Tommie Burton
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Burton was a coloured West Indian cricketer best known as a member of the 1900
and 1906
West Indian tourists to England. He is generally known as Tommie Burton.
He was the son of a black mother and a white father. He was brought up in Barbados and served for some years there as a practice bowler and in trial matches. Realising that his colour and roots would severely limit his opportunities in Barbados he emigrated to British Guiana in 1899 where there were more chances for coloured cricketers. Even in British Guiana his role as a practice bolwer resulted in him being classed as a Professional and hence excluded from the Inter-Colonial Tournament
.
He sufficiently impressed in British Guiana to be selected for the 1900 tour
to England even though he had not played a single important match. He was described before the tour as "Probably the best bowler in the West Indies, using his head to great advantage. Hard hitting, run-getting bat". On the tour he was second in the bowling averages marginally behind Float Woods
and leading wicket taker with 78. He had one good innings of 64* against the Gentlemen of the M.C.C. but otherwise his batting was disappointing. Compared to Woods he was "generally thought in England to be the better bowler of the two. His length was always excellent, and he possessed more finesse and head work than the trinidad bowler. He sent down a good yorker, and it was with this ball that he twice had the honour of bowling W.G. Though Woods headed him by the merest fraction in the bowling analyses, it was pretty generally admitted that Burton on the whole accomplished the best work".
As noted above his batting was of limited use, scoring 291 runs at an average of 11.64. His innings of 64* against the Gentlemen of the M.C.C. included a 9th wicket stand of 162 in 65 minutes with Lebrun Constantine
. He took 5 wickets in an innings 8 times during the tour. The highlight was in the last match against Norfolk when he was unplayable and took 8-9 in 10.4 overs including a spell of 5-0 in 5 overs. With Woods, who took 2-22 in 10 overs, they bowled unchanged and dismissed the county for just 32. In the match against Gloucestershire when Gilbert Jessop
scored 157 in an hour, Burton was injured and didn't bowl during Jessop's innings.
Returning from the tour he was selected for the combined West Indies team in all three of their matches against RA Bennett's team
in 1901-02 as well as playing in the two British Guiana matches against the tourists. He took 10 wickets in 3 of these 5 matches. His next important matches were against Lord Brackley's team
in 1904-05 when he took 15 wickets in the two British Guiana matches and 5 wickets for the combined West Indies team.
He was selected for the 1906 tour
to England but played in only 2 first class matches. Before the tour started he was described as "the best professional bowler in the West Indies; can also bat a little" and "a professional who is a fine right hand medium pace bowler with plenty of break and a deceptive flight". He left the tour early. No reason for this is given in contemporary publications but it is reported that his tour "ended in acrimony when he was sent home after refusing to carry out menial duties for white members of the side." The coloured members of the team were expected to perform menial tasks like oiling bats and cleaning boots for the white members of the team. Burton refused to perform these tasks and refusing to apologise he was sent home. The issue seems to have been hushed up since in 1913 the editor of 'Cricket' remarks that "for some reason unknown to me, was dropped after the first few matches".
This ended his cricket career which had consisted of just 10 first class matches in which he took 57 wickets at an average of 15. He was not as fast a bowler as Float Woods
or Archie Cumberbatch
but was certainly more accurate and used a clever variation of pace. To get employment he had to emigrate to Panama where he worked as a sanitary inspector for 40 years. He deliberately returned to Barbados for his final days.
West Indian cricket team in England in 1900
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1900 season. The team played 17 matches between 11 June and 11 August 1900.There had been three tours by teams of English Amateurs to the West Indies in the mid 1890s and the idea of sending a combined West Indies team to England had gradually...
and 1906
West Indian cricket team in England in 1906
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1906 season. The team played 19 matches between 11 June and 18 August 1906 of which 13 were regarded as first-class....
West Indian tourists to England. He is generally known as Tommie Burton.
He was the son of a black mother and a white father. He was brought up in Barbados and served for some years there as a practice bowler and in trial matches. Realising that his colour and roots would severely limit his opportunities in Barbados he emigrated to British Guiana in 1899 where there were more chances for coloured cricketers. Even in British Guiana his role as a practice bolwer resulted in him being classed as a Professional and hence excluded from the Inter-Colonial Tournament
Inter-Colonial Tournament
The Inter-Colonial Tournament was the main first class cricket competition in the West Indies before World War II.- Competing teams :* Barbados* British Guiana* Trinidad...
.
