T  G  EVANS

Godfrey Evans must rank as one of the most famous of Old Canterburians.  His achievements as the England and Kent wicket keeper have been well documented: the first wicket keeper to take 200 Test dismissals: the first Englishman to reach 2000 runs and 200 dismissals; playing in 91 test matches and 465 first class matches overall.

Godfrey attended Kent College from 1928 to 1936.  He admitted that he was not the most academic of pupils but nevertheless retained fond memories of the school.  A well known story relates to a science master admonishing Godfrey on being late for a lesson with the words, ‘You cannot expect to make a living at cricket’.  He also received his first ‘coaching’ at the school: having to catch cricket ball hit hard into the air.  The penalty for missing too many was the common form of punishment in those days and it was administered with a cricket bat!

He paid tribute to his sports master at KC who had encouraged him and enabled him to receive expert coaching from young cricketers on the Kent staff.  His first class career stretched from 1939 to 1959.  He remained much involved with cricket after his retirement, acting as an adviser to bookmakers, as well as running a pub.

Godfrey regularly returned to the school for Old Canterburian reunions.  In 1953 he officially opened the Godfrey Evans score hut on the far side of the playing field – close to the Headmaster’s house.  The hut was destroyed by fire in the 1980s.