Sir Henry Meredyth Plowden

Sir Henry Meredyth Chichele Plowden (26 September 1840 — 8 January 1920) was an English first-class cricketer, barrister and judge in British India.

The son of George Augustus Chichele Plowden (1810–1871) and Charlotte Elise née Robertson (1821–1862), he was born in British India at Sylhet in September 1840. He was educated in England at Harrow School, where he played for the school cricket team. He was also a champion rackets player whilst at Harrow. From there, he matriculated to Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a member of the Cambridge University Cricket Club and made his debut in first-class cricket for the club against the Cambridge Town Club at Fenner's in 1860. He played first-class cricket for the university until 1863, making ten appearances; four of these came in The University Match against Oxford University at Lord's, gaining him his blue. Alongside playing for Cambridge, Plowden also played first-class cricket for the Gentlemen of England in 1862, and for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and Southgate in 1863. His slow bowling was noted to be a rare precursor to modern day off break. His law practice took him back to India, where he was the government advocate at Lahore from 1870 to 1877. His appointment as a judge of the Chief Court of the Punjab immediately followed, He was knighted in February 1887. Plowden retired from the court in 1894 and returned to England. Plowden remained interested in cricket upon his return, particularly pertaining to Harrow and Cambridge cricket, and was a regular attendee of matches at Lord's right up to the First World War. He was married twice: firstly, to Helen Beadon, daughter of Sir Cecil Beadon, and secondly to Agnes née Sterndale. His second marriage produced two daughters.