Theodore Robinson (16 February 1866 – 4 October 1959) played 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 ...

for Somerset in 10 matches between 1884 and 1894. He was born at Beaminster in Dorset and died at Backwell, Somerset.

Family and background

Robinson was a member of an entrepreneurial family who had interests in paper-making and printing in Bristol and London and in a wide range of goods in Singapore. The family company of E. S. & A. Robinson owned a large printing and paper-bag manufacturing site at Bedminster in Bristol. The extensive Robinson family had estates at

Flax Bourton Flax Bourton is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England. The parish, with a population of 715, is situated within the unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of North Somerset, on the edge of Tickenham ...

and Backwell, south of Bristol, and at the age of 13 in 1879 Theodore was part of a team of "Eleven Robinsons" that played a match against the Backwell Cricket Club at the Flax Bourton ground. This event was repeated in various forms until 1964 and included a match against an all Grace team in 1891. The Eleven Robinsons consisted of Theodore and five of his brothers, augmented by five cousins, all descended from Edward Robinson and directly related to

Elisha Smith Robinson Elisha Smith Robinson (1817–1885) was an English businessman and politician. Early life and business career Robinson was born in 1817 in Overbury, on the Worcestershire/Gloucestershire borders where his father Edward Robinson, a paper maker, ...

, Theodore 's most prosperous uncle. Apart from Theodore, two others of the Robinson Eleven graduated to first-class cricket: cousin Arthur played three matches for Gloucestershire, while Theodore's brother

Crescens Robinson Crescens James Robinson (21 May 1864 – 8 June 1941) played first-class cricket for Somerset in 31 matches from 1885 to 1896. He was born in Gloucester and died at Chelsea in London. Family and background Robinson was a member of an entrep ...

also played for Somerset.

Cricket career

Robinson played as a right-handed batsman and an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler for Somerset. In his first match in 1884, against Hampshire, he made 57 in a Somerset reply of 254 to a Hampshire total of 645 which was the second highest score in first-class matches in England to that date. This remained his highest score. Between 1889 and 1891, he played in second-class matches for

Glamorgan , HQ = Cardiff , Government = Glamorgan County Council (1889–1974) , Origin= , Code = GLA , CodeName = Chapman code , Replace = * West Glamorgan * Mid Glamorgan * South Glamorgan , Motto ...

, but he reappeared for Somerset in occasional matches from 1892 to 1894, though with little success.

1908 Summer Olympics

Robinson competed at the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...

in London. Robinson entered the men's double York round event in 1908, taking 7th place with 647 points.

After cricket

Theodore Robinson continued to live in Backwell and he and his sister donated land in 1929 to the village to use as playing fields, with further donations in 1932 and 1945. There are several pictures of Theodore Robinson at the opening ceremony in 1929 and later on the Backwell Playing Fields website.

References

External links

* *
Theodore Robinson's profile at Sports Reference.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Theodore 1866 births 1959 deaths English cricketers Somerset cricketers People from Beaminster Cricketers from Dorset Archers at the 1908 Summer Olympics Olympic archers for Great Britain British male archers