William Henry Milton

Who was William Henry Milton?

Sir William Henry Milton was the 3rd Administrator of Mashonaland, played rugby for England and was South Africa's second cricket captain.

Born in Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England. Milton played rugby for England in 1874 and 1875.

Milton 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, by the end of that year the football playing fraternity of Cape Town had all but abandoned the Winchester game in favour of rugby. He had two sons, Cecil and John, both of whom would play rugby for England.

He made his Test cricket debut in their first game 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 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 3rd Administrator from 24 July 1897 to 24 January 1901.