Robert Awdry (20 May 1881 – 3 February 1949) was an English

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 str ...

er who later became chairman of

Wiltshire County Council Wiltshire County Council (established in 1889) was the county council of Wiltshire in the South West of England, an elected local Government body responsible for most local government services in the county. As a result of the 2009 restructur ...

. He played nine first-class matches for

Oxford University Cricket Club Oxford University Cricket Club (OUCC), which represents the University of Oxford, has always held first-class status since 1827 when it made its debut in the inaugural University Match between OUCC and Cambridge University Cricket Club (CUCC). ...

between 1902 and 1904. The third son of Charles Awdry of Shaw Hill House, Melksham, and afterwards of the Manor, Littleton Panell, he was educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of ...

and New College, Oxford. He served in the

Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (RWY) was a Yeomanry regiment of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom established in 1794. It was disbanded as an independent Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Territorial Army unit in 1967, a time when t ...

through

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, and after the war rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel commanding the regiment. He was

High Sheriff of Wiltshire This is a list of the Sheriffs and (after 1 April 1974) High Sheriffs of Wiltshire. Until the 14th century, the shrievalty was held ''ex officio'' by the castellans of Old Sarum Castle. On 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Go ...

in 1928. He was a member of Wiltshire County Council 1919–49 and its chairman 1946–49. He was appointed CBE in the

1946 New Year Honours The 1946 New Year Honours were appointments by many of the Commonwealth Realms of King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and to celebrate the passing of 1945 and the beginni ...

in recognition of his role as chairman of the council's Emergency Committee. Awdry was captain of

Wiltshire County Cricket Club Wiltshire County Cricket Club is one of twenty minor county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. Founded in 1893, it represents the historic county of Wiltshire. The team is a member of the Minor Counties Champio ...

for several years, and served as President and later Chairman of

Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society was founded in 1853, and is one of the largest county-based archaeological societies in the United Kingdom. It runs the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes, Wiltshire which has the best Bronze Ag ...

from 1939 until his death. Awdrey married Olive Muriel Tosswill in 1913 and they had one daughter. In 1920, Olive was appointed MBE for services to Wiltshire Women's County Agricultural Committee. Awdry had Hawkswell House built at Little Cheverell, Wiltshire around 1914–1920, and lived there until 1941.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Awdry, Robert 1881 births 1949 deaths English cricketers Oxford University cricketers Sportspeople from Kensington Cricketers from Greater London People educated at Winchester College Alumni of New College, Oxford Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry officers British Army personnel of World War I High Sheriffs of Wiltshire Members of Wiltshire County Council Wiltshire cricketers

See also

References

External links