William Hawksworth Explained

William Hawksworth
Country:New Zealand
Birth Date:3 March 1911
Birth Place:Nelson, New Zealand
Death Place:Oxford, England
Role:Wicket-keeper
Club1:Otago
Columns:1
Column1:First-class
Matches1:12
Runs1:162
Bat Avg1:14.72
100S/50S1:0/0
Top Score1:27
Hidedeliveries:true
Catches/Stumpings1:20/7
Date:18 August
Year:2020
Source:http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/37353.html ESPNcricinfo

William Hawksworth (3 March 1911  - 14 July 1966) was a New Zealand cricketer and doctor.

Life and career

Hawksworth was born at Nelson in 1911 and educated at Wairarapa High School and then at Nelson College from 1925 to 1928.[1] [2] He went on to study medicine at the University of Otago, graduating MB ChB in 1935.[3] He won the university medal for obstetrics.[4]

He played twelve first-class matches as a wicket-keeper for Otago between the 1929–30 and 1933–34 seasons. He represented the province whilst studying in Dunedin, and played no first-class cricket after graduating as a doctor in 1935.[5] He scored a total of 162 first-class runs, with a highest score of 27 not out. He scored 21 runs in an innings which formed part of a tenth wicket partnership of 184 runs with Roger Blunt. The partnership, which was made against Canterbury at Lancaster Park in December 1931, set a record for the tenth wicket in New Zealand domestic cricket which, as of January 2024, still stands.[2] [6] [7]

Hawksworth worked as house surgeon at New Plymouth Hospital before moving to London in the late 1930s to continue his studies. He married Roberta Jolliffe of Wellington in London in July 1940.[8]

Hawksworth served in the Medical Corps of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War II. He served in North Africa, Greece, Crete and Italy, commanding a field ambulance.[9] He was awarded the OBE for his services.[10]

After the war Hawksworth returned to England. He became a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist to the United Oxford Hospitals. In 1959 he received the degree of MA Oxon as a Fellow of University College. He served on the Council of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for six years.[9] Among his patients in Oxford was the American actress Patricia Neal, who gave birth in 1965 after being partially paralysed by a series of strokes.[11]

Hawksworth died in Oxford after a short illness in July 1966, aged 55. He was survived by his widow, a son and two daughters.[9] [11]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Full school list of Nelson College, 1856–2005 . Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006 . 2006 . 6th . CD-ROM.
  2. McCarron A (2010) New Zealand Cricketers 1863/64–2010, p. 65. Cardiff: The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. (Available online at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 5 June 2023.)
  3. Web site: NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Ha–He . Shadows of Time . 12 May 2018.
  4. University of Otago . Otago Daily Times . 22 May 1935 . 4 .
  5. Web site: William Hawksworth . 14 May 2016 . ESPN Cricinfo.
  6. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/22/22078/22078.html William Hawksworth
  7. https://stats.acscricket.com/Records/First_Class/Overall/Batting/Highest_Partnerships_for_Tenth_Wicket.html First-Class Highest Partnerships for Tenth Wicket
  8. [Untitled] ]. Evening Post . 18 September 1940 . 14 .
  9. Web site: Hawksworth, William (1911 - 1966) . Royal College of Surgeons . 18 August 2020.
  10. Web site: William Hawksworth . Auckland Museum . 18 August 2020.
  11. Doctor Dies . Press . 16 July 1966 . 14 .