Geoffrey Jackson (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Laird Jackson was an English cricket
et who played for Derbyshire
from 1912 to 1914, and for Oxford University
in 1914. He died of wounds in World War I
.
Jackson was born at Birkenhead
, Cheshire
, the eldest son of Brigadier General Geoffrey M. Jackson and of his wife Jessie C. C. Jackson. His father commanded the Sherwood Foresters
and was managing director of the Clay Cross
Colliery Company. Jackson was educated at Harrow School
and was in the cricket XI in 1911, 1912 and 1913, being captain in the last year. While still at school he played first class cricket for Derbyshire. He made his debut in August 1912 against Nottinghamshire
in which he took a wicket and two catches and scored 2 in the only innings he played. He played two matches for Derbyshire in 1913.
Jackson then went to Balliol College, Oxford
and was twelfth man in the Oxford XI, appearing in three matches for the University in 1914. He played one county championship match for Derbyshire in 1914 before the First World War in which he lost his life..
Jackson was a right-hand batsman and played twelve innings in seven first class matches with an average of 12,50 and a top score of 50. He was a right-arm medium pace bowler and took ten first class wickets at an average of 23.80 and a best performance of 3 for 52.
Jackson was given a commission in the Rifle Brigade on the outbreak of World War I and went to France in October, 1914. He was invalided home, after the Second Battle of Ypres
, suffering from gas poisoning and spent some months in England serving his Reserve Battalion. He returned to France, as Adjutant of the 1st Battalion, in December, 1915, and was mentioned in despatches on 1 January 1916. He served continuously until his death on 9 April 1917 at the Battle of Arras
. He was mortally wounded by a piece of shell after advancing about 6000 yards, and died at Faimpoux, Arras, Belgium before reaching the dressing station.
Jackson's brother Guy Jackson
and cousin Anthony Jackson also played cricket for Derbyshire.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
et who played for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
from 1912 to 1914, and for Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
in 1914. He died of wounds in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Jackson was born at Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, the eldest son of Brigadier General Geoffrey M. Jackson and of his wife Jessie C. C. Jackson. His father commanded the Sherwood Foresters
Sherwood Foresters
The Sherwood Foresters was formed during the Childers Reforms in 1881 from the amalgamation of the 45th Regiment of Foot and the 95th Regiment of Foot...
and was managing director of the Clay Cross
Clay Cross
Clay Cross is a former mining town and civil parish in the North East Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England, about six miles south of Chesterfield. It is directly on the A61, the former Roman road Ryknield Street...
Colliery Company. Jackson was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and was in the cricket XI in 1911, 1912 and 1913, being captain in the last year. While still at school he played first class cricket for Derbyshire. He made his debut in August 1912 against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
in which he took a wicket and two catches and scored 2 in the only innings he played. He played two matches for Derbyshire in 1913.
Jackson then went to Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
and was twelfth man in the Oxford XI, appearing in three matches for the University in 1914. He played one county championship match for Derbyshire in 1914 before the First World War in which he lost his life..
Jackson was a right-hand batsman and played twelve innings in seven first class matches with an average of 12,50 and a top score of 50. He was a right-arm medium pace bowler and took ten first class wickets at an average of 23.80 and a best performance of 3 for 52.
Jackson was given a commission in the Rifle Brigade on the outbreak of World War I and went to France in October, 1914. He was invalided home, after the Second Battle of Ypres
Second Battle of Ypres
The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
, suffering from gas poisoning and spent some months in England serving his Reserve Battalion. He returned to France, as Adjutant of the 1st Battalion, in December, 1915, and was mentioned in despatches on 1 January 1916. He served continuously until his death on 9 April 1917 at the Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
. He was mortally wounded by a piece of shell after advancing about 6000 yards, and died at Faimpoux, Arras, Belgium before reaching the dressing station.
Jackson's brother Guy Jackson
Guy Jackson
Guy Rolf Jackson was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Derbyshire between 1919 and 1936, being captain for nine years....
and cousin Anthony Jackson also played cricket for Derbyshire.