Edward Curteis, a right-handed batter who had played once for Kent, was a Lieutenant in the South Wales Borderers and stationed at the Battalion’s Depot in Brecon when receiving an invitation to play in July 1878 for the South Wales Cricket Club against the Australians at Swansea. He top-scored with 12 in their first innings, before making 2 second time around but, six months later. he was involved with the Borderers at the Battle of Rorke’s Drift as well as the bloody Battle of Isandlwana during the Anglo-Zulu War. Edward survived and duly returned to the Battalion’s Depot in Wales and during June top-scored again with innings of 22 and 44* for Breconshire against Christ College, Brecon.
Born at Sturford House in Warminster, his father was a JP in Tunbridge Wells when Edward and his elder brother William were at Tonbridge where both were in the 1st XI with Edward captaining the side in 1869. He then attended RMC Sandhurst where he continued his cricket career before being
commissioned in September 1871 as an Ensign in the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of the South Wales Borderers.
Within a month he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and was serving in Malta before spending time in Gibraltar during 1874 prior to being stationed in Griqualand West during 1875. Edward returned to the UK in 1877 and was posted to Brecon.
His excellent form in services cricket won him selection in the Kent team for their match against Hampshire at Canterbury in 1877 scoring 1 and 8. Edward’s continued excellence with the bat for the Army brought him selection for the South Wales Cricket Club’s match with the 1878 Australians as well as their London tour the following month where he played against Surrey Club and Ground, and top-scored with 33* and 72 in each innings, besides appearing against the MCC, Prince’s Club and the Gentlemen of Sussex.
Edward did not feature again for the Welsh club as he moved to Essex having been promoted to the rank of Captain following a posted at Colchester Garrison. He retired from the Army in 1884 – the year he also married Mary Louisa White at St George’s Hanover Square. However, Edward continued to play cricket to a decent standard and in 1887 he played in his second and final first-class match as he was chosen by the MCC in their side which played Oxford University at The Parks – a game in which Edward opened the batting and made 8 against the Dark Blues who were led by Jack Brain, the future captain of Glamorgan. He also played in a number of other matches for the MCC, which were not first-class, until 1889.
His elder brother William was an Athletics Blue at Jesus College Cambridge and also played for Sussex during 1870, besides playing in club cricket for Tunbridge Wells and the Mote Park club in Maidstone.
CURTEIS, Edward Witherden
Born – Sturford House, Warminster, 17 April 1853.
Died – Mottram Hall, Macclesfield, 25 February 1902.