Harold Austin
Encyclopedia
Sir Harold Bruce Gardiner Austin OBE (15 July 1877 in Enmore, St. Michael, Barbados
– 27 July 1943 at Collymore Rock, St. Michael, Barbados
) was a West Indian politician and cricketer. He was known as H.B.G..
He was the son of John Gardiner Austin, a shipper connected with the sugar trade, and his wife Dorothy and was educated at Harrison College
, Barbados. He married Lillian Marie Dennehy in St. Lucia in 1904 and had two daughters.
He was awarded the OBE in 1927, was Knighted
in 1935 and was Speaker
of the Barbados House of Assembly
. He lost his seat to Charles Duncan O'Neal in 1932 by 1 vote.
He captained the West Indians sides that toured England in 1906 and 1923. He was a right hand batsman and occasional wicket-keeper. He was one of a family of cricketers which included his brothers John ("Ruff"), Arthur ("A.P.G."), Malcolm ("M.P.G.") and Francis. H.B.G.s younger daughter Clodagh married Gilbert White who played cricket for the Army in 1938.
In June 1988 Austin was celebrated on a 75c Barbadian stamp alongside the Barbados Cricket Buckle
.
that both toured in 1896-97 and was also selected for the combined West Indies team against Priestley's XI scoring an impressive 75*, the highest score by either side, enabling the home side to win by 3 wickets. He scored an impressive 129 for Barbados against Trinidad in the 1897-98 Inter-Colonial Tournament
.
He would certainly have played in the 1900 tour
to England, probably as captain, but he was serving in South Africa
, taking part in the Second Boer War
. He joined the 20th Brigade, becoming a Major in the Royal Artillery
, but fell ill and never saw service.
Returning to Barbados he played for the combined West Indies team in 1901-02
(scoring 68) and 1904-05
(scoring 83), as captain on both occasions.
He was selected for the 1906
West Indies touring side and then elected captain. Before the tour he was described as "an excellent bat and fine field, considered the best in the West Indies" and "a graceful bat with an especially good drive. He uses his weight to advantage, and although not too good a starter, he ought to make a lot of runs". In fact he was something of a disappointment on the tour, scoring 529 at an average of 21.16. He scored a useful 74 in the second match of the tour against Essex and later 68* against Scotland and 68 against Leicestershire.
'Cricket' later remarked that "once he retired, but cricket lured him back again; once he left the island for good, but Barbados called him back". Perhaps this explains why he did not play again after the 1906 tour until the 1908-09 season when he scored 53 and a rapid 81 in the final of the Inter-Colonial Tournament
and then played a couple of matches in England in 1909
. He continued playing for Barbados both before and after World War I
, generally as captain.
He was the natural captain again for the 1923
tour to England. In the first class matches he scored 360 runs at an average of 25.71, including 51* against Cambridge University and 76 against Somerset. He missed a number of matches through illness, playing in just 11 of the 20 first class matches.
His final first class match was in a trial match for the 1928
tour to England at which time he was 50 years old.
In 1988 he featured on one of a set of five postage stamps issued in Barbados to commemorate famous Barbadian cricketers.
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
– 27 July 1943 at Collymore Rock, St. Michael, Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
) was a West Indian politician and cricketer. He was known as H.B.G..
He was the son of John Gardiner Austin, a shipper connected with the sugar trade, and his wife Dorothy and was educated at Harrison College
Harrison College (Barbados)
Harrison College is a co-educational grammar school in Bridgetown, Barbados. Founded in 1733, the school takes its name from Thomas Harrison, a Bridgetown merchant, who intended it to serve as "A Public and Free School for the poor and indigent boys of the parish".It thereafter has evolved into...
, Barbados. He married Lillian Marie Dennehy in St. Lucia in 1904 and had two daughters.
He was awarded the OBE in 1927, was Knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1935 and was Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Barbados House of Assembly
Barbados House of Assembly
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament , MPs are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority system for a term of five years....
. He lost his seat to Charles Duncan O'Neal in 1932 by 1 vote.
He captained the West Indians sides that toured England in 1906 and 1923. He was a right hand batsman and occasional wicket-keeper. He was one of a family of cricketers which included his brothers John ("Ruff"), Arthur ("A.P.G."), Malcolm ("M.P.G.") and Francis. H.B.G.s younger daughter Clodagh married Gilbert White who played cricket for the Army in 1938.
