Stephen Lefeaver (1791 – 26 July 1867) was an English cricketer who played for Kent sides during the 1820s.

Stephen Lefeaver
Personal information
Born1791
Marden, Kent
Died26 July 1867 (aged 75–76)
Marden, Kent
RelationsJohn Lefeaver (son)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1825Kent XI
FC debut13 June 1825 Kent v Sussex
Last FC27 June 1825 Kent v Sussex
Source: CricketArchive, 30 March 2013

Lefeaver was born at Marden in Kent in 1791,[1] the son of John Lefeaver and his wife Ann (née Summers). He farmed 190 acres (77 ha) at Stile Bridge on the River Beult in the same parish and played club cricket for the village side between 1817 and 1837. After 1822 he also appeared for other local cricket sides such as Benenden, Coxheath, Horsmonden and Leeds.[2] He played two first-class matches for Kent against Sussex sides in 1825, the first inter-county matches organised by the Hawkhurst club.[3] After taking a wicket and recording a pair on debut, he made scores of eight and one in his second match.[4]

Later in life Leafeaver ran the Stile Bridge Inn, a public house which his father had run during the 1820s and which remained in the family's hands for a number of years.[5][6][7][8] He married Elizabeth Knell in 1814; the couple had seven children.[2] One of their sons, John Lefeaver, played for Kent County Cricket Club between 1841 and 1854.[9]

Lefeaver died at Marden in 1867.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Stephen Lefeaver, CricInfo. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
  2. ^ a b Carlaw D (2020) Kent County Cricketers A to Z. Part One: 1806–1914 (revised edition), p. 327. (Available online at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 2020-12-21.)
  3. ^ Milton H (2020) Kent County Cricket Grounds, p. 213. Woking: Pitch Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78531-661-6
  4. ^ Stephen Lefeaver, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2024-05-31. (subscription required)
  5. ^ Stile Bridge Inn, Dover Kent Archives. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  6. ^ Brief History Marden, Marden History Group. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
  7. ^ Pubs & Brewers, Pigot's National & Commercial Directory 1827–1828. (Available online at Kent Online Parish Clerks. Retrieved 2024-05-31.)
  8. ^ Marden, Biddenden, Staplehurst & Frittenden. Pigots Directory of Kent, 1840. (Available online. Retrieved 2024-05-31.)
  9. ^ Carlaw, op. cit., pp. 326–327.