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{{short description|New Zealand cricketer (1840–1911)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Alexander Wilson
| image =
| full_name = Alexander Cracroft Wilson
| birth_date = {{birth date|1840|3|5|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Cawnpore]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1911|1|5|1840|3|5|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Christchurch]], New Zealand
| family = {{ubl|[[John Cracroft Wilson]] (father)|[[Walter Wilson (cricketer)|Walter Wilson]] (brother)}}
| batting =
| bowling =
| role =

| club1 = [[Canterbury cricket team|Canterbury]]
| year1 = 1877/78
| date = 22 October
| year = 2020
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/38864.html Cricinfo
}}
'''Alexander Cracroft Wilson''' (5 March 1840 – 5 January 1911) was a New Zealand banker, businessman, college administrator, and [[cricket]]er. He played in one [[first-class cricket]] match for [[Canterbury cricket team|Canterbury]] during the 1877–78 season.<ref name=ci>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/38864.html Alexander Wilson], [[CricInfo]]. Retrieved 22 October 2020.</ref>

Born at [[Cawnpore]] in [[British India]] in 1840, Wilson was the second youngest son of [[John Cracroft Wilson]] and his wife Elizabeth (''[[née]]'' Wall). After being educated in England, in 1859 he moved to join his father, now remarried, at his [[Cashmere, New Zealand|Cashmere]] estate in New Zealand, travelling on the ''Cresswell''.<ref name=lib>[https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/heritage/people/c/cracroftwilsonalexander/ Alexander Cracroft Wilson, 1840–1911], Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 18 May 2025.</ref><ref name=teara>[https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1w31/wilson-john-cracroft Wilson, John Cracroft], [[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]]. Retrieved 18 May 2025.</ref><ref name=star>Obituary: Mr A Cracroft Wilson, ''[[The Star (Christchurch)|The Star]]'', issue 10058, 21 January 1911, p. 7. ([https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19110121.2.43 Available online] at [[Papers Past]]. Retrieved 18 May 2025.)</ref><ref name=mc>McCarron, Tony (2010). ''New Zealand Cricketers 1863/64–2010'', pp. 140–141. Cardiff: [[The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians]]. {{isbn|978 1 905138 98 2}} ([https://archive.acscricket.com/cricketers_series/new_zealand_cricketers_1863-64_2010/index.html Available online] at the [[Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians]]. Retrieved 5 June 2023.)</ref>

In New Zealand, Wilson initially worked at the [[Bank of New Zealand]] when it opened at [[Christchurch]] in 1862.<ref name=lib/> He managed the bank's branch at [[Lyttelton, New Zealand|Lyttelton]] before retiring in 1871<ref name=star/> and moving briefly to [[Auckland]] where he met his future wife Laura Munro, the daughter of a Native Land Court judge; the couple married in 1877.<ref name=lib/> Later in the decade he went in to business at Christchurch, founding the merchant company Sawtell and Wilson with Henry Sawtell. He was a trustee of a building and investment company, secretary of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, on the board of the [[New Zealand Shipping Company]], and was the Italian consul in Christchurch.<ref name=lib/><ref name=star/>

Wilson's only first-class cricket match was a December 1877 fixture against [[Auckland cricket team|Auckland]]. Opening the batting, he scored 16 runs in Canterbury's first innings before being dismissed for two runs in their second.<ref name=ca>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/23/23126/23126.html Alexander Wilson], CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 May 2025. {{subscription}}</ref> The following month he played a one-day match for the side against [[Wellington cricket team|Wellington]] on the way back to Christchurch.<ref name=ca/> His brother, [[Walter Wilson (cricketer)|Walter Cracroft Wilson]], had played two first-class matches for the province in the 1860s before drowning in the [[Rakaia River]] in 1865.<ref name=mc/>

In 1891 Wilson was appointed as [[Registrar (education)|registrar]] of [[Canterbury University College|Canterbury College]] in Christchurch. He oversaw an expansion of [[Christchurch City Libraries|Christchurch public library]], the library's collection doubling during his time in the role.{{efn|Canterbury College operated the public library in Christchurch at this time, and Wilson's role as registrar meant that he was in effect the head public librarian, although the day to day work of the library was carried out by librarians.<ref name=lib/>}}<ref name=lib/><ref name=star/> He retired in 1908 as a result of failing health.<ref name=lib/><ref>Personal, ''[[Taranaki Daily News]]'', volume LIII, issue 220, 23 January 1911, p. 4. ([https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19110123.2.21 Available online] at [[Papers Past]]. Retrieved 18 May 2025.)</ref>

Wilson died in 1911 at the age of 70 after a period of illness which had confined him to his house.<ref name=odt>Obituary, ''[[Otago Daily Times]]'', issue 15054, 30 January 1911, p. 3 (supplement). ([https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19110130.2.135 Available online] at [[Papers Past]]. Retrieved 18 May 2025.)</ref> He had nine children, four of whom died as infants.<ref name=lib/><ref name=press>Late Mrs Alexander Cracroft Wilson, ''[[The Press]]'', volume LXI, issue 18500, 30 September 1925, p. 2. ([https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19250930.2.5 Available online] at [[Papers Past]]. Retrieved 18 May 2025.)</ref> Three sons and two daughters survived into adulthood,<ref name=lt>Mr A Cracroft Wilson, ''[[Lyttelton Times]]'', volume CXXII, issue 15521, 23 January 1911, p. 7. ([https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT19110123.2.44 Available online] at [[Papers Past]]. Retrieved 18 May 2025.)</ref> with two of his sons later being killed during [[World War I]].<ref name=press/><ref>Men who have fallen, ''[[New Zealand Herald]]'', volume LIV, issue 16567, 16 June 1917, p. 8. ([https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19170616.2.50 Available online] at [[Papers Past]]. Retrieved 18 May 2025.)</ref> His daughter, Rita Cracrift Wilson, was a notable golfer who won six championships at Christchurch Ladies' Golf Club between 1904 and 1924.<ref>Obituary: Miss Rita Cracroft Wilson, ''[[The Press]]'', volume LXXXIII, issue 25352, 27 November 1947, p. 2. ([https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19471127.2.4.2 Available online] at [[Papers Past]]. Retrieved 18 May 2025.)</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cricinfo|id=38864}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Alexander}}
[[Category:1840 births]]
[[Category:1911 deaths]]
[[Category:British sportspeople in British India]]
[[Category:New Zealand cricketers]]
[[Category:Canterbury cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Kanpur]]

Alexander Cracroft Wilson - Revision history

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