E. G. Martin
Encyclopedia
Commander Evelyn George Martin RNR
OBE
(22 March 1881 – 27 April 1945) was a sailor, writer and cricketer. He was educated at Eton
and Oxford, where he was awarded a cricket Blue, and served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. He was born in Upton-on-Severn, Worcestershire
.
trawlers. In 1923 he purchased the French pilot cutter Jolie Brise
and sailed her to victory in the first Fastnet Race
of 1925. He was a founder member and the first Commodore of the Ocean Racing Club.
After selling Jolie Brise he worked Thames barge
s on England's east coast.
Martin wrote many articles for Yachting World
and three books:
Martin died from heart failure in Hadleigh, Suffolk at the age of 64.
appearances came for Oxford University
, but he also played three games for Worcestershire
and one for H. D. G. Leveson-Gower's XI.
Martin played a number of times for Eton, and in 1899 he took ten wickets in the match against Harrow
at Lord's
.
his first-class debut came in May 1903, for Oxford against Gentlemen of England at The Parks; he claimed five wickets in the match including that of centurion Bernard Bosanquet
.
In a total of ten first-class games that season he took 37 wickets at 19.18
, including two for his first and only County Championship
match, for Worcestershire against Somerset
.
(He went wicketless against the Gentlemen of Philadelphia
on his other appearance for the county that year.)
In the next two seasons he played 15 first-class games, all for Oxford, and picked up 29 and 32 wickets respectively.
This period included his best innings return: 7/81 against Kent
at Oxford's Christ Church
ground in late May 1905.
He appeared twice more in 1906, scoring his only first-class half-century in hitting 56 from number 11 in the University Match
at Lord's
(adding 90 for the last wicket with Wilfred Curwen),
and in 1907 played two final matches, both against Oxford: once for Worcestershire, and once for H. D. G. Leveson-Gower's XI.
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(22 March 1881 – 27 April 1945) was a sailor, writer and cricketer. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Oxford, where he was awarded a cricket Blue, and served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. He was born in Upton-on-Severn, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
.
Sailing
A 6' 7" tall bachelor of independent means with family connections to Martin's bank (merged with Barclays Bank in 1969), his interest in working boats under sail was kindled by his trips on BrixhamBrixham
Brixham is a small fishing town and civil parish in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. Brixham is at the southern end of Torbay, across the bay from Torquay, and is a fishing port. Fishing and tourism are its major industries. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of...
trawlers. In 1923 he purchased the French pilot cutter Jolie Brise
Jolie Brise
Jolie Brise is a gaff-rigged pilot cutter built and launched by the Albert Paumelle Yard in Le Havre in 1913 to a design by Alexandre Pâris. After a short career as a pilot boat, owing to steam replacing sail, she became a fishing boat.Bought by E. G...
and sailed her to victory in the first Fastnet Race
Fastnet race
The Fastnet Race is a famous offshore yachting race. It is considered one of the classic offshore races. It takes place every two years over a course of . The race starts off Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England, rounds the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland and then finishes at...
of 1925. He was a founder member and the first Commodore of the Ocean Racing Club.
After selling Jolie Brise he worked Thames barge
Thames sailing barge
A Thames sailing barge was a type of commercial sailing boat common on the River Thames in London in the 19th century. The flat-bottomed barges were perfectly adapted to the Thames Estuary, with its shallow waters and narrow rivers....
s on England's east coast.
Martin wrote many articles for Yachting World
Yachting World
Yachting World is a monthly English language magazine published since 1894. Owned by IPC Media, it features articles on sailing and yachting....
and three books:
- Deep Water Cruising (1928)
- Sailorman (1933)
- Helmsmanship (1934)
Martin died from heart failure in Hadleigh, Suffolk at the age of 64.
Cricket
Most of Martin's first-classFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
appearances came 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...
, but he also played three games for Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire...
and one for H. D. G. Leveson-Gower's XI.
Martin played a number of times for Eton, and in 1899 he took ten wickets in the match against Harrow
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...
at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
.
his first-class debut came in May 1903, for Oxford against Gentlemen of England at The Parks; he claimed five wickets in the match including that of centurion Bernard Bosanquet
Bernard Bosanquet (cricketer)
Bernard James Tindal Bosanquet was an English cricketer best known for inventing the googly, a delivery designed to deceive the batsman. When bowled, it appears to be a leg break, but after pitching the ball turns in the opposite direction to that which is expected, behaving as an off break instead...
.
In a total of ten first-class games that season he took 37 wickets at 19.18
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
, including two for his first and only County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
match, for Worcestershire against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
.
(He went wicketless against the Gentlemen of Philadelphia
Philadelphian cricket team
The Philadelphian cricket team was a team that represented Philadelphia in first-class cricket between 1878 and 1913. Even with the United States having played the first ever international cricket match against Canada in 1844, the sport began a slow decline in the country. This decline was...
on his other appearance for the county that year.)
In the next two seasons he played 15 first-class games, all for Oxford, and picked up 29 and 32 wickets respectively.
This period included his best innings return: 7/81 against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
at Oxford's Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
ground in late May 1905.
He appeared twice more in 1906, scoring his only first-class half-century in hitting 56 from number 11 in the University Match
The University Match (cricket)
The University Match in a cricketing context is generally understood to refer to the annual fixture between Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club...
at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
(adding 90 for the last wicket with Wilfred Curwen),
and in 1907 played two final matches, both against Oxford: once for Worcestershire, and once for H. D. G. Leveson-Gower's XI.