Charles Blower was a member of a well-to-do family of farmers in the Monmouth area and was the eldest son of Walter Blower, the owner of Little Treawen Farm. Charles played his first match of note in 1866 when he appeared in a Monmouth and District team against West Gloucestershire at the Beaufort Arms Field in Monkswood with the thirty-one year old farmer making 9 and & and being stumped by WG Grace off the bowling of his brother EM in the second innings.
During the early 1870s Charles was also a member of the Monmouthshire team, together with his brother Richard, which played a series of county matches at Usk, with the hard-hitting batter scoring 22 in 1870 before the following year making 18 and 14* against Glamorganshire, as well as 27 and 7 in the game with Breconshire.
Charles made his debut for the South Wales CC on their London tour in 1874 with the thirty-nine year old coming close to posting a century for the gentlemen’s club as he struck 97 against Prince’s at their ground in Chelsea. Charles was also on the tour in 1876 but it was a difficult year for him as the owner of Talavan Farm was declared bankrupt.
A player of the same name featured for the Kensington Park club in London between 1877 and 1879, as well as appearing for Crystal Palace against the Australians in July 1880. It is not known if this was Charles, nor indeed if he was the same player who played for the South Wales on their London tour in 1878 and 1879 and, in the latter year, made 0 and 69 against the MCC at Lord’s.
What is known for certain is that Charles was living with his wife in 1881 at Prioress Mill in Llanbadoc, a small village to the south of Usk, where he was listed in the Census as a miller. He subsequently moved to Caerleon where he worked as a cattle dealer.
BLOWER, Walter Charles
Born – Wonastow, Monmouth, July 1835.
Died – Caerleon, December 1903.