Joseph Wells (14 July 1828 – 14 October 1910) was an English cricketer and father of the noted author H. G.
He married Sarah Neal, a former domestic servant who was housemaid at Uppark [2] in West Sussex between 1850 and 1855 (later she was re-employed as housekeeper from 1880 to 1893).
An inheritance allowed them to acquire a shop selling china and sporting goods, although it failed to prosper: the stock was old, and the location poor.
Wells was the first bowler to take four wickets in four balls in a first-class cricket match:[4][5] in 1862 he dismissed Sussex's James Dean, Spencer Leigh, Charles Ellis and Richard Fillery with successive balls.
)[6] In 1866, while living at Atlas House, 46 High Street, Bromley, the couple had their fourth and last child "Bertie", who later became the author H. G.