Beschreibung:

George Gibbons Hearne. Kent & England, 1875-1895. 'The Diaries of George Hearne written on W.W. Read's tour to South Africa 1891-1892'. Small one hundred and fourteen page full leather maroon diary and, follow on, black lined page hardback diary with metal clip containing twenty five pages of the diary, handwritten by Hearne in pencil, covering the majority of the tour to South Africa. The diary begins with leaving Waterloo Station in London on the morning of 21 November 1891 for Southampton, and sailing from the quayside on the 'Dunottar Castle', the ship calling at Madeira en route, and arriving at Cape Town on 8 December 1891. Hearne then continues with mention of life in South Africa, the places visited on tour, the cricket matches played, the arduous and often dangerous travel facing the team covering the tour from the opening match against Western Province in Cape Town on the 19th December 1891 up until the 3rd of March 1892, which was the opening day of the 16th tour match against 22 of Orange Free State in Bloemfontein when the diary abruptly ends.... Three 'Hearnes' took part in the tour, George Gibbons, his brother Alec, both of Kent and John Thomas Hearne (no relation) of Middlesex. In addition, George and Alec's other brother Frank had emigrated to South Africa in 1888 for health reasons and took part in some of the matches played. When Hearne's diary entries are written in the present tense he uses the first person and when he is writing retrospectively he writes in the third person, referring to himself as 'GG'. Saturday Nov 21st 1891. 'Team left Waterloo for Southampton 11.40am and received a splendid send off. The station crowded with friends we reached Southampton docks about 1.30. Was then taken up river about 3 miles by tender, and stepped on board the Dunottar Castle about 3.30pm, left Southampton at 5.35 and passed the needles about 7.30 and all went well till bedtime 10.30pm'. Monday Nov 23rd. 'Seven of the team very bad. Harry, Alec and I stick to our bunks altogether. Cannot eat. Alec much worst. Sea very rough, boat tossing very much. Mr Read's [W.W] birthday. We present him with a silver matchbox'. Wednesday Nov 25th. '...We reach Madeira about 5.30 in the morning. A cup of coffee at 6.... previous to this I ought to add that we were awakened before 6 by a big swarm of natives all along one side of the ship with their ware for sale to the passengers.... but what interested us as much as anything was a swarm of half coloured boys diving for money ..... we could hardly believe that we were only about 4 days from home to see such a difference in the people and their customs.... We play cards, ship quoits, ring the buckets and read all day and singing in the evening. It has been a glorious day and smooth sea'. Saturday Nov 28th. .... 'Sighted Cape Verde about 8.30am. Steady sea... 6 professionals play 6 of the ship's officers at cricket on top deck and beat them. We had a concert on the 2nd class deck, free to the whole ship. Alec sang 'The Lads in Red'. 'Tuesday Dec 8th. 'Landed at Cape Town at 7am and we were met about 9am by some of the Cape Town notabilities. Frank (Hearne, brother) and Rosie also met on board' .... 'After lunch we all journeyed out to the cricket ground at Newlands in a waggonette and four horses. A very pleasant drive about 6 or 7 miles. Thursday Dec 10th 'All the team go to Newlands for practice' ... 'It has been very fine and warm today. G.G.'s nose rather red and tender. The sun has dazzled on it'. Thursday Dec 17th. 'All the team are invited to a splendid dinner at the Royal Hotel. Sir Thomas Uppingham in the chair. Sir Thomas, among other things, made a very flattering speech concerning Frank. [Hearne, brother] Mr Murdoch [W.L.] did likewise. It was something that Frank might feel very proud of indeed. It showed all of us of the English team what a great favourite Frank is and how well respected'. Saturday Dec 19th. 'We commence our first match v 18 of the Western Province. We
George Hearne, the eldest of three brothers, Frank and Alec were the others,all of whom played with much distinction for Kent. Playing first for Kent in the summer of 1875 when less than nineteen years of age, George Hearne kept his place in the eleven for twenty-one seasons. Hearne played in 328 first-class matches, 252 of them for Kent, primarily a bowler, left-hand round arm, fast medium in pace, he afterwards developed into a capable left-handed batsman. Hearne took 577 wickets for Kent at a cost of 16.5 runs each and scored 7344 runs with an average of 18. Among George Hearne's bowling feats were eight wickets for 46 runs against Lancashire at Old Trafford, when he performed the hat-trick, fourteen wickets for 130 runs against Derbyshire at Derby, thirteen wickets for 75 runs against Hampshire at Southampton and eight for 53 against Lancashire at Canterbury, all in the 1870's. Hearne's only Test was the first and only Test on this 1891/92 tour. Read's team were unbeaten on the tour of South Africa, winning fourteen matches and drawing seven. They were far too strong, particularly in bowling, for the opposition it met, J.T. Hearne and Martin captured over 100 wickets each... It seems unrealistic that the only match played on equal terms is now described as a Test match. For one thing, two Australian Test cricketers, Ferris and Murdoch, as county players became members of the touring party, but went on to represent England. At the end of the tour the captain, Walter Read and manager, Edwin Ash were arrested until they provided security to cover a loan of £1000 which had been advanced by a Cape Colony businessman to cover expenses not met by the gates. There was just time for them to be ferried to the ship before it departed.... This 'Test match' game is more interesting for the following historical oddities, William Murdoch and Ferris, who had both previously played for Australia, played for England due to residence, Frank Hearne, who played for South Africa in this game, had previously played for England. Finally, the game gives the second instance of three brothers playing in the same Test match, as Frank Hearne's brothers, Alec Hearne and George Hearne played for England, a cousin, John Thomas Hearne also played for the tourists and the tour was simultaneous to the English cricket team in Australia in 1891/92, both teams deemed to have "Test status". The diaries were bought by the vendor from a leading London dealer in 1996, who had purchased them previously from a leading auction house. A letter confirming this is sold with the diaries. A fully transcribed typed copy of the diary is available to be read prior to the auction and sold with the diaries