Walter Kennedy Pearce (2 April 1893 — 31 July 1960) was an English first-class cricketer, cricket administrator, and solicitor.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Walter Kennedy Pearce | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 April 1893 Bassett, Hampshire, England | ||||||||||||||
| Died | 31 July 1960 (aged 67) Romsey, Hampshire, England | ||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||
| 1923–1926 | Hampshire | ||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Source: Cricinfo, 28 December 2009 | |||||||||||||||
The son of Arthur William Pearce (1858–1928) and his wife Frederica Emma, née Maund (1853–1932), he was born in April 1893 at Bassett in Southampton.[1] He was educated at Malvern College.[2] After completing his education at Malvern, Pearce was commissioned into the Hampshire Regiment as a second lieutenant in December 1912,[3] with promotion to lieutenant in June 1914.[4] He served with the Hampshire Regiment during the First World War, during which he was promoted to captain in April 1917, antedated to June 1916.[5] Following the war, he relinquished his commission in July 1921.[6] Transferring to the Territorial Army Reserve, he was promoted to major in October 1922.[7]
Pearce played first-class cricket for Hampshire, making his debut against Gloucestershire at Gloucester in the 1923 County Championship. He played first-class cricket for Hampshire as a batsman until 1926, making nine appearances.[8] In these, he scored 127 runs at an average of 18.14, with a single half century score of 63.[9] Pearce made this score against Glamorgan in 1923, sharing in a partnership of 162 for the eighth wicket with Phil Mead.[10] He later served Hampshire in an administrative capacity as club chairman in the late 1930s and during the Second World War, during which he played a pivotal role ensuring the club's continuing function during wartime. He was later elected the first life vice-president of the club in 1953.[10]
Outside of cricket, he was by professional a solicitor based in Southampton.[11] In his capacity as a solicitor, he served as a Commissioners for Oaths and a clerk to the justices at Hythe.[12] During the Second World War, he volunteered with the National Defence Companies;[13] following the war, having exceeded the age for recall, he resigned his commission for a second time in November 1948.[14] Pearce died at Romsey in July 1960.[15] Following his death, he left £100 to Lyndhurst Cricket Club, where he had been a member.[11]
References edit
- ^ GRO Register of Births: JUN 1893 2c 77 S. STONEHAM - Walter Kennedy Pearce
- ^ Porch, R. B.; Mugliston, F. U. (1915). The Malvern College Register 1865-1915. W. H. Lovell.
- ^ "No. 28684". The London Gazette. 24 January 1913. p. 592.
- ^ "No. 28851". The London Gazette. 21 July 1914. p. 5664.
- ^ "No. 30022". The London Gazette. 17 April 1917. p. 3611.
- ^ "No. 32450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 September 1921. p. 7125.
- ^ "No. 32755". The London Gazette. 13 October 1922. p. 7207.
- ^ "First-Class Matches played by Walter Pearce". CricketArchive. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Walter Pearce". CricketArchive. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ a b "A–Z (P3)". www.hampshirecrickethistory.wordpress.com. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ a b "£lOO Bequest for Cricket Club". Portsmouth Evening News. 7 November 1960. p. 8. Retrieved 17 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ The Lawyers Directory. 1955. p. 776.
- ^ "No. 34732". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 November 1939. p. 7634.
- ^ "No. 38465". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 November 1948. p. 6184.
- ^ GRO Register of Deaths: SEP 19606b 533 ROMSEY - Walter K. Pearce, aged 67