Henry Howell Secretan (25 February 1855 – 16 June 1911) was an English-born New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 1877 to 1886.

Henry Secretan
Personal information
Full name
Henry Howell Secretan
Born(1855-02-25)25 February 1855
Blackheath, Kent, England
Died16 June 1911(1911-06-16) (aged 56)
Fendalton, Christchurch, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1876-77 to 1886-87Canterbury
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 6
Runs scored 168
Batting average 16.80
100s/50s 0/1
Top score 72
Balls bowled 15
Wickets 0
Bowling average
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling
Catches/stumpings 6/–
Source: Cricinfo, 30 March 2019

After attending Marlborough College, Secretan migrated to New Zealand in the 1870s and began working soon after his arrival for the Christchurch office of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company.[1] He worked for the company in several towns in the South Island until 1894, when he helped found the Canterbury Hall Company, acting as secretary until just before his death.[1] As well as being a prominent cricketer, he was one of the pioneers of lawn tennis in the Canterbury region.[1]

Described as "a stylish batsman, with a fine art"[1] and "a beautiful bat, as free as a mountain bird",[2] in his six first-class matches Secretan made a highest score of 72, in an innings victory over Auckland in January 1885, when his teammate Frederick Wilding made 104, only the second century in New Zealand first-class cricket.[3] In 1880-81 Secretan had scored 30 not out, Canterbury's highest score in the match, when the touring Australians beat Canterbury by an innings.[4] The report in the Lyttelton Times said Secretan's innings "made good his claim to be the best batsman in New Zealand".[5]

His first wife, Marion, died in September 1889, aged 29.[6] He married Ellen Coster in July 1890.[7] He died at his home in the Christchurch suburb of Fendalton in June 1911, aged 56.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "Obituary: Mr. H. H. Secretan". Lyttelton Times. 17 June 1911. p. 3.
  2. ^ Fowke, Johnny (17 January 1920). "Reminiscences of the sporting world". Star: 8.
  3. ^ "Canterbury v Auckland 1884-85". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Canterbury v Australians 1880-81". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  5. ^ "The Australians in New Zealand: The Christchurch match". Lyttelton Times. 31 January 1881. p. 5.
  6. ^ "Deaths". Otago Witness: 20. 3 October 1889.
  7. ^ "Marriages". Press: 7. 6 August 1890.

External links edit