George Fitz-Hardinge Berkeley Explained

George Berkeley
Country:England
Fullname:George Fitz-Hardinge Berkeley
Birth Date:29 January 1870
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland
Death Place:Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
Batting:Right-handed
Bowling:Left-arm medium
Club1:Oxford University
Year1:1890–1893
Type1:First-class
Debutdate1:19 May
Debutyear1:1890
Debutfor1:Oxford University
Debutagainst1:Australians
Lastdate1:14 May
Lastyear1:1906
Lastfor1:H. D. G. Leveson Gower's XI
Lastagainst1:Oxford University
Columns:1
Column1:First-class
Matches1:32
Runs1:324
Bat Avg1:10.12
100S/50S1:0/0
Top Score1:38
Deliveries1:6,288
Wickets1:131
Bowl Avg1:20.75
Fivefor1:9
Tenfor1:1
Best Bowling1:8/70
Catches/Stumpings1:17/–
Date:21 November
Year:2012
Source:https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/27/27855/27855.html CricketArchive

George Fitz-Hardinge Berkeley (29 January 1870 – 14 November 1955) was an Anglo-Irish soldier, Irish nationalist, public servant, cricketer, and author.

Personal life

George Fitz-Hardinge Berkeley was born in 1870, the only child of George Sackville Berkeley, a major in the Royal Engineers. He was educated at Wellington College and Keble College, Oxford. He later practised at the Irish Bar. In 1899 he married Caroline Isabel Mason. He moved to Italy in 1920 for the good of his wife's health; she died in 1933. The following year he married Janet Margaret Mary Weld,[1] with whom he co-wrote a history of Italian unification. He was a member of two gentlemen's clubs: Vincent's in Oxford and the Kildare Street Club in Dublin. He died at his home, Hanwell Castle, near Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Public life

Berkeley served in the Worcestershire Regiment from 1898 to 1901. He supported Irish Home Rule and the Irish Volunteers, and at a 1914 meeting in Alice Stopford Green's London home he subscribed the largest amount to the arms purchase fund which resulted in the Howth gun-running.[2] [3] In the First World War he was a brigade musketry officer with the 3rd Cavalry reserve. After the war he was a member of the Claims Commission in France and Italy.[4] In 1920 he was active in the Irish Dominion League, which proposed Dominion status for Ireland, and with the Peace with Ireland Council, of British public figures opposed to the government's waging of the Anglo-Irish War.[5] [6] In 1954 he submitted two papers to the Irish Bureau of Military History relating to his 1914 and 1920 activities.[5] [7] He was a magistrate in Oxfordshire from 1906 to 1937.[8]

Cricket career

Berkeley played for Oxford University Cricket Club in the 1890s. A left-arm medium pace bowler, he took 131 wickets in 32 first-class appearances at an average of 20.75.[9] He best bowling performance occurred on his debut, when he took eight wickets for Oxford University in the first innings against the touring Australians.[10] Berkeley was awarded his blue, appearing against Cambridge in the University match, in each of his four years at Oxford. He was Oxford's leading wicket-taker during his first three years at the university, but in the third, he was unable to play in all the matches, but maintained a strong bowling average.[11] He played twice for Ireland, taking 11 for 75 against I Zingari in Phoenix Park in 1890.[12] He later played minor counties cricket for Oxfordshire between 1904 and 1906.

Publications

Notes and References

  1. Marriage Indexes 4th Quarter 1934, Southam, Warwickshire district
  2. Connell Jr. Joseph E.. May–June 2014. Howth/ Kilcoole gunrunning. History Ireland. 22. 3.
  3. Book: Docherty. Gerry. MacGregor. James. Hidden History: The Secret Origins of the First World War. 2013. Mainstream Publishing. 9781780577494. 391–392.
  4. News: Obituaries: Mr G. Fitz-H. Berkeley. The Times . 53383 . 12 . London . 21 November 1955 .
  5. Web site: Witness statement 994: "Peace with Ireland Council" 1920–1921. . George F.H. . Berkeley . Bureau of Military History. 29 January 2018. Dublin.
  6. Book: Moulton, Mo. Mo Moulton. Ireland and the Irish in Interwar England. 2014. Cambridge University Press. 9781107052680. 53.
  7. Web site: Witness statement 971: The Irish political situation, 1914. . George F.H. . Berkeley . Bureau of Military History. 29 January 2018. Dublin.
  8. Web site: Captain George Berkeley Papers . Cork City and County Archives .
  9. Web site: Player Profile: George Berkeley . CricketArchive . 21 November 2012.
  10. Web site: Oxford University v Australians: Australia in England 1890 . CricketArchive . 21 November 2012.
  11. Book: Bolton, Geoffrey . History of the O.U.C.C. . 1st . 1962 . . Oxford . 133–147.
  12. Web site: The bat that died for Ireland. Herringshaw. Liam. 2 September 2013. ESPN. 29 January 2018.