John Shuter

Who was John Shuter?

John Shuter was a cricketer who played for England and Surrey in the late 19th century. He is best remembered for captaining Surrey to a string of wins in the County Championship around the time it became official in 1890, aided by the bowler George Lohmann and back up by John Sharpe and William Lockwood. Shuter first led Surrey to the County Championship in 1887. They then came first in 1888, tied with Lancashire and Nottinghamshire in 1889, and won again in 1890, 1891 and 1892. Shuter was a batsman and chiefly an off-side player.

Shuter was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey, England, the son of Leonard Shuter, a stave timber merchant, and Caroline. John went to Winchester College, playing in its cricket eleven from 1871 to 1873. Though a Surrey man by birth, Shuter had played much club cricket in Bexley and was thus qualified by residence for Kent. After a single match in 1874, Shuter was rejected by Kent. He first played for his native county in 1877 and the following year jumped abruptly to the front rank of batsmen. He scored a century against Sussex at Hove the following year and in 1880 became captain of Surrey.