A PRIVATE family funeral took place on Friday, February 8 for Ted Crowe, who died the previous week. Ted, 79, was one of the stalwarts of Devon cricket having been associated with the county for more than 50 years as a player and official.
Edward Richard Crowe, who was born in Surrey, the son of a coffee merchant, was a mathematics teacher, and later housemaster at Blundell's School, Tiverton, virtually all of his working life. A memorial service is being held for Ted at St Peter's Church in Tiverton on Saturday, April 12 at 11am. Blundell's school will host a reception after the service.
Ted arrived at Blundell's in 1953 as a young man, having recently completed his National Service in the Army. He stayed at the school, where he shared his passion for rugby and cricket with generations of schoolboys, until retirement in 1989.
Ted retained close links with the school as secretary of the old boys' association. As well as a teacher, he had been a pupil there from 1943-46. At the time fof his death he had been secretary of the old boys' association for more than 50 years.
On the sporting front, Ted played second-row forward for Tiverton RFC, before school duties curtailed his rugby career.While up at Cambridge for three years, Ted turned out for Pembroke College.
A hard-hitting batsman and solid wicketkeeper, Ted played three times for Devon in the 1955 season. He was captain of the long-defunct Tiverton Cricket Club in the 1950s. In later life Ted played when he could for Sidmouth.
Ted was an enthusiastic supporter of Devon County Cricket Club and was a committee member at the time of his death, although he had advised secretary Geoff Evans of his intention to stand down. He had joined the committee in 1991.
Another huge passion of Ted's was Somerset County Cricket Club, where he was often to be found running the old boys' box atop the Ondaatje Cricketing School of Excellence. Not for nothing has the room become known as ‘the Crowe's Nest' in recent years.
Sidmouth CC's Mike Dibble is one of many former pupils of Ted's who remember him with great affection.
“He was Mr Blundell's,” said Dibble. “Ted was at school there in the 1940s in Francis House; maths teacher there for many years; master in charge of rugby and housemaster of Old House in the 1970s.
“Ted was a genuine character who will leave a huge hole in Blundell's life.”
David Stanton, another former pupil of Ted's, entered the Church of England after leaving Blundell's. Today he is the canon of Worcester Cathedral, the ideal position for a cricket lover as it overlooks Worcestershire's New Road ground.
Stanton is another who remembers Ted Crowe with great fondness.
" A vast array of Old Blundellians, from all over the world, will be mourning the death of Ted Crowe. Here at Worcester Cathedral, overlooking the country ground at New Road, prayers of thanksgiving and commendation will be offered for him, as they will be in many, many other places as well.
“During my time at Blundell's during the 1970s Ted Crowe was the guardian uncle of all things to do with sport - and of course sport at that time was a very substantial component of school life. He was passionate, even fanatical, about it - and during his time Blundell's sport was fun, very competitive, the essence of life.
“Over recent yeas he devoted so much of his time to the Old Blundellian club - appearing to spend most of his time hand delivering the OB news around the county and beyond.
“Whilst I was a vicar in Bovey Tracey I saw him annually over the summer - this usually coincided with Devon playing at Bovey - or Ted looking for a good lunch!
“My overriding memory of Ted is sitting with him over lunch, during a game against Sherborne, and in his characteristically animated way, he had worked out from the physique and deportment of the opponents how each one was likely to play outswing bowling. I can't remember much more about it, or even if his diagnosis was correct, but it was all highly amusing and great fun.”
Ted always encouraged young cricketers, one of whom was Heathcoat batsman David Townsend, who went on to play for Devon.
“Ted was a great, great man who gave me some of my first opportunities in cricket and someone I will remember with a great deal of affection,” said Townsend, who now works as a cricket coach in New South Wales, Australia.
“Ted's habit of not taking the game too seriously, and finding the fun and laughter in it, is something I will always admire.
“Not only did he love the game, and those who played it, but his laugh could make people 100 yards away stop and smile!”
Ted Crowe never married. His family was the worldwide one of former Blundell's pupils.
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Tributes paid to Ted - click here
