Our research into Jasper and how he met his death has brought to light new facts, previously lost to the archives. This new information adds colour and interest to our founding story, but crucially, it also adds to the conversation regarding the reach of cricket at the time. Over the next few pages is all the information we have of the death of Jasper Vinall, including key information not previously published. 

The facts as we know them: 

The date and location of the game was August 28th 1624 at Horsted Keynes 

Edward Tye was batting, he hit the ball high into the air, at this time there was no rule preventing the batsman from hitting the ball twice. 

Edward Tye moved to where the ball was to drop and swung to hit the ball again. At the same time, Jasper Vinall rushed in attempting to catch the ball. 

Edward Tye struck Jasper Vinall on the forehead with the bat. 

On September 10th 1624 – Jasper Vinall died in West Hoathley where both he and Tye lived. 

Edward Tye was cleared of any wrongdoing at the inquest and the death was ruled as accidental 

These small smattering of facts are reproduced in the first chapters of many histories of Cricket, if you google “First death on a cricket pitch” this is the information you would find. We are now able to add much more detail to this story and reproduce for the first time the original coroner’s report in both Latin and English.

There are some clues to the prominence of Cricket in 1624, it is referred to as ‘the common game of cricket’, furthermore the cricket bat is discussed without any introduction or explanation suggesting that most people would know what it was. The bat itself was said to be worth 1 halfpenny, this in itself is bizarre that it’s been included. It is possible we have misread this part of the text (you can see the handwriting in the digital scan!) and that it refers to the weight of the bat rather than cost, which would make more sense given the context. 

We now also know the names of the 12 jurors from the inquest. We have no idea how closely the game would have resembled our own, other than the size of the ball is similar and that catching was a legitimate method of dismissal. I’ve included below a translations of the Coroner’s report which has been edited and updated into common parlance. For more information including images of the document, poetry and gems from the HKCC archive, please check out our 400 Years of Cricket Souvenir book – with Forward by Cricket Analyst – Simon Hughes.

An inquest was conducted in West Hoathly,  on September 12, during the 22nd year of King James’s reign over England, France, and Ireland, and his 58th year as King of Scotland (1624). Edward Raynes, a gentleman and the coroner for the King in his Duchy of Lancaster, presided over the inquest concerning the death of Jasper Vinall, a 34-year-old farmer from West Hoathly. The jury, consisting of Charles Turner, John Trepe, Thomas Tye, John Luxford, Francis Gasson, Edward Payne, Thomas Gasson, Lawrence Langridge, John Haryott, Matthew Martyn, Robert Salcombe, and Robert Jenner, all reputable and lawful men from the county, was sworn in. 

They testified that on August 28, under the same year of King James’s reign, Jasper Vinall and Edward Tye, another farmer from West Hoathly, were playing the common game of cricket at Horsted Green in the parish of Horsted Keynes. They were playing with various other people, all loyal subjects of the King. Edward Tye was playing without the intention of causing any damage to Jasper Vinall, noy to any of the other players. 

During the game, and with no malice intended, Edward Tye hit a cricket ball into the air. Edward Tye, for his own tactical advatage attempted to hit the ball again.  As the ball descended, Jasper Vinall ran towards it quickly and quietly, aiming to catch it. Unfortunately, without seeing Vinall approaching from behind, Edward Tye swung his cricket bat – which was worth one halfpenny – in his right hand striking Vinall on the forehead by accident, inflicting a fatal injury. 

Jasper Vinall succumbed to this injury on September 10, after being ill for several days in West Hoathly.

The Jury concluded and swear on their oath that Jasper Vinall’s death was an accident, resulting from his own reckless action and not from any criminal act on Edward Tye’s part. 

The Jury concluded and swear on their oath that Edward Tye did not possess any property, goods, or lands at the time of the incident or by the time of the inquest. 

The coroner and the sworn men signed and sealed the document to certify their findings on the specified date.

Edward Raynes, coroner