Foster Cunliffe Explained

Foster Cunliffe
Country:England
Birth Date:17 August 1875
Birth Place:Belgravia, London, England
Death Date:10 July 1916 (aged 40)
Death Place:Ovillers-la-Boisselle, France
Batting:Left-handed
Bowling:Left-arm medium
Year1:1895–1898
Club2:Middlesex County Cricket Club
Year2:1897–1903
Club3:MCC
Year3:1899–1903
Columns:1
Column1:First-class
Matches1:56
Runs1:1,053
Bat Avg1:15.26
100S/50S1:0/0
Top Score1:70
Deliveries1:11,304
Wickets1:235
Bowl Avg1:21.78
Fivefor1:15
Tenfor1:10
Best Bowling1:8/26
Catches/Stumpings1:25/–
Date:5 November
Year:2022
Source:http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/11482.html CricInfo

Sir Foster Hugh Egerton Cunliffe, 6th Baronet (17 August 1875 – 10 July 1916) was an English historian and first-class cricketer who played for Oxford University from 1895 to 1898, for Middlesex from 1897 to 1903 and for Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) from 1899 to 1903. He was killed serving in World War I.[1]

Biography

Cunliffe was born in Belgravia, Westminster, London, the son of Sir Robert Cunliffe, 5th Baronet of Acton Park, Wrexham, Denbighshire and his wife Eleanor Susan Emily Leigh daughter of Egerton Leigh.[2] He was educated Eton College and at New College, Oxford and played cricket for the university from 1895 to 1898. In 1897 he made his debut for Middlesex and in 1899 began playing for MCC.

Cunliffe was a left-hand batsman and played 85 innings in 56 first-class matches with an average of 15.36 and a top score of 70. He was a left-arm medium pace bowler and took 235 first-class wickets with an average of 21.78 and a best performance of 8 for 26.[3]

Cunliffe also played non-first class county cricket for Shropshire, in two matches in 1895.[4]

Cunliffe became a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford and the first lecturer in military history at Oxford University, 1905–1908. in this capacity he worked closely with the history tutor C.T. Atkinson of Exeter College, Oxford.[5] He wrote The History of the Boer War.[6] He inherited the baronetcy on the death of his father in 1905.

During World War I, Cunliffe served with the 13th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)[7] and reached the rank of major. He died of wounds at Ovillers-la-Boisselle, France. He was buried at Bapaume Post Military Cemetery, Albert, Somme.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cricketers who died in World War 1 — Part 2 of 5 . Cricket Country . 3 August 2014 . 28 November 2018.
  2. Web site: 1881 Census . www.familysearch.org . 13 March 2021.
  3. https://cricketarchive.com/Middlesex/Players/28/28884/28884.html Foster Cunliffe
  4. Book: Percival, Tony. Shropshire Cricketers 1844-1998. 1999. A.C.S. Publications, Nottingham. 11, 42. 1-902171-17-9. Published under Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians.
  5. [John B. Hattendorf]
  6. F. H. E. Cunliffe,The History of the Boer War, London: Methuen & Co., 1901. archive.org. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  7. MacDonald, Lyn, "Somme", Michael Joseph 1983. Reprinted by Penguin, 2013. pp. 110–111, 129–130.
  8. http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Middlesex/LordsWW1.html Lords Cricket Ground