bowling averages with best match figures of twelve for 76 against Surrey at the Oval and fifteen for 115 against Leicestershire at Leyton. However, over the 1903/1904 winter Walter Mead's career with Essex terminated temporarily as a result of a dispute over winter pay. They missed him badly in 1904 and 1905, and by 1906 he had agreed to return to the eleven. Considering the remarkable dryness of the 1906 summer in the Home Counties, he bowled very well, and in 1907 he was almost as difficult as ever on the soft pitches. In 1908, however, Walter Mead declined so badly, taking only 48 County Championship wickets, that it was clear his best days were over. Despite a minor revival in 1910 and 1911, when Mead failed to make the most of continuous soft wickets in 1912 it was clear his career was over, so that he dropped out of the eleven before 1913 ended despite Essex having no spin bowler to replace him. Mead left the Lord's ground staff in 1918. His son, Harold, also played some first-class cricket for Essex, although he died in 1921 after never fully recovering from wounds he sustained during World War I. Mead died at the age of eighty-five in 1954. External links 1868 births 1954 deaths People from Upper Clapton Essex cricketers England Test cricketers English cricketers Wisden Cricketers of the Year Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers London County cricketers North v South cricketers Players cricketers East of England cricketers Players of the South cricketers C. I. Thornton's XI cricketers