Harold Barton (cricketer)

{{short description|English cricketer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2016}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Harold Barton

| image =

| country = England

| fullname = Harold George Mitford Barton

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1882|10|10|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Mudeford, Hampshire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1970|7|3|1882|10|10|df=yes}}

| death_place = Southampton, Hampshire, England

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling =

| family =

| club1 = Buckinghamshire

| year1 = 1907

| club2 = Hampshire

| year2 = {{nowrap|1910–1912}}

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 8

| runs1 = 146

| bat avg1 = 11.23

| 100s/50s1 = –/–

| top score1 = 31

| hidedeliveries = true

| catches/stumpings1 = 2/–

| date = 15 January

| year = 2010

| source = http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/9023.html Cricinfo

}}

Harold George Mitford Barton (10 November 1882 – 3 July 1970) was an English first-class cricketer.

The son of The Reverend H. C. M. Barton, he was born at Mudeford in November 1882.{{cite book |title=The Sherborne Register: 1550-1950|date=1950|page=214|edition=4|publisher=Warren & Son Ltd.|location=Winchester|url=https://oldshirburnian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/The-Sherborne-Register-Fourth-Edition-1550-1950-word-resized.pdf|language=en}} Though he did not make it into the Sherborne cricket eleven,{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/228452.html|title=Wisden – Obituaries in 1970|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=24 March 2024}} he did play minor counties cricket for Buckinghamshire in the 1907 Minor Counties Championship, making three appearances.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6472/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Harold Barton|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=24 March 2024|url-access=subscription}} Barton later played first-class cricket for Hampshire, debuting against Northamptonshire at Portsmouth in the 1910 County Championship. He played first-class cricket for Hampshire until 1912, making eight appearances.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6472/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Harold Barton|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=25 March 2024|url-access=subscription}} In these, he scored 146 runs at an average of 11.23, with a highest score of 31.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6472/f_Batting_by_Team.html|title=First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Harold Barton|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=25 March 2024|url-access=subscription}} Prior to the First World War, he also played field hockey for and was vice-captain of Basingstoke Hockey Club.{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003439/19031017/130/0008|title=Basingstoke Hockey Club|work=Hampshire Observer and Basingstoke News|page=17 October 1903|access-date=25 March 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}}

A civil engineer by profession, Barton served in the First World War with the Royal Engineers, being commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in June 1915.{{London Gazette|issue=29193|date=15 June 1915|page=5761}} He was made a temporary lieutenant and captain in February 1916.{{London Gazette|issue=29902|date=12 January 1917|page=562|supp=y}}{{London Gazette|issue=30112|date=1 June 1917|page=5497|supp=y}} He saw action during the war on the Western and Macedonian front's. Five years after the end of the war, Barton relinquished his commission, retaining the rank of captain.{{London Gazette|issue=32792|date=2 February 1923|page=803}} He died at Southampton in July 1970; he had married Phyllis Simmons in October 1907.{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003439/19071005/075/0005|title=Wedding bells at Basingstoke|work=Hampshire Observer and Basingstoke News|page=5 October 1907|access-date=25 March 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}}