WHO FACED THE FIRST BALL? WCF BURFITT or EH BURKITT (1st Grade cap #2)?
127 years after he played his only game in 1st Grade for Sydney University, a player whose name has been confused for so many years was found.
Walter Charles Fitzmaurice Burfitt was the name of the player who, it has been thought, opened the batting in University’s initial 1st Grade game in Electorate Cricket (later called ‘Grade Cricket’ now ‘Premier Cricket’) in 1893. Burfitt was eventually a distinguished surgeon who, as an undergraduate, resided at St John’s College during the 1890s. He had been a cricketer at school (Riverview) and it would have been reasonable to conclude that it was he who played this game.
But, in various places, the name was given as either ‘BURFITT’ or ‘BURKITT’.
There wasn’t much to go on and Walter Burfitt was listed in the stories of the Sydney University Cricket Club as the more likely player.
Why would this be important? At best, it sounds trivial, obscure, irrelevant.
Except that, whoever this was, appears to have been the University batsman who faced the first ball bowled in University’s 1st innings of the first game of Electorate Cricket on the first day (of a three-day game) between University and Glebe at Wentworth Park on 7 October 1893.
Historically, it’s reasonably important to know just who this was.
His partner who walked out with him to the polite applause of the 2000 spectators after University had dismissed Glebe for 128 was ‘H Moses’. Harry Moses? The Test cricketer who played six Tests 1886-1892 and who played briefly for University? No, this was Henry C Moses, Harry’s nephew who has also been difficult to track down. After this, he played one more match for University (3 innings, 36 runs); he dosen’t appear to have been an undergraduate; he disappeared from the Club. ‘Burfitt’ or ‘Burkitt’ is caught from the bowling of Andy Newell for 10, doesn’t bat in the 2nd innings and plays no more.
So, Burfitt or Burkitt?
More research reveals…
EH Burkitt was also a Medical student at Sydney University about this time although Burkitt was eight years older than Burfitt.
In 1892, EH Burkitt had been awarded one of the first twelve University Blues for Rugby. A little more research uncovers these facts:
Edmond Henry Burkitt was born on 14 November 1867 in the village of Charlton in Wiltshire, England, son of Reverend WE Burkitt, and he was educated at Saugreen preparatory school at Bournemouth and then at Hurstpierpoint, the Anglo-Catholic College in West Sussex. He and his three brothers emigrated to Australia in 1886. From 1887 until 1890, he was employed to teach at The Kings School Parramatta.
Why Kings?
Well, WR Burkitt was Senior Master at Kings from 1868 until 1886. He was a player with the Wallaroo Rugby Club in Sydney and he introduced Rugby Football to Kings in 1870. He is well remembered at Kings. One of their Houses is named Burkitt and the Burkitt Shield has been awarded as a senior prize since 1910.
Were WR Burkitt and EH Burkitt related?
Edmond Burkitt entered St Paul’s College at Sydney University and enrolled in Medicine in 1891.
‘Burkitt’ played 2nd Grade cricket for University (5 innings for 29 runs) and then, in December 1892, he scored 11 in University’s mammoth score against the old Warwick Club. Then in October 1893, is it Burkitt, not Burfitt, who opens the batting in that historically significant game?
EH Burkitt was Senior Student at St Paul’s in 1894; graduated MB ChM in 1896; married Amy Theodora Hungerford in 1898; practised medicine for a few years at Coonamble before spending the rest of his life at Dubbo where he and his wife raised three daughters and a son. They name the family home ‘Westbury’, the name of the town near Charlton where Edmond was born and where the famous chalk figure of a horse is cut into the hillside.
At the age of 48, Dr Burkitt enlisted in the 1st AIF in 1916 and sailed to France with the 4th Australian Field Ambulance and was eventually promoted to the rank of Major. During the horrific slaughter in France, his care for the wounded was much appreciated by the soldiers.
When he returned home in late 1917, he resumed medical practice, was President of the Dubbo Branch of the RSL, an Alderman on the Dubbo Council and an enthusiast for a number of sports, including cricket. When he died of inoperable cancer in 1925, grief was widespread.
One of his obituarists mentioned that Dr Burkitt had played his last games of cricket the previous season when he would have been 56.
At the Sydney University Cricket Club, there was no obituary. He was forgotten, not even known by his correct name.
Until now…Edmond Henry Burkitt faced the first ball on the first day of the first match in Electorate Cricket that Sydney University ever played.
And this was his only game in 1st Grade.
James Rodgers