| George Willes | |
| Country: | England |
| Fullname: | George Edward Willes |
| Birth Date: | 16 August 1844 |
| Birth Place: | Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire, England |
| Death Place: | Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Family: | Edmund Willes (cousin) |
| Club1: | Cambridge University |
| Year1: | 1865 - 1866 |
| Columns: | 1 |
| Column1: | First-class |
| Matches1: | 5 |
| Runs1: | 114 |
| Bat Avg1: | 14.25 |
| 100S/50S1: | –/1 |
| Top Score1: | 51 |
| Hidedeliveries: | true |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | –/– |
| Date: | 10 September |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Source: | https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/george-willes-23004 Cricinfo |
George Edward Willes (16 August 1844 – 8 September 1901) was an English clergyman and a cricketer who played in five first-class cricket matches for Cambridge University in 1865 and 1866.[1] [2] He was born at Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire and died at Burnham, Buckinghamshire.
Willes was educated at Rugby School and at Trinity College, Cambridge.[3] He played cricket at Rugby as a right-handed middle-order batsman, but in his first year at Cambridge University in 1864 did not progress beyond the trial matches.[1] In both 1865 and 1866 he was picked for a few early-season matches, but often batted well down the order; his greatest success in first-class cricket came in the second innings of the 1866 match against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lord's when he was demoted to No 12 in a 12-a-side game and proceeded to hit 51 out of a last-wicket partnership of 79 which forced MCC to bat again when they appeared on course for an innings victory.[4] He played only one further first-class match and was not picked for the University Match against Oxford University during his time at Cambridge.[1] He continued to play in minor matches into his 50s.
Willes graduated from Cambridge University in 1868 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[3] The same year, he was ordained as a deacon in the Church of England and in 1869 he became a priest.[3] He served as curate at parishes at Buckingham and at Aynho in Northamptonshire and was vicar of Christ Church, Epsom from 1874 to 1881.[3] He was rector of Calverton in Buckinghamshire from 1881 to 1900, and then moved to Burnham as vicar, but died a year later.[3]
The Oxford University cricketer Edmund Willes was a cousin.[1]