Valentine Titchmarsh

Valentine Titchmarsh had a limited first-class career as an allrounder who was a fast round-arm bowler but his greatest success on the field came for Hertfordshire, initially as an amateur but latterly as a professional. For a few years he was engaged as a bowler at Oxford, but in 1885 became a member of the ground staff at Lord's where he remained until his premature death from syphilis at the age of 54. For MCC Club & Ground he was a stalwart and in June 1892 on successive days he took all ten wickets in an innings against Sherborne School and scored 101 not out against Rossall. Towards the end of his life he became an umpire and quickly won a reputation as one of the best. In 1906 as his health deteriorated the Middlesex v Somerset match at Lord's was set aside as a benefit for him.