Charles Thornton

Who was Charles Thornton?

Charles Inglis Thornton, nicknamed "Buns", was an English cricketer who played more than 200 first-class matches in the later 19th century, for no fewer than 22 different teams. He was also the founder of the Scarborough Festival.

Thornton was born in Llanwarne, Herefordshire. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was considered one of the biggest hitters in cricket, with one shot at Hove in 1876 reputed to have exceeded 160 yards. Thornton founded the Orleans Club which was active for ten years from 1878. His own private team — C. I. Thornton's XI — played most of their early games at Fenner's, but after his retirement from playing in 1897 their home became Scarborough, where they continued to play first-class cricket until 1929, the year of Thornton's death. He died aged 79 in Marylebone, London.