for Oxford in 1839 and obtaining his

blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...

. He also featured for a combined

Oxford and Cambridge Universities cricket team Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the Un ...

against the MCC in 1839. His final first-class appearance came in 1841 for the Fast Bowlers in the Fast v Slow match of 1841 at Lord's. After graduating from Oxford, he became an

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

clergyman. He was the vicar of St Peter's Church at

Evercreech Evercreech is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish south east of Shepton Mallet, and north east of Castle Cary, in the Mendip District, Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Stoney Stratton and ...

in 1843, before becoming the rector at Wiston, Sussex. He was later the

prebendary A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the ...

Chichester Cathedral Chichester Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in West Sussex, England. It was founded as a cathedral in 1075, when the seat of the ...

. He died at

Chichester Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only ci ...

in December 1908. His wife, Marianne Flora Etruria Talbot, the daughter of James Talbot, 3rd Baron Talbot of Malahide, predeceased him by 30 years. The couple had two sons. His nephew, Milo Talbot, also played first-class cricket.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Napier, Charles 1817 births 1908 deaths People from Mendip District People educated at Harrow School Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford English cricketers Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Oxford University cricketers Oxford and Cambridge Universities cricketers Fast v Slow cricketers 19th-century English Anglican priests 20th-century English Anglican priests People from Wiston, West Sussex Cricketers from West Sussex