George Pringle Robertson (22 August 1842 – 23 June 1895) was an Australian

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

er. He played four

first-class cricket First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officia ...

matches for

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

between 1866 and 1872.

Biography

Robertson was a son of William Robertson who settled in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, where George was born in Hobart. When his father removed to the Western district, he and his brothers were sent to Rugby, where he was educated at

Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. ...

. Then, he graduated thence to

Trinity College, Oxford (That which you wish to be secret, tell to nobody) , named_for = The Holy Trinity , established = , sister_college = Churchill College, Cambridge , president = Dame Hilary Boulding , location = Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BH , coordinates ...

, where, in addition to a very satisfactory scholastic career, he gained his "blue" as one of the University eleven, and he was one of the best batsmen in England and was at one time placed second only to W. G. Grace in the estimation of the authorities on the game. Robertson has been ailing for many years, and was compelled to spend most of his time in travel, Davos, in Switzerland, being his headquarters for a greater part of his sojourn. In 1883, two Australian sportsmen took part in the first international

toboggan A toboggan is a simple sled traditionally used by children. It is also a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. In modern times, it is used on snow to carry one or more people (often children) down a hill ...

competition in Davos, which was won in a tie by Swiss postman Peter Minsch and Australian student George Pringle Robertson. On returning to Victoria he settled at Colac, and with his brothers administered the celebrated estate with which the name of Robertson is associated. He was particularly concerned in the management of the fine Lincoln flock in respect of which the partners became known among the leading sheep-breeders in Australia. Though devoted to business, he still retained his love of cricket, and had the distinction of captaining the Victorian eighteen which defeated Grace's first eleven on the Melbourne Cricket Ground in one innings. Mr Robertson did not aspire to Parliamentary life, but he placed his services at the disposal of his neighbours for municipal duty. He was twice president of the shire of Colac. He married Miss Murray, daughter of Andrew Murray of Wool Wool and by whom he had three children.

References

1842 births 1895 deaths Australian cricketers Victoria cricketers Cricketers from Hobart Melbourne Cricket Club cricketers Oxford University cricketers People educated at Rugby School Alumni of Trinity College, Oxford {{Australia-cricket-bio-1840s-stub

Biography

See also

References