Lt Col George Foljambe was born at Osberton Hall, nr Worksop, on 10 October 1856, the son of Francis Foljambe, a wealthy landowner, Liberal MP for East Retford and a member of the Privy Council towards the end of Victoria’s reign. Francis Foljambe served as President of Nottinghamshire CCC in 1887, after his son’s brief spell with the County sides.
George Savile Foljambe – he shared his full name with his paternal grandfather – was educated at Eton, going up to Christ Church, Oxford. He was not in the cricket eleven at either Eton or Oxford but did top his college’s batting averages in 1879. He did, however, win a Blue at Oxford for Royal Tennis. He played for Nottinghamshire in seven matches between 1879-81, and in 24 first-class matches in all. For Notts he averaged just 5.27 with the bat in eleven innings; his First-Class average was a little better, 8.25 from 38 innings.
He also played for Eton Ramblers for many years and represented the MCC on a number of occasions, including in 1881 when he made his highest score, a no doubt frustrating 99 (his only score above fifty), against Oxford.
Described as a useful hard-hitting batsman and left-arm medium-pace bowler, Foljambe also made an impression in the field – the Nottingham Journal of 1879 commenting: “The two amateurs that have been played, Capt W F Story and Mr Foljambe, though failing as batsmen, it must be remarked that the former at the wicket and the latter in the field have worked satisfactorily”.
George Foljambe was much better known for his army career and his distinguished service in World War One. He Served in the Army from 1875 to 1913, he was Lieutenant-Colonel of the 4th Volunteer Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters, before re-joining in 1914; later he worked for the British Red Cross in France as a ‘Searcher’, interviewing wounded soldiers about their missing colleagues. He became a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1917 in recognition of his war service and was also awarded the Volunteer Officer’s Decoration (VD).
He was Deputy Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire and a JP. His family had very strong connections with cricket – his son Edmond played First-Class cricket for Oxford University and the Free Foresters; his brother-in-law was the Rev William Bury, who also played for Nottinghamshire; his brother Godfrey and nephews represented the MCC, as did two uncles, Edward and Archibald Acheson.
Lt Col Foljambe died on 13 September 1920 in London.
May 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 165