Cecil Boswell
- January 19, 1910
- August 15, 1985
- 75 years
Remembering Cecil Boswell: related finds and keepsakes
About Cecil Boswell
Cecil Boswell, 75, English cricketer.
Explore other notable deaths in 1985 or deaths in August 1985.
The Deaths Archive presents
How well do you know Cecil Boswell?
Explore their life. Test your knowledge. Beat the challenge.
10 questions · One legacy · How much do you really know?
Challenge your friends
Play together in real-time.
Advertisement
Full Biography
|Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell (19 January 1910 – 15 August 1985) was an English cricketer. He played for Essex County Cricket Club between 1932 and 1936 before going on to play as a professional for Norfolk County Cricket Club until 1955.
Biography
Boswell was born at Edmonton in Middlesex in 1910. He played as a leg spin and googly bowler for Essex, making 30 first-class appearances between 1932 and 1936. He "showed some promise" but ultimately "failed to fulfil expectations" and took only 36 wickets for the county. He left Essex at the end of the 1937 season and by 1939 had qualified to play for Norfolk, making his Minor Counties Championship debut, taking 38 wickets and playing against the touring West Indians at Lakenham.
Boswell served during World War II in the British Army, playing some cricket during the war for Army teams, and returned to Norfolk to play in the 1946 Minor Counties Championship, taking five wickets in the first match of the season against Hertfordshire. The following season he took nine wickets against the same team and finished the season with 52 wickets in Norfolk's ten matches. He quickly established himself as Norfolk's key bowler in an otherwise weak bowling attack as Norfolk were constantly towards the bottom of the Championship table during the following five seasons. He took 15 wickets in a match again Buckinghamshire in 1949 and returned figures of five wickets for eight runs (5/8) against Suffolk in 1952.
As Norfolk's professional, Boswell took responsibility for coaching young players, including John Edrich, who made his Norfolk debut in 1954 as a 17-year old and went on to be named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1966. Boswell played until the end of the 1955 season, making a total of 103 Minor Counties Championship matches for Norfolk. He took 329 wickets at a bowling average of 22.02 runs per wicket and scored 1,921 runs. He was replaced as professional by Ted Witherden, although he continued to act as a coach and administrator and worked from 1954 to 1975 at Norwich School as cricket coach and groundsman.
Boswell died in a nursing home at Brundall near Norwich in 1985. He was aged 75. His son, Barry, played 12 matches for Norfolk in the Minor Counties Championship between 1967 and 1974.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Interactive
Test Your Knowledge – Trivia Challenge
How well do you know this person's life and legacy?
No account needed to play. Sign in to keep your score on the leaderboard.
Books & Media
Find books, audiobooks and films about Cecil Boswell on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Boswell
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 22, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Cecil Boswell's archived record and the sources above.
1.What was the birth date of Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell?
- A.15 August 1910
- B.19 January 1910correct
- C.19 January 1912
- D.15 August 1912
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell was born on 19 January 1910.
Source: Introduction
2.In which city was Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell born?
- A.Edmontoncorrect
- B.Brundall
- C.Norwich
- D.Hertfordshire
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell was born at Edmonton in Middlesex in 1910.
Source: Biography section
3.For which club did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell play between 1932 and 1936?
- A.Buckinghamshire County Cricket Club
- B.Hertfordshire County Cricket Club
- C.Norfolk County Cricket Club
- D.Essex County Cricket Clubcorrect
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell played for Essex County Cricket Club between 1932 and 1936.
Source: Introduction
4.What type of bowler was Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell during his time with Essex?
- A.Left-arm orthodox
- B.Leg spin and googlycorrect
- C.Right-arm off spin
- D.Fast-medium pace
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell played as a leg spin and googly bowler for Essex.
Source: Biography section
5.How many first-class appearances did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell make for Essex?
- A.30correct
- B.103
- C.36
- D.52
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell made 30 first-class appearances for Essex between 1932 and 1936.
Source: Biography section
6.Against which team did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell play during his Norfolk debut?
- A.Suffolk
- B.Buckinghamshire
- C.Hertfordshire
- D.The West Indianscorrect
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell played against the touring West Indians at Lakenham during his Minor Counties Championship debut for Norfolk.
Source: Biography section
7.During which conflict did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell serve in the British Army?
- A.World War IIcorrect
- B.The Boer War
- C.World War I
- D.The Cold War
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell served in the British Army during World War II.
Source: Biography section
8.How many wickets did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell take against Buckinghamshire in 1949?
- A.36
- B.5
- C.15correct
- D.9
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell took 15 wickets in a match against Buckinghamshire in 1949.
Source: Biography section
9.What were the match figures Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell recorded against Suffolk in 1952?
- A.15/329
- B.9/52
- C.5/8correct
- D.5/36
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell returned figures of five wickets for eight runs against Suffolk in 1952.
Source: Biography section
10.Which future cricketer did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell coach at Norfolk?
- A.Barry Boswell
- B.Ted Witherden
- C.John Edrichcorrect
- D.Hertfordshire Captain
As Norfolk's professional, Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell coached young players including John Edrich.
Source: Biography section
11.How many total Minor Counties Championship matches did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell play for Norfolk?
- A.52
- B.329
- C.103correct
- D.30
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell made a total of 103 Minor Counties Championship matches for Norfolk.
Source: Biography section
12.Who replaced Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell as the professional for Norfolk?
- A.Ted Witherdencorrect
- B.Barry Boswell
- C.The Norfolk Captain
- D.John Edrich
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell was replaced as professional by Ted Witherden.
Source: Biography section
13.At which school did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell work as a coach and groundsman from 1954 to 1975?
- A.Essex County School
- B.Edmonton Academy
- C.Lakenham School
- D.Norwich Schoolcorrect
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell worked from 1954 to 1975 at Norwich School as cricket coach and groundsman.
Source: Biography section
14.Where did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell die in 1985?
- A.At the Lakenham Cricket Club
- B.At the Norwich County Ground
- C.In a nursing home at Brundallcorrect
- D.In his home in Edmonton
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell died in a nursing home at Brundall near Norwich in 1985.
Source: Biography section
15.At what age did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell pass away?
- A.85
- B.75correct
- C.70
- D.80
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell was aged 75 at the time of his death.
Source: Biography section
16.How many matches did Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell's son, Barry, play for Norfolk?
- A.17
- B.10
- C.12correct
- D.5
Cecil Stanley Reginald Boswell's son, Barry, played 12 matches for Norfolk between 1967 and 1974.
Source: Biography section
People who died on August 15
Spotted an error?
Help us keep the archive accurate. Report a correction with a source.
Report an error for Cecil Boswell →Advertisement
