Famous Cricketers No 84 - G.L.Jessop

Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Gentlemen v Players 2 0 14 0 - - - - County Championship 124.4 19 399 14 4-34 28.50 - - Other matches 11 3 23 4 4-23 5.75 - - Season (6-ball) 137.4 22 436 18 4-23 24.22 - - Career (6-ball) 3972.5 982 } 19904 873 8-29 22.79 41 4 (5-ball) 3716 1111 The Later Years On December 21st 1914 Jessop was commissioned as a captain in the 14th Manchester Regiment. He transferred to the Lincolnshire Regiment early in 1916. He played much Army cricket but was still suffering from lumbago. He was sent to Bath for treatment but got trapped in a heat machine, damaging his heart in a vain attempt to escape the scalding steam. His son said that the weakness in his back muscles, caused by his accident in 1909, was also a factor in his long-term health problems from this point onwards. At forty-two and with nearly another forty years to live, his sporting life was over. He was invalided out of the Army in November1917. He had a very serious heart attack in June 1918. After the War, Jessop earned his living by continuing his career in journalism, with the Daily Mail, the Daily Sketch and The Cricketer. His autobiography A Cricketer’s Log was published in 1922. From 1924-36, G.L.Jessop, who had been a scratch golfer, was the paid Secretary of the Edgware Golf Club. Before the War he had been Honorary Secretary of the Cricketers’ Golfing Society. The family now lived in Mill Hill. When the BBC considered live radio broadcasts from cricket matches, the first person they approached was Gilbert Jessop. He declined the invitation as he could not depend on being in sufficiently good health from one day to the next. Hylton Jessop QC died in Cheltenham on 19th July 1924. On the death of his father, in 1918, he became head of the family firm of solicitors, which had been established in 1792. He was succeeded by his son, Walter Hylton. In 1936, G.L.O.Jessop became vicar of St. George’s Church Fordington in Dorchester. His parents came to live in the vicarage and this was their home for the rest of their lives. Revd. Jessop had previously played for Cambridgeshire and now turned out for Dorset as well as Dorchester and Weymouth. His style of batting was orthodox, ‘straight out of the MCC coaching book.’ He was quite an accomplished batsman at this level. He liked to bowl but did not often enjoy much success. In October 1952 Gilbert and Annie celebrated their Golden Wedding. They were visited by the Mayor and Mayoress of Dorchester. Towards the end of his life, Gilbert Jessop used to walk up and down outside the church for a little exercise. He did not go to church much as he could not sit through a long service. When he did, he sat just inside the West Door as this was nearest to the front door of the vicarage. He had a wonderful memory for the matches he had played in. His son would coach the local children at cricket on the vicarage lawn and Gilbert would watch and advise. Jessop’s wife, Millicent Annie, died in her sleep at Fordington vicarage on the 21 st January 1953. The funeral took place on Saturday 24th January at St. George’s church at 2.30 pm and was conducted by her only son, Revd. G.L.O.Jessop. The church was full of mourners. Besides family wreaths there were many from the local branch of the Mothers’ Union. Gilbert Laird Jessop died on May 11th 1955 at St. George’s Vicarage Fordington, 8 days before his 81st birthday. His son was present at the death. Under ‘Occupation’ his death certificate records ‘Journalist (Retired)’. The causes of death are given as ‘Congestive Heart Failure, Myocardial Degeneration and Old Age’. The funeral took place a few days later. Besides many of the locals, the church was full of cricketers past and present, from Britain and around the world. Some had played with or against him. To others, he was a legend from beyond their time. Gloucestershire CCC was represented by E.J.Spry. The service was conducted by Revd. G.L.O.Jessop. Many obituaries were published in the national Press. J.B.Hobbs, writing in The Cricketer spoke of his wonderful ability to 54