In June 1988 Austin was celebrated on a 75c Barbadian stamp alongside the Barbados Cricket Buckle
Barbados Cricket Buckle
The Barbados Cricket Buckle is a repoussé engraving on a belt buckle of a slave playing cricket in Barbados circa 1780-1810.It is believed to be the only known image of a slave playing cricket and the oldest known image depicting cricket outside the British Isles."That the belt buckle depicts the...
.
Cricket career
Harold Austin made his debut in important matches aged just 17 playing for Barbados against Slade Lucas's team in the 1894-95 season. He later played against both Arthur Priestley's side and Lord Hawke's teamLord Hawke's XI cricket team in West Indies in 1896-97
A team of Amateurs under the captaincy of Lord Hawke toured the West Indies in the 1896-97 season playing matches between January and April 1897. They played a total of 14 matches of which 7 are regarded as first class...
that both toured in 1896-97 and was also selected for the combined West Indies team against Priestley's XI scoring an impressive 75*, the highest score by either side, enabling the home side to win by 3 wickets. He scored an impressive 129 for Barbados against Trinidad in the 1897-98 Inter-Colonial Tournament
Inter-Colonial Tournament
The Inter-Colonial Tournament was the main first class cricket competition in the West Indies before World War II.- Competing teams :* Barbados* British Guiana* Trinidad...
.
He would certainly have played in the 1900 tour
West Indian cricket team in England in 1900
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1900 season. The team played 17 matches between 11 June and 11 August 1900.There had been three tours by teams of English Amateurs to the West Indies in the mid 1890s and the idea of sending a combined West Indies team to England had gradually...
to England, probably as captain, but he was serving in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, taking part in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. He joined the 20th Brigade, becoming a Major in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, but fell ill and never saw service.
Returning to Barbados he played for the combined West Indies team in 1901-02
RA Bennett's XI cricket team in West Indies in 1901-02
After a gap of 5 years the fourth team of English cricketers toured the West Indies in the 1901-02 season. The team was captained by Mr. R.A. Bennett and, like the earlier tourists, consisted solely of Amateurs. They played a total of 19 matches, of which 13 are regarded as first class, between...
(scoring 68) and 1904-05
Lord Brackley's XI cricket team in West Indies in 1904-05
Lord Brackley's XI was the fifth team of English cricketers to tour the West Indies, playing in the 1904-05 season. The team was captained by John Egerton, 4th Earl of Ellesmere and played a total of 20 matches between January and April 1905, of which ten are regarded as first class...
(scoring 83), as captain on both occasions.
He was selected for the 1906
West Indian cricket team in England in 1906
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1906 season. The team played 19 matches between 11 June and 18 August 1906 of which 13 were regarded as first-class....
West Indies touring side and then elected captain. Before the tour he was described as "an excellent bat and fine field, considered the best in the West Indies" and "a graceful bat with an especially good drive. He uses his weight to advantage, and although not too good a starter, he ought to make a lot of runs". In fact he was something of a disappointment on the tour, scoring 529 at an average of 21.16. He scored a useful 74 in the second match of the tour against Essex and later 68* against Scotland and 68 against Leicestershire.
'Cricket' later remarked that "once he retired, but cricket lured him back again; once he left the island for good, but Barbados called him back". Perhaps this explains why he did not play again after the 1906 tour until the 1908-09 season when he scored 53 and a rapid 81 in the final of the Inter-Colonial Tournament
Inter-Colonial Tournament
The Inter-Colonial Tournament was the main first class cricket competition in the West Indies before World War II.- Competing teams :* Barbados* British Guiana* Trinidad...
and then played a couple of matches in England in 1909
1909 English cricket season
The 1909 English cricket season provided confirmation of Australia's superiority as Monty Noble's team retained the Ashes.-Honours:*County Championship - Kent*Minor Counties Championship - Wiltshire...
. He continued playing for Barbados both before and after 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...
, generally as captain.
He was the natural captain again for the 1923
West Indian cricket team in England in 1923
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1923 season. The team played 28 matches between 19 May and 5 September 1923 of which 20 were regarded as first-class. This was the 3rd West Indian tour following those of 1900 and 1906....
tour to England. In the first class matches he scored 360 runs at an average of 25.71, including 51* against Cambridge University and 76 against Somerset. He missed a number of matches through illness, playing in just 11 of the 20 first class matches.
His final first class match was in a trial match for the 1928
West Indian cricket team in England in 1928
The West Indian cricket team that toured England in the 1928 season was the first to play Test cricket. The team was not very successful, losing all three Tests by an innings and winning only five of the 30 first-class matches played....
tour to England at which time he was 50 years old.
In 1988 he featured on one of a set of five postage stamps issued in Barbados to commemorate famous Barbadian cricketers.