Joseph Dennis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph Dennis (born c.December 1778 and christened 6 January 1779 in Nottingham; died 16 November 1831 in Nottingham) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Nottingham Cricket Club from 1800 to 1829.
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[edit] Career
Dennis took part in nine first-class matches for Nottingham, mostly versus Sheffield Cricket Club. He also played against Hampshire and Leicester.
In the 1826 season, Dennis appeared for Nottingham as captain and wicketkeeper (an occasional role) against a combined Sheffield/Leicester eleven. At forty-seven, he was the oldest man on his side.
He retired from the game in 1828 because of failing vision, but he was a popular man and greatly missed. He gave in to public pressure and agreed to make a two-match come-back in the 1829 season.
[edit] Private life
Dennis was the landlord of the Eclipse Inn at Chapel Bar in Nottingham. He seems to have been a betting man. In 1815, he laid £120 on a Nottingham match and won.
On 16 November 1831, he suffered a stroke while in the Bell Inn and was carried by its landlord, Mr Clarke, back to the Eclipse, where he died shortly afterwards. This happened only a month after the death of his wife. Nottinghamshire author J F Sutton observed that "his name lived on in the memories of thousands".
[edit] External sources
[edit] References
- Ashley-Cooper, Frederick Samuel: Nottinghamshire Cricket and Cricketers (H.B. Saxton, 1923).
- Sutton, John Frost: The Date-Book of Remarkable and Memorable Events Connected with Nottingham and its Neighbourhood: 1750-1850 (Simpkin & Marshall, 1852).
- Sutton, John Frost: Nottingham Cricket Matches from 1771 to 1853 (Simpkin & Marshall, 1853).
