Edwin Stephenson (5 June 1832 – 5 July 1898),[1] sometimes erroneously called Edward, was an Englishfirst-class cricketer from 1857 to 1873. He was awicket-keeper who played forSheffield Cricket Club, and forYorkshire County Cricket Club when the latter was founded in 1863.[2]
Stephenson was born in Headford Street, Sheffield,Yorkshire, England. According toWisden Cricketers' Almanack, Stephenson was a right-handedbatsman, awicketkeeper and an occasional right arm fastroundarm bowler. In the 1850s, he ran atobacconist andcricket ball shop onBramall Lane, Sheffield, which was close to the ground that became home to both Yorkshire County Cricket Club andSheffield United Football Club.[2]
In 1861, along with his fellow YorkshiremanRoger Iddison, Stephenson sailed to Australia on theSS Great Britain[3] as part of the firstEngland cricket team to visit there.[2] On 1, 3 and 4 March 1862, he was part of The World team that defeated a Surrey XI atMelbourne Cricket Ground by six wickets.
Hisswan song was as part of a winning Yorkshire team againstLancashire County Cricket Club at Bramall Lane on 1 July 1873, in front of a partisan Sheffield crowd, and alongside his long-time cricketing partner and fellow Sheffielder,Joseph Rowbotham. He finished with a first-class tally of 803runs at an average of 14.33. He held 30catches and effected 27stumpings in his 36 matches for the county club.[4] In total, Stephenson played in 82 first-class matches scoring 1,940 runs at 14.80, with 56 catches and 48 stumpings.[1]
His life was filled with tragedy, losing his first wife and three children in his lifetime. Contrary to some obituary notices, Stephenson did not die at the Tuebrook Asylum for Inebriates in Liverpool. He actually died fromtuberculosis in July 1898, at his home inTuebrook, Liverpool, aged 66.[4]
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