- Born 16 August 1831, Birr, King's County (now Offaly)
- Died 15 January 1906, Lynton, Devonshire
- Educated Hall Place School
- Occupation Army Officer. Retired as Major- General
- Debut 17 May 1858 v MCC at Lord's
- Cap Number 29
- Style Right-hand bat
- Teams 55th Regiment, Dublin Garrison, Phoenix
John Hume was a highly successful soldier who listed Cricket as his principal recreation in Who's Who. He joined the 55th Regiment when he was 18 and it was stationed in Ireland. Still only in his mid tewnties he saw action in all the major battles of the Crimean War and later wrote a book describing his exploits there "Reminisences of the Crimean Campaign with the 55th Regiment." His actions during the War, however, gained him the French Legion d'Honeur and the Turkish Order of the Medjideh. These were awarded to British officers who distinguished themselves in actions involving joint action with French or Turkish troops. This may not have had lasting success as the present writer has failed to find it listed in any bibliography of that unfortunate conflict.
The regiment then spent 3 years in Ireland which allowed Hume to appear with some distinction in Cricket in Dublin and elsewhere. He was thus selected for Ireland's first match at Lord's v MCC in May 1858. The bowling of Charles Lawrence later to be regarded as the "Father of Australian Cricket" and James McCormick, later to be Queen Victoria's chaplain, was too much for MCC. They were beaten by an innings and 10 runs, though Ireland totalled only 120. Hume was caught and bowled for a "duck" by EG Hartnell, a prominent amateur cricketer of the time. Destined never to play in major cricket again, either side of the Irish Sea, Hume was soon fully occupied commanding the Regiment in the Bhutan Campaign of 1864.
On retiring from active service, he lived near the spectacular Valley of The Rocks in North Devon, and took a keen interest in the local Cricket Club.