Francis Fenner

Francis Phillips Fenner (1 March 1811 – 22 May 1896) was an English cricketer for Hampshire and other teams. A right-arm fast bowler, Fenner took 176 wickets from his 54 appearances from 1829 until 1856.

He established Fenner's cricket ground in Cambridge in 1848 on land which he had leased. The ground is still used by Cambridge University for their home fixtures.

Early life Fenner was born in Cambridge and baptised on 21 April 1811 at St. Andrew the Great's, son of Elizabeth (née Welch) and Joseph Fenner. He married Mary Williams Smith on 19 May 1836 at the church of the Holy Trinity, Cambridge. In adulthood he stood five feet ten inches tall and weighed 12 stone.

Career Fenner played from 1832 for his local town cricket club in Cambridge, and his county, in 1839 for Cambridge University, and made his debut for Hampshire in 1843. Fenner's career had not begun well with the bat, his average never reaching double figures through the first seasons of his pre-Hampshire career from 1829 until 1833.

It was with the ball that Fenner enjoyed more success.

Later life In 1851 Fenner was working as a tobacconist, living in Regent Street, Cambridge, with Mary and son Frank and daughters Emma, Frances, Ellen and Eliza. In the 1861 census he was aged 50 living with his wife Mary, son Frank and daughters, Emma, Frances, Ellen, Harriett and Jannette, in Emmanuel Street, Cambridge, his occupation given as "cigar merchant".

By 1871 aged 60 he had moved to Bath, Somerset, with his wife Mary, daughters Emma, Fanny, Ellen and Jeanette and his sister Elisa, and was described as a hotel proprietor. He was still a hotel proprietor in Bath St Peter and Paul in the 1881 census, living with Mary and daughters Emma and Frances, and his sister Eliza. In 1891 he was described as a hotel keeper living with Mary his wife and Frances his daughter.

He died in Bath, aged 85.