Tom Lockyer — Surrey's Premier Wicketkeeper and the Greatest of the Roundarm Era

Wicket-keeping in the roundarm era was hazardous: pitches were rough, bowlers were fast, and there were no pads or gloves of modern kind. Lockyer kept regardless, often standing up to fast bowlers, in conditions that would horrify modern keepers.

Lockyer joined Surrey in the 1849 season and quickly became the regular keeper. By 1854 he was the obvious choice for representative sides; by 1857 he was the recognised first-choice keeper for any English XI.

Tom Lockyer was born at Croydon in November 1826. His first-class career spans 1849 to 1866 — the entire central run of the roundarm era — and falls almost entirely within the F.P. Miller captaincy of Surrey. He was the only specialist wicketkeeper in the leading Surrey side and held the post against the very fastest bowling of his day, including John Jackson and Edgar Willsher. His 301 catches and 123 stumpings in 223 matches are remarkable figures for the era; bowling figures (119 wickets at 19.73, best 6/33) testify to his late-career role as a part-time medium-fast bowler. With the bat he scored 4,917 runs at 15.86, with one century — 108 not out, the only hundred of his career. His selection for the 1859 North America tour, the 1861-62 Stephenson tour and the 1863-64 Parr tour to Australia and New Zealand made him the first wicketkeeper to tour overseas. Contemporaries including Wisden, Caffyn and Daft were unanimous that he was the best of his time; Surrey's championship years rested as much on him as on any of the bowlers.

“It was said of Lockyer, by both spectators and journalists, that he was the greatest wicketkeeper of the round-arm era.”

Lockyer retired in 1866 and remained involved with Surrey cricket until his death in 1869. The role of specialist wicketkeeper, established at international level by his three overseas tours, became a fixture of every leading side from the late 1860s onwards.