William Goudge
William Henry Goudge was an English first-class cricketer and Royal Navy Chaplain, serving between 1902-31. He also played first-class cricket for the Royal Navy Cricket Club.Life and naval career
Goudge was born in September 1877 at Highworth, Wiltshire. He educated at Bath College, before accepting a mathematics scholarship to Pembroke College, Oxford. Although awarded his scholarship on the back of his academic achievements in mathematics, he instead studied theology at Pembroke, graduating with a B.A.. He made his debut in minor counties cricket for Wiltshire in the 1896 Minor Counties Championship, with Goudge making 22 appearances for Wiltshire between 1896-99. After grauating from Pembroke, he was appointed as a chaplain in the Royal Navy in September 1902, while in February the following year he was appointed as an instructor.
Following the First World War he played first-class cricket as an opening batsman for the Royal Navy, making his debut against Cambridge University at Fenner's in 1919. He made four further first-class appearances between 1919-23, all against the British Army cricket team at Lord's. He scored 191 runs in his five first-class matches at an average of 19.10, with a high score of 58. He stood as an umpire in the first-class fixture between the Royal Navy and the touring New Zealanders in 1927. He retired from active service at his own request in December 1931, while the following month he was made an OBE in the 1932 New Year Honours. He died at Cheltenham in May 1967.
