Charles Napier (cricketer)

Charles Walter Albyn Napier (28 October 1817 – 23 December 1908) was an English first-class cricketer and clergyman.

The son of Gerard Martin Berkely Napier and his wife, Mary Paul Napier, he was born at East Pennard, Somerset.[1] He was educated at Harrow School,[2] before going up to Christ Church, Oxford.[3] While studying at Oxford, he made his debut in first-class cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) against Oxford University at Oxford in 1838, following this up by featuring in the return fixture at Lord's.[4] In the same year he made his debut for Oxford University against Cambridge University, before featuring in three further matches for Oxford in 1839 and obtaining his blue.[5] He also featured for a combined Oxford and Cambridge Universities cricket team against the MCC in 1839.[4] His final first-class appearance came in 1841 for the Fast Bowlers in the Fast v Slow match of 1841 at Lord's.[4]

After graduating from Oxford, he became an Anglican clergyman. He was the vicar of St Peter's Church at Evercreech in 1843, before becoming the rector at Wiston, Sussex.[3] He was later the prebendary of Chichester Cathedral.[1] He died at Chichester in December 1908.[5] His wife, Marianne Flora Etruria Talbot, the daughter of James Talbot, 3rd Baron Talbot of Malahide, predeceased him by 30 years. The couple had two sons.[1] His nephew, Milo Talbot, also played first-class cricket.