William Henry Milton

Sir William Henry Milton (3 December 1854 – 6 March 1930) was the third Administrator of Mashonaland, played rugby for England and was South Africa's second Test cricket captain.

Sir William Milton
4th Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
In office
20 December 1901  1 November 1914
MonarchEdward VII
George V
Preceded byAlbert Grey
Succeeded byFrancis Chaplin
3rd Administrator of Mashonaland
In office
5 December 1898  20 December 1901
DeputyArthur Lawley
Personal details
Born3 December 1854
Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England
Died6 March 1930
Cannes, France
William Henry Milton
Personal information
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm (unknown style)
RelationsJumbo Milton (son)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 5)12 March 1889 v England
Last Test19 March 1892 v England
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1889/901890/91Western Province
Career statistics
Competition Test FC
Matches 3 6
Runs scored 68 152
Batting average 11.33 13.81
100s/50s / /
Top score 21 47
Balls bowled 79 114
Wickets 2 4
Bowling average 24.00 15.75
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling 1/5 1/5
Catches/stumpings 2/ 5/
Source: CricketArchive, 22 January 2011

Born in Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, and educated at Marlborough College, Milton played rugby for England in 1874 and 1875. He emigrated to South Africa, arriving in Cape Town in 1878. By the late 1870s, rugby football was very much battling to survive against Winchester College football. Milton joined Villagers club and preached the cause of rugby, and by the end of that year the football fraternity of Cape Town had all but abandoned the Winchester game in favour of rugby.

He made his Test cricket debut in South Africa's first Test of all, at Port Elizabeth in 1888-89. He was made captain for the Second Test at Cape Town, replacing Owen Dunell, and made his third and final appearance (again at Cape Town) in 1891-92. He played three other first-class games: two for Western Province and one for Cape Town Clubs.

Milton then moved to Mashonaland and under the influence of his friend Cecil John Rhodes was Mashonaland's third Administrator from 24 July 1897 to 24 January 1901. In 1901 it was decided to combine the administration of Mashonaland and Matabeleland that had been separated three years before, and Milton then became the Administrator of the whole of Southern Rhodesia. He retired in 1914 at the age of 60. In 1922, the biggest school in Bulawayo at the time was renamed Milton High School in his honour.

He had three sons, Cecil and John, both of whom would play rugby for England, and Noel, who played for Oxford University. He died in Cannes, France, at the age of 75.

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Owen Dunell
South African national cricket captain
1888/9-1891/2
Succeeded by
Ernest Halliwell
Political offices
Preceded by
Albert Grey
Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
1901-1914
Succeeded by
Francis Chaplin
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