Edward Hussey (cricketer) facts for kids
Edward Hussey (born 1749, died 1816) was an English landowner and a keen sportsman. He was known for playing cricket in the late 1700s. Edward owned Scotney Castle and was also a magistrate. He was a member of a special archery group called the Society of Royal Kentish Bowmen.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 3 November 1749 Burwash, Sussex |
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| Died | 4 July 1816 (aged 66) Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent |
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| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1773–1796 | Kent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1790–1793 | MCC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FC debut | 21 June 1773 Kent v Surrey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last FC | 6 June 1797 England XI v Surrey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricInfo, 18 January 2023
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Edward Hussey's Early Life
Edward Hussey was born in 1749 in Burwash, a village in Sussex. He was the oldest son of Thomas Hussey and his wife Ann.
His family, the Husseys, originally came from Worcestershire. They became very wealthy from the iron industry. In Sussex, they worked with local iron makers in the Weald area.
The family owned land in Burwash and also in Ashford in Kent. Edward's mother, Ann, was the daughter of a surgeon named Maurice Berkley. Edward had two younger brothers who became clergymen, and five sisters.
Edward Hussey as a Sportsman
Edward Hussey went to Westminster School. Even in 1867, a writer named William Lucas Collins said that Edward had the "widest reputation" as a cricketer there.
After leaving school in 1765, Edward studied law. He started playing cricket in 1773 and continued until 1797. He played for different teams, including those from Kent and the famous Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
Before the MCC was officially formed in 1787, Edward was a member of the White Conduit Club. He played in 18 matches that are now considered to be first-class cricket games.
Besides cricket, Edward was also known as a very good rider and archer. In 1862, Arthur Haygarth described him as "a Kentish bowman, a bold and excellent rider, as well as a good cricketer." He joined The Society of Royal Kentish Bowmen in 1789. In 1794, he won a silver horn from the Society. This horn was given to the group by the Prince of Wales himself.
Edward Hussey's Personal Life and Scotney Castle
In June 1776, Edward Hussey married Elizabeth Bridge from Bocking in Essex. They had five children together. Elizabeth passed away in 1793.
Edward inherited land in Goudhurst in Kent and Ticehurst in Sussex.
In 1778, Edward bought Scotney Castle. This historic castle is near Lamberhurst, right on the border between Kent and Sussex. It was also next to his other properties.
Scotney Castle dates back to the 14th century. Edward lived there until he died. He worked to restore the parkland around the castle by buying back land that had been sold off earlier.
Later, in the mid-1800s, Edward's grandson, Edward Hussey III, made many changes to the property. He even built a new house on the estate. The castle stayed in the Hussey family until 1970. Then, it was given to the National Trust, and it is now a popular place for visitors to explore.
Edward Hussey was a Justice of the Peace (a type of local judge) in both Kent and Sussex. This was because the Scotney estate was located across the border of both counties. Edward Hussey died in 1816 at the age of 66.