He sufficiently impressed in British Guiana to be selected for the 1900 tour
West Indian cricket team in England in 1900
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1900 season. The team played 17 matches between 11 June and 11 August 1900.There had been three tours by teams of English Amateurs to the West Indies in the mid 1890s and the idea of sending a combined West Indies team to England had gradually...
to England even though he had not played a single important match. He was described before the tour as "Probably the best bowler in the West Indies, using his head to great advantage. Hard hitting, run-getting bat". On the tour he was second in the bowling averages marginally behind Float Woods
Float Woods
Joseph 'Float' Woods was a coloured West Indian cricketer best known as a member of the 1900 West Indian tourists to England...
and leading wicket taker with 78. He had one good innings of 64* against the Gentlemen of the M.C.C. but otherwise his batting was disappointing. Compared to Woods he was "generally thought in England to be the better bowler of the two. His length was always excellent, and he possessed more finesse and head work than the trinidad bowler. He sent down a good yorker, and it was with this ball that he twice had the honour of bowling W.G. Though Woods headed him by the merest fraction in the bowling analyses, it was pretty generally admitted that Burton on the whole accomplished the best work".
As noted above his batting was of limited use, scoring 291 runs at an average of 11.64. His innings of 64* against the Gentlemen of the M.C.C. included a 9th wicket stand of 162 in 65 minutes with Lebrun Constantine
Lebrun Constantine
Lebrun Samuel Constantine was a coloured West Indian cricketer who toured England in 1900 and 1906 and was a regular member of the Trinidad team from 1893-94 to 1922-23. He was primarily a batsman. He often kept wicket but was also a useful occasional bowler...
. He took 5 wickets in an innings 8 times during the tour. The highlight was in the last match against Norfolk when he was unplayable and took 8-9 in 10.4 overs including a spell of 5-0 in 5 overs. With Woods, who took 2-22 in 10 overs, they bowled unchanged and dismissed the county for just 32. In the match against Gloucestershire when Gilbert Jessop
Gilbert Jessop
Gilbert Laird Jessop was an English cricket player, often reckoned to have been the fastest run-scorer cricket has ever known, he was Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1898.Relations...
scored 157 in an hour, Burton was injured and didn't bowl during Jessop's innings.
Returning from the tour he was selected for the combined West Indies team in all three of their matches against RA Bennett's team
RA Bennett's XI cricket team in West Indies in 1901-02
After a gap of 5 years the fourth team of English cricketers toured the West Indies in the 1901-02 season. The team was captained by Mr. R.A. Bennett and, like the earlier tourists, consisted solely of Amateurs. They played a total of 19 matches, of which 13 are regarded as first class, between...
in 1901-02 as well as playing in the two British Guiana matches against the tourists. He took 10 wickets in 3 of these 5 matches. His next important matches were against Lord Brackley's team
Lord Brackley's XI cricket team in West Indies in 1904-05
Lord Brackley's XI was the fifth team of English cricketers to tour the West Indies, playing in the 1904-05 season. The team was captained by John Egerton, 4th Earl of Ellesmere and played a total of 20 matches between January and April 1905, of which ten are regarded as first class...
in 1904-05 when he took 15 wickets in the two British Guiana matches and 5 wickets for the combined West Indies team.
He was selected for the 1906 tour
West Indian cricket team in England in 1906
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1906 season. The team played 19 matches between 11 June and 18 August 1906 of which 13 were regarded as first-class....
to England but played in only 2 first class matches. Before the tour started he was described as "the best professional bowler in the West Indies; can also bat a little" and "a professional who is a fine right hand medium pace bowler with plenty of break and a deceptive flight". He left the tour early. No reason for this is given in contemporary publications but it is reported that his tour "ended in acrimony when he was sent home after refusing to carry out menial duties for white members of the side." The coloured members of the team were expected to perform menial tasks like oiling bats and cleaning boots for the white members of the team. Burton refused to perform these tasks and refusing to apologise he was sent home. The issue seems to have been hushed up since in 1913 the editor of 'Cricket' remarks that "for some reason unknown to me, was dropped after the first few matches".
This ended his cricket career which had consisted of just 10 first class matches in which he took 57 wickets at an average of 15. He was not as fast a bowler as Float Woods
Float Woods
Joseph 'Float' Woods was a coloured West Indian cricketer best known as a member of the 1900 West Indian tourists to England...
or Archie Cumberbatch
Archie Cumberbatch
Archibald Belford Cumberbatch was a West Indian cricketer who toured England in 1906. He was a right arm fast bowler....
but was certainly more accurate and used a clever variation of pace. To get employment he had to emigrate to Panama where he worked as a sanitary inspector for 40 years. He deliberately returned to Barbados for his final days.