Henry Lawrence Blamires (17 April 1871 – 18 August 1965) was a New Zealand first-class cricketer and clergyman.
Personal life and clerical career One of five brothers who became clergymen, Henry Blamires was born in Bendigo, Australia, and educated at Wesley College in Melbourne, which was then a Methodist school for boys. He was ordained in 1900The Cyclopedia of New Zealand 1902, Hamilton and appointed minister to the Wesleyan church in Hamilton, New Zealand. He served as minister in Gore from 1903, and later posts included Wellington, Napier, Wanganui and Nelson.
Blamires served as a chaplain with the New Zealand forces in World War I. He retired from the ministry in 1930 and devoted himself to veterans' welfare.
He married Jane Collier, a teacher of the blind, in Auckland in March 1900. They had three children.Penelope Hansen, "Collier, Jane Annie", from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Until his death in Auckland in August 1965, aged 94, Blamires was the last surviving New Zealand chaplain from World War I.
Cricket career Blamires played three first-class matches for Hawke's Bay between 1911 and 1914. In his first match, aged 40, against Wellington, he made 55 not out in the second innings. His brother Ernest made his first-class debut in the same match, playing for Wellington.Wellington v Hawke's Bay 1911-12 In his next match the next season, also against Wellington, Edgar made 37 in the first innings before being bowled by Clarrie Grimmett.Hawke's Bay v Wellington 1912-13 Two weeks later he captained Hawke's Bay against the touring Australians, but was dismissed cheaply twice by Arthur Mailey. It was Blamires's last first-class match.
Blamires continued to play cricket for many years. He played Hawke Cup matches in the 1920s for Wanganui, Nelson and Wairarapa, for whom in his last match at the age of 57 he top-scored with 56.Manawatu v Wairarapa 1928-29
References
External links
Henry Blamires at CricketArchive