John Minshull

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John Minshull (born c.1741, probably in Acton, Middlesex; died 23 October 1793 at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey) was a famous English cricketer during the 1770s. He is the sport's earliest-known century-maker.

In Early Kent Cricketers, he is described as "a thick-set man, about 5"9" in height, rather a slow mover in the field (and had) a tendency towards injury and illness".

According to John Nyren, Minshull was a "capital hitter, and a sure guard of his wicket" but "not an elegant player, his position and general style were both awkward and uncouth". Minshull evidently had a high opinion of his own ability and was said to have been "as conceited as a wagtail and from his constantly aping what he had no pretensions to, was, on that account only, not estimated according to the price at which he had rated his own merits"!

"Minshull" was actually an alias for his real name was John Minchin. Little about him is certain until 1 February 1768 when, four weeks after he moved to Kingston-upon-Thames to work as a gardener, he obtained a licence to marry Ann Grimshaw, described as a spinster, aged twenty-six, of Kingston.

In the summer of 1769, the Duke of Dorset brought him to Sevenoaks to play for his team against Wrotham on Thursday 31 August. The result is unknown but a partial score survived and was found by John Goulstone in the Duke of Dorset’s archives. This was the match in which Minshull scored 107, the earliest definitely known century, though it is not improbable that John Small scored one in 1768. Unfortunately, there are no details at all of Wrotham’s team or its scores, though we have all the scores and means of dismissal for Dorset’s team who made 68 and 236.

Minshull must have adopted his alias sometime between that match and 16 October 1769. On this latter date, he accepted the post of gardener at Knole House (Dorset’s residence near Sevenoaks) for, although "Minchin" had appeared on both his marriage record and on the Wrotham score-sheet, from the beginning of his employment at Knole he always signed himself "John Minshull" in the wage book.

While employed by the Duke, Minshull used to play cricket for Sevenoaks and he also represented Kent.

On 22 November 1772, Minshull left Knole and settled in or near Uxbridge in Middlesex. Then, in the autumn of 1775, he moved back into Surrey and played for the Surrey eleven until his retirement from major cricket in 1780.

He had probably returned to Kingston-on-Thames as the final contemporary reference to him is contained in the Kingston parish registers for 23 October 1793, where it records the burial of "John Minchen (sic), gardener".