Tom Middleton, the son of a tea merchant in the London Docklands, was brought up in the Vale of Glamorgan where he played for Bridgend CC as well as for the Golden Mile club who staged matches adjacent to the verdant strip of pasture leading to Cowbridge which drovers and cattle dealers used to fatten up their livestock en route for sale or slaughter in the market town.
Despite his legal studies, he played eleven times for Glamorganshire between 1865 and 1872 with his debut coming on 28 and 29 June 1865 against Carmarthenshire at Dolgarreg. Opening the batting he made 35, which proved to be his highest score during the course of his county career. On 14 and 15 June 1869 Tom also played, probably as a late replacement, for Monmouthshire against Glamorgan at Cardiff Arms Park, despite having no residential or business attachment to the county.
Tom also featured in the Gentlemen of South Wales team which met the Players at The Gnoll in Neath during 1867, as well in June 1868 featuring in the East Glamorgan team which met their counterparts from the West at Merthyr Mawr. His final match of note came at Neath in July 1872 as he played against Breconshire. Shortly afterwards, he moved to the Home Counties having been appointed as Clerk to Walton-on-the-Naze District Council – a role he fulfilled for almost thirty years.
MIDDLETON, Thomas Alfred
Born – Lambeth, Surrey 1838.
Died – Wandsworth, August 1906.