Walter Pattisson

Walter Badeley Pattisson (27 August 1854 – 6 November 1913) was an English amateur cricketer who played in 13 first-class cricket matches between 1876 and 1887, primarily for Kent County Cricket Club. Pattisson sometimes played under the name W Batt.

Pattisson was born at Witham in Essex in 1854, one of the 16 children of solicitor Jacob Howell Pattisson and his wife Charlotte.[1][2] He was educated at Tonbridge School from the age of nine and played cricket for the school team as a wicket-keeper for three years between 1869 and 1871, captaining the side in his final year at school.[1][3] He made his first-class cricket debut for Kent in July 1876 in a match against Sussex County Cricket Club at Hove. He played occasionally for the county club when his work as a solicitor allowed, making a total of 12 appearances for the county First XI and one for the amateur Gentlemen of Kent side.[4][5][6]

As well as playing cricket, Pattisson played rugby union and athletics. He played for Gipsies Football Club, a rugby club formed by ex-Tonbridge men,[7][8] appeared in rugby international trial matches between 1874 and 1876 and represented England in the hammer throw against Ireland in 1877.[3][9] He played club cricket for Tonbridge Cricket Club and Bickley Park and was secretary of both clubs as well as being a member of the Committee at Kent after he retired from playing and of the Rugby Football Union from 1878 to 1880.[1][3]

Professional Pattisson became a senior partner in the legal firm Hores, Pattisson, and Bathurst and was a director of Legal & General Life Assurance.[3][10] He died at Beckenham in Kent in November 1913 aged 59.[11] He was the President of the Old Tonbridgians Society at the time of his death and a pavilion was built on the school playing fields in his memory.[12]