Smutty Thomas
Smutty Thomas or Smutty Handicombe was a surgeon and a friend of Charles Cranleigh.
Biography
Dr Thomas (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) or Dr Handicombe (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) went to school with Charles Cranleigh and was known as "Smutty". (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) Although he was one of the finest batsmen of his generation, he did not play cricket for England as he chose to become a brain surgeon. By 1925, he was London's foremost expert in the subject of brain surgery (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) and was working at Guy's Hospital.
Smutty did, however, play cricket more casually at Cranleigh Cricket Club alongside Charles (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) and did not miss a game between 1920 and 1924. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) In 1925, he had to send one of his fellow doctors in his stead because of an emergency operation, but the replacement either got the wrong connection and ended up heading to Glasgow (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) or missed the train entirely. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"])
