Thomas Brindley taught for many years at Cheltenham College and, as a keen young master in 1864, he guested for the South Wales Cricket Club in their match against his charges. Opening the batting with Charles Bishop, the right-handed batter top-scored with 21.
He was also a member of the MCC and during 1867 he made two appearances in first-class cricket, against Lancashire at Lord’s as well as Surrey at The Oval.
Born in Cheshire in 1841, he was renowned as a free and good hitter of the ball – qualities which duly saw the schoolmaster play for a number of gentlemen’s elevens, including the Gentlemen of Warwickshire in 1858, the Gentlemen of Dorset in 1869, the Gentlemen of Lancashire between 1870 and the Gentlemen of Staffordshire from 1874 until 1877. His appearances for the latter two counties resulted from his acceptance of teaching positions in Cheshire and Birmingham. However, he had to give up playing cricket after a hunting accident.
AS a nineteen year-old, Thomas had accepted a commission with the 13th Staffordshire Rifle Volunteers so he also assisted with the Combined Cadet Force at Cheltenham College and the other schools at which he worked. In 1869 he transferred to the Seventh Royal Lancashire Militia and, after having to retire from playing cricket, he rose to the rank of Colonel in the Third and Fourth Militia Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers.
Thomas was captain of Cheltenham CC for many years and scored a double-hundred for the club in 1862. He subsequently returned to live in the town after retiring from teaching in 1895.
BRINDLEY, Thomas.
Born – Chester, 3 June 1841.
Died – West Cliff, Bournemouth, 1 March 1911.