Frank William Gilligan
Encyclopedia
Frank William Gilligan OBE (born 20 September 1893 in London
– 4 May 1960 in Wanganui
, New Zealand
) was an English
cricket
er who played for Oxford University
and was an integral part of the Essex
county side for ten years. He went on to become headmaster of one New Zealand
's top independent schools and was awarded an OBE
in 1955 for his services to education.
, London
, the son of Willie Austin Gilligan and Alice Eliza (née Kimpton). He was the oldest of four children, having two younger brothers and a sister Kathleen. His two younger brothers, Arthur Gilligan
and Harold Gilligan
both went on to captain England at cricket. All three brothers attended Dulwich College
. Frank was in the school 1st XI for three years (from 1911 to 1913) and was also an excellent Rugby Union
player, playing for the 1st XV in 1912 and 1913. He also held the school record for the mile in 1911. From Dulwich College he had an Exhibition to Worcester College, Oxford
to read English. However, whilst there World War I
caused him to join the 12th Battalion Essex Regiment
, and he was mentioned in despatches.
in 1920, where he eventually became a housemaster. He taught there until 1935, under the headship of another Old Alleynian
Reginald Owen. His background in cricket made him the ideal candidate to become the head of cricket at the school and it is reputed that he was responsible for a Golden Age of Uppingham cricket.
From Uppingham he took the headship of Wanganui Collegiate School
in New Zealand
. He remained in that post for 18 years, leaving in 1954. The Wanganui Collegian wrote "He believed in good sportsmanship, modesty, tolerance, and seeing the other man's point of view, and he was himself an exemplar of these qualities. He would go to endless trouble to help anybody. To watch him taking a game was a liberal education in the art of coaching. A devotee of using one's feet to play slow bowling and of forward play."
In 1955 he was appointed OBE
for his services to education.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
– 4 May 1960 in Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played 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...
and was an integral part of the Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
county side for ten years. He went on to become headmaster of one New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's top independent schools and was awarded an 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...
in 1955 for his services to education.
Background
Frank Gilligan was born on 20 September 1893 in Denmark HillDenmark Hill
Denmark Hill is an area and road in the London Borough of Southwark. The road forms part of the A215; north of Camberwell Green it becomes Camberwell Road; south of Red Post Hill it becomes Herne Hill. Its postcode is SE5. Nearby streets whose names refer to different aspects of the same...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Willie Austin Gilligan and Alice Eliza (née Kimpton). He was the oldest of four children, having two younger brothers and a sister Kathleen. His two younger brothers, Arthur Gilligan
Arthur Gilligan
Arthur Edward Robert Gilligan was an English cricketer who played for Cambridge University, Sussex, Surrey and England....
and Harold Gilligan
Harold Gilligan
Alfred Herbert Harold Gilligan was a cricketer who played for Sussex and England. Gilligan captained England on their four-Test tour of New Zealand in 1929-30, which England won 1-0...
both went on to captain England at cricket. All three brothers attended Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
. Frank was in the school 1st XI for three years (from 1911 to 1913) and was also an excellent Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, playing for the 1st XV in 1912 and 1913. He also held the school record for the mile in 1911. From Dulwich College he had an Exhibition to Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
to read English. However, whilst there World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
caused him to join the 12th Battalion Essex Regiment
Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that saw active service from 1881 to 1958. Members of the regiment were recruited from across Essex county. Its lineage is continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment.-Origins:...
, and he was mentioned in despatches.
First Class Cricket
Whilst at Oxford he won two cricket blues, one as captain, and graduated with honours in English. He went on to play seventy-nine matches for Essex between 1919 and 1929. There he kept wicket taking 87 catches and making 33 stumpings and averaging 23.62 with the bat.In education
Frank joined Uppingham SchoolUppingham School
Uppingham School is a co-educational independent school of the English public school tradition, situated in the small town of Uppingham in Rutland, England...
in 1920, where he eventually became a housemaster. He taught there until 1935, under the headship of another Old Alleynian
Old Alleynian
This article concerns the rugby club. For a list of eminent Old Alleynians please see List of Old AlleyniansThe Old Alleynian Football Club is an open rugby union club founded as a team for the old boys of Dulwich College, themselves known as Old Alleynians. It is one of the oldest clubs in London...
Reginald Owen. His background in cricket made him the ideal candidate to become the head of cricket at the school and it is reputed that he was responsible for a Golden Age of Uppingham cricket.
From Uppingham he took the headship of Wanganui Collegiate School
Wanganui Collegiate School
Wanganui Collegiate School is an independent, coeducational, day and boarding secondary school in Wanganui, New Zealand. The school is affiliated to the Anglican church.-About:...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He remained in that post for 18 years, leaving in 1954. The Wanganui Collegian wