Brother of William Henry Potter (Lancashire 1870).

A keen cricketer in the Liverpool area, his first innings of note was 81 for the Liverpool Club, opening the innings against the Cheshire County Club at Chelford, in June 1863, at the age of eighteen. The following year he made 63 not out against the strong Birkenhead Park Club.

In June 1864, at the Wavertree Ground, home of Liverpool Cricket Club, he opened the batting for the Gentlemen of Lancashire against Fifteen Colts of Lancashire, but only scored 0 and 1.

On 23rd to 25th August 1866, at the Wavertree Ground, he played his only match for the county of Lancashire, against Surrey, when he opened the innings with Gideon Holgate and scored 39 and 0. The 39 was the highest score on the Lancashire side, in either innings, and was only beaten by George Griffith's 41 not out winning the match for Surrey by 3 wickets.

Shortly afterwards he moved his club cricket across the River Mersey, joining Birkenhead Park. He also changed his sport to that of golf, being one of the early members of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake. In his history of that club Guy B.Farrar wrote the following :-

"From 1882 to 1894 Mr.Thomas Owen Potter ("Tosper") ruled the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, both on the links and in the Club House. He was a very remarkable man, in some ways the greatest character that Hoylake has ever produced. "Rule" is the right word to apply to him for his word was law. He had two weaknesses, one for claret, and the other for prawns, and whenever he dined at our house years ago my mother always made a point of procuring those succulent shell fish. His fondness for claret is better known, and it was an unwritten law that any new member had to provide him with a bottle of his favourite beverage.

The Royal Hotel was his home, and on medal days he and Mr. John Ball, Sen., with whom he always played, arranged that a hamper containing a little "something" be sent to meet them at the Far hole. When they arrived the hamper was opened, and both started for home like giants refreshed.

In 1884 Mr. Potter did something that had a profound influence on the history of golf – he started the Amateur Championship! At a meeting of the Council, in December, he proposed that "A Meeting open to amateur golfers should be held at Hoylake during the Spring Meeting week of 1885." There was some opposition which he overcame as usual, and in the following Spring he carried through the first Amateur Championship to a successful conclusion.

He wrote the most accurate description of all the ancient history of the Club, not only in minute books, which are full of his beautiful handwriting, but also in scrapbooks in which he pasted all articles referring to Hoylake golf. Indeed had it not been for his care in preserving these old records this book could hardly have been written.

I can just remember him as an old gentleman - an object of great awe to the young members of the club. He lived for Hoylake golf, and reading the old minutes one can realise how much we owe to him. He was one of the "old school" - a man who commanded affection from many and respect from all." Cricket's loss was golf's gain.

The 1881 Census finds him visiting his uncle Hugh Stalkartt, unmarried aged 62 born in India, at 5 Winchelsea Crescent, Hougham, Kent. Also present are Elizabeth Potter, a widow aged 63 born in India (T.O.Potter's mother?), Hugh's sister, and his brother Henry Stalkartt aged 56 and unmarried, also born in India. Thomas O. Potter is unmarried aged 36, and all are annuitants. There are three domestic servants.

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Don Ambrose)

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