Rev Frank Hay Gillingham

[michaeldr]

I was pleased to see the cricketing link provided by Andrew Hesketh in his post today under ‘90th Anniversary’ and to find there details of the first class career, 1903-28, of

The Rev F. H. Gillingham.

In 1906 he was the subject of one of ‘Vanity Fairs’ famous cartoons, ‘Men of the Day, No.1027’ entitled “Cricketing Christianity” which was drawn by the artist ‘Spy’ [Leslie Ward]

The text accompanying the cartoon mentions that as well as being a cricketer, the Rev Gillingham was a ‘Chaplain to the Forces’ and it concludes,

“He now [1906] lives with the South Wales Borderers on Salisbury Plain. He rides when he can get anything up to his weight. He fancies himself somewhat in his mess kit. He is a fine preacher but his reputation on the cricket field gives him a better chance of saving souls than would all the eloquence in the world.”

Does anyone know if the Rev Gillingham continued after 1906 as Chaplain to the Forces and if he served during the war?

Regards

Michael D.R.

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Michael

Just a snippet of info.

His son Peter LLewellyn Gillingham attended Marlborough College from 1928-29. F.J.Gillingham's address being given in the Register as The Glebe Rectory, Blackheath.

Dave

[rflory]

The November 1918 Army Lists shows the Reverend F H Gillingham as a Chaplain 4th Class attached to the Royal Army Medical Corps, Territorial Force with a date of rank of 1 Sep 1911.

Regards. Dick Flory

[rflory]

Further on the Rev. F. H. Gillingham:

Rev. Frank Hay Gillingham

Born in Japan in 1875 to J and S Gillingham.

Educated at Dulwich and U Durham

Ordained 1899

Served in France from August 1914 as Chaplain of the Forces, 4 Cl. Mentioned in Despatches

From 1919 served at various parishes

In July 1939 appointed as Chaplain to His Majesty's Household and continued the same service with Queen Elizabeth.

Died 1 April 1953

He is listed in Who's Who and there is an obituary for him in the 4 Apr 53 issue of The Times.

Regards. Dick Flory

[michaeldr]

My thanks to Dave and to Dick Flory for adding to the picture

The ‘Vanity Fair’ text also includes

“On leaving school the City for a time engaged his attention, but a higher call made its self heard, and he resolved to devote his life to the ministry. He entered St. John’s Hall, Highbury, and Durham University. Up north he got his ‘palatinate’ for Rugby football and for cricket, at which latter game his average for two seasons was 60 and 80.

Appropriately enough he began his clerical career in 1899 at Leyton, the home of Essex cricket. Here he was one of a succession of athletic curates – his immediate predecessor having been captain of the Durham XI, and his successor being a Cambridge cox.

Owing to his work at Leyton and subsequently to his duties as Chaplain to the Forces at Tidworth, Mr. Gillingham has only been able to turn out occasionally. The Essex team chaff him that he picks his wickets………….”

One is reminded vaguely of Siegfried Sassoon’s character, the Reverend Yalden who plays in ‘The Flower Show Match’ [Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man] and possibly that the sporting parson was another feature of the Ewardian country landscape which did not survive the Great War

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Audax]

Born in Tokyo on 6 September 1875, Gillingham came to England, aged 8. He gained a place in the Dulwich XI of 1891 & 1892 and appeared for Durham University ith much disctinction.

He was ordained in 1899 and became Curate of Leyton, which meant that he qualified for Essex. During this period he showed his love for the game when making his rounds of the parish by joining in street cricket with the local boys.

Following a few appearances for the Essex 2nd XI he played for the Essex Champion side of 1903. He continued to appear for Essex unitl 1928; Clerical duties permitting.

Altogether he scored 9,942 runs, avergaing 30.49 and brought off 102 catches. Tall and powerfully built, he was a stong believer in hitting the ball hard in front of the wicket and though he was first to admit that he was not at ease against spin, he dealt firmly with bowlers of pace. His best season for Essex was that of 1908 when he scored 1,033 runs, averaged 39.73 and his for 4 centuries. His highest innings was 201 against Middlesex at Lord's in 1904. he appeared three times for Gentlemen aginst players, and in 1919 bore a considerable part in their defeat - their first - by an innings and 133 runs of the AIF XI at the hands of the gentlemen of England at Lord's. Gillingham scored 83 and made four catches. He was also a member of the Essex eleven who in 1905 at Leyton, beat J Darling's Australians by 19 runs. He wnt on to tour Jamaica with the Hon. L H Tennyson's team in 1927.

After he retired as a team player Canon Gillingham commentated on some of the Pre WWII test matches broadcast on the radio.

He served a Chaplain to the Forces with 2nd Battalion The South Wales Borderers at Tidworth 1905-1907 and again as Temporary Chaplain to the Forces from 1914 to 1918. He was appointed a Chaplain to the King in 1939.

He died on 1st April 1953 at Monaco; aged 77 years.

[AndrewDBird]

Rev. Frank Hay Gillingham was also part of an England XI Team that took on 1 SoMA Reading, at the Berkshire County Ground Kensington Road, West Reading in August 1918 which also included other known English Cricketers serving in the Royal Air Force.

[Guest]

I have just finished a run of Romeo & Juliet in the Guildford Castle Gardens and noted in my cassock the name Rev F H Gillingham. As I am 6’2” I reckon it could have belonged to him. 

[Rowanitis]

Wonderful information - Thanks for starting this thread Michaeldr. I've learned a bit more family history thanks to you and the other contributors. Amazing that his Cassock still exists somewhere. Rev. Frank Hay Gillingham was my great grandfather and his son Rev. Peter Llewellyn Gillingham my grandfather. Peter followed his father's footsteps and was QHC (Queens Honorable Chaplain) for a time.  I'm afraid I haven't much more to add except that Frank, as another has pointed out, commentated on one of the first, if not the first, radio broadcast cricket matches in the U.K..  I believe the first cricket broadcasts were out of Australia as early as 1922. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-brief-history-214571

"1927 The first radio broadcast of a match in England on May 14. The Rev. FH Gillingham, himself an Essex player, gave five broadcasts totalling 30 minutes from the New Zealanders match against Essex at Leyton. Further commentaries followed that summer."

[michaeldr]

Rowanitis,

Welcome to the Great War Forum

Thank you for your comments: it's good to know that the GWF have been of some help in extending the knowledge of a family member. And thanks for that link to the article on the 1927 broadcast.

During various forum upgrades since 2004, the original illustration in post No.1 seems to have fallen by the wayside, so here it is again: 'Cricketing Christianity' by Spy (aka Sir Leslie Ward)

Edited 11 February , 2022 by michaeldr

[Rowanitis]

Thank you so much Machaeldr for reposting that image of "Chricketing Christianity" , I've seen it before but didn't have a copy and with such high resolution it will make a nice framed print. I'll see if I can get some other better informed family members to chime in on any additional history on Rev F.H.G.  Nice to have that history memorialized here. One more thing I'd like to add is that Frank's son Rev. Peter Llewellyn Gillingham ended up serving in WWII as a chaplain on an escort cruiser (I believe that's the term) in the Arctic / Russian supply effort.  He told me of the harrowing near misses they encountered with u-boats - though I have no actual documentation of any of it.

Finally,  I'll add this image of Frank's Great War standard issue blanket, embossed with his initials. I'm feel very lucky to possess this memento of Rev. F.H.Gillingham; having found it's way through three generations for me to guard for the next. 

[michaeldr]

My copy of the print comes from the book 'Cricketers of Vanity Fair' by Russell March with intro by John Arlott, published by Grange Books, Grange Yard, London SE1 3AG, (ISBN 1 85627 346 6) the 1993 reprint. The cartoon is a full page size illustration at least A4, and would make a lovely picture if framed. Perhaps you can find it via AbeBooks

 

Edited 12 February , 2022 by michaeldr