Thomas Plumb

Plumb, who was born at Aylesbury, was considered the finest wicket-keeper of his time, with W. G. Grace describing him as ‘about the best wicket-keeper of his time.’^[1] He was considered by others to have been the equal of Ted Pooley and George Pinder.^[1] Plumb was never attached to one of the major county teams of the time, playing for Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire, then second-class counties.^[2][1] He made his debut in first-class cricket for the North in the North v South fixture of 1866. Between 1866 and 1879, he played first-class cricket for no less than eight teams, including for the Players in the 1869 Gentlemen v Players fixture. He also appeared for England teams, including the United England Eleven and the All England Eleven.^[2] Making 26 first-class appearances, Plumb scored 474 runs at an average of 12.81, with a high score of 67. Behind the stumps, he took 27 catches and made 15 stumpings.^[3]

Outside of cricket he was a publican, running the Queen's Head in Billesdon. In his later years he lived under poor circumstances, perhaps owing to the misfortune of not belonging to a major county during his career.^[1] He lived out his final years in a workhouse in Northampton, dying there in March 1905.^[1]

• Thomas Plumb at ESPNcricinfo