Born on 10 March 1863 in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Thomas Morley was a cousin of the famous Notts and England bowler Frederick Morley (1850-1884). A right-hand bat and a right-arm fast bowler, he represented Norfolk CCC from 1886-1900. After the inauguration of the Minor Counties Championship in 1895, Morley played 32 games in Minor Counties competition scoring 557 runs @12.65 and taking 114 wickets @14.11.
His professional engagements were: Lasswade CC 1884; Leeds Albion 1885; No engagement owing to ill-health 1886; Hastings Alexandra 1887.
Morley played one First-Class game namely Notts v MCC at Lord’s on 23, 24 and 25 June 1887, scoring 12 and 5 and bowling 3-2-5-0. Two months previously he had represented Notts Colts XXII v Notts.
For some seasons he was a goal-keeper for the Norfolk soccer team. He died aged 56 on 28 October 1919 at Thorpe St Andrew in Norwich where he had worked as a licensed victualler; before that he had been a carpenter, also in Norwich and originally a joiner in his home town of Sutton-in-Ashfield.
June 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 193