William Moule
Encyclopedia
William Henry Moule was a lawyer, a politician and a cricketer
.
Moule's cricket career was short, and though he played a few times for Victoria
, most of his first-class appearances were on the 1880 tour of England with the Australian team
under William Murdoch
. He played in the one Test match
of the tour, a hastily arranged match at The Oval
which was the first Test in England, mainly because Fred Spofforth
was injured; he batted at No 11 and was the sixth bowler tried. That seems to have done little justice to his abilities, for with three wickets for 23 runs he was the most successful bowler in England
's first innings and his 34 in Australia's second innings helped in a last-wicket partnership of 88 with his captain that avoided an innings defeat.
Moule resided at Clarence House now known as the old Mansion nightclub
in 1876 whilst being educated at Melbourne Grammar School
and took a law degree at Melbourne University, being called to the bar in 1879 and going into practice the following year. He rose to become a county court judge specialising in insolvency cases, retiring in April 1935, at which point he was the longest-serving member of the bench.
Moule had a short-lived but sensational career as a politician. Standing on a free trade
platform in the Victoria state election of 1894, he beat the sitting member, the long-time minister and future premier of Victoria, Sir Thomas Bent
. Bent was accused of various forms of corruption, and there had been some difficulty finding a candidate who would stand against him. As a member of the legislature until 1900, Moule chaired royal commissions on law reform and on factory and shop law.
Moule married Jessie Osborne in 1885. His son, Osborne Moule, was killed in the First World War at Lone Pine
, one of the main actions of the ill-fated Gallipoli
campaign.
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
.
Moule's cricket career was short, and though he played a few times for Victoria
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
, most of his first-class appearances were on the 1880 tour of England with the Australian team
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
under William Murdoch
William Murdoch
William Murdoch was a Scottish engineer and long-term inventor.Murdoch was employed by the firm of Boulton and Watt and worked for them in Cornwall, as a steam engine erector for ten years, spending most of the rest of his life in Birmingham, England.He was the inventor of the oscillating steam...
. He played in the one Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
of the tour, a hastily arranged match at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
which was the first Test in England, mainly because Fred Spofforth
Fred Spofforth
Frederick Robert "Fred" Spofforth , also known as "The Demon Bowler", was arguably the Australian cricket team's finest pace bowler of the nineteenth century and was the first bowler to take 50 Test wickets, and the first to take a test hat-trick in 1879...
was injured; he batted at No 11 and was the sixth bowler tried. That seems to have done little justice to his abilities, for with three wickets for 23 runs he was the most successful bowler in England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
's first innings and his 34 in Australia's second innings helped in a last-wicket partnership of 88 with his captain that avoided an innings defeat.
Moule resided at Clarence House now known as the old Mansion nightclub
Mansion nightclub
The Mansion is located in Melbourne, Australia, at 83 Queens Road. The multi-level historic building was an electronic music venue. The Mansion was once voted No.7 in the world’s top 10 clubs.- History :...
in 1876 whilst being educated at Melbourne Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, located in South Yarra and Caulfield, suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
and took a law degree at Melbourne University, being called to the bar in 1879 and going into practice the following year. He rose to become a county court judge specialising in insolvency cases, retiring in April 1935, at which point he was the longest-serving member of the bench.
Moule had a short-lived but sensational career as a politician. Standing on a free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
platform in the Victoria state election of 1894, he beat the sitting member, the long-time minister and future premier of Victoria, Sir Thomas Bent
Thomas Bent
Sir Thomas Bent KCMG , Australian politician, was the 22nd Premier of Victoria. He was one of the most colourful and corrupt politicians in Victorian history....
. Bent was accused of various forms of corruption, and there had been some difficulty finding a candidate who would stand against him. As a member of the legislature until 1900, Moule chaired royal commissions on law reform and on factory and shop law.
Moule married Jessie Osborne in 1885. His son, Osborne Moule, was killed in the First World War at Lone Pine
Battle of Lone Pine
The Battle of Lone Pine was a battle between Australian and Turkish forces that took place during the Gallipoli campaign from 6–10 August 1915. It was part of a diversion to draw attention from the main assaults of 6 August against the Sari Bair peaks of Chunuk Bair and Hill 971, which became...
, one of the main actions of the ill-fated Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
campaign.
External links
- Cricinfo article on William Moule
- William Henry Moule (1858-1939) Gravesite at Brighton General Cemetery (Vic)