Earnest Goodsir-Cullen
Encyclopedia
Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen (July 15, 1912 – December 1993) was an India
n field hockey
player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics
.
In 1936 he was a member of the Indian field hockey team, which won the gold medal in Berlin. He played in all five matches as halfback.
Goodsir-Cullen was born in Kerala, India and educated at St George's School, Mussoorie, and Madras University where he qualified as a medical doctor. During World War II he served as an officer in the Indian Army Medical Corps where he was attached to several different regiments and was posted to Iraq and Palestine on active service. In 1945 he married Captain Elsie Victoria Spratt, a QA officer in the British Army and their first son, Sean Patrick, was born in March 1946 in Poona. In 1947 the family went to live with Elsie's mother in Portstewart
, County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
and Ernest had to re-qualify as a doctor at Queen's University, Belfast.
Goodsir-Cullen continued playing hockey. At club level he played for Portrush and Queen's University. He also played for Ulster and was asked to play at the 1952 Olympics for Ireland, 16 years after representing India in Berlin. Preparations for the Olympics clashed with Ernest's finals in Belfast, however, so he had to decline the invitation.
After finishing his academic work in Belfast Goodsir-Cullen took his family to London where he completed his training at the Westminster Hospital, which he also represented at hockey and, as by far the oldest player, at seven a side rugby where his pace on the wing was an asset. From London he took his family to Ipswich, Suffolk, where he had obtained a post as an assistant in a general practice. His second son, Niall Jonathan Martin, was born on August 10, 1951.
Goodsir-Cullen was contacted by a fellow graduate of Madras University whose medical practice was looking for another partner. He took his family to Middlesbrough where he worked as a GP in the practice for most of the next 35 years. His third son, Christopher Dermot, was born on August 10, 1959, coincidentally the birthday of Niall.
In 1980 Elsie died after a short illness. Two years later Goodsir-Cullen married Maud Elizabeth Lowe née Spratt, an elder sister of Elsie. In 1985 they moved to Portstewart where they were both active in golf and bowls until Ernest's death. Maud died in 2009.
His older brother William
won a gold medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics
as a member of Indian field hockey team.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
.
In 1936 he was a member of the Indian field hockey team, which won the gold medal in Berlin. He played in all five matches as halfback.
Goodsir-Cullen was born in Kerala, India and educated at St George's School, Mussoorie, and Madras University where he qualified as a medical doctor. During World War II he served as an officer in the Indian Army Medical Corps where he was attached to several different regiments and was posted to Iraq and Palestine on active service. In 1945 he married Captain Elsie Victoria Spratt, a QA officer in the British Army and their first son, Sean Patrick, was born in March 1946 in Poona. In 1947 the family went to live with Elsie's mother in Portstewart
Portstewart
Portstewart is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,803 people in the 2001 Census. It is a seaside resort neighbouring Portrush. Of the two towns, Portstewart is decidedly quieter with more sedate attractions. Its harbour and scenic coastal paths form an...
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and Ernest had to re-qualify as a doctor at Queen's University, Belfast.
Goodsir-Cullen continued playing hockey. At club level he played for Portrush and Queen's University. He also played for Ulster and was asked to play at the 1952 Olympics for Ireland, 16 years after representing India in Berlin. Preparations for the Olympics clashed with Ernest's finals in Belfast, however, so he had to decline the invitation.
After finishing his academic work in Belfast Goodsir-Cullen took his family to London where he completed his training at the Westminster Hospital, which he also represented at hockey and, as by far the oldest player, at seven a side rugby where his pace on the wing was an asset. From London he took his family to Ipswich, Suffolk, where he had obtained a post as an assistant in a general practice. His second son, Niall Jonathan Martin, was born on August 10, 1951.
Goodsir-Cullen was contacted by a fellow graduate of Madras University whose medical practice was looking for another partner. He took his family to Middlesbrough where he worked as a GP in the practice for most of the next 35 years. His third son, Christopher Dermot, was born on August 10, 1959, coincidentally the birthday of Niall.
In 1980 Elsie died after a short illness. Two years later Goodsir-Cullen married Maud Elizabeth Lowe née Spratt, an elder sister of Elsie. In 1985 they moved to Portstewart where they were both active in golf and bowls until Ernest's death. Maud died in 2009.
His older brother William
William Goodsir-Cullen
William "Willie" James Goodsir-Cullen was an Indian field hockey player who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics....
won a gold medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
as a member of Indian field hockey team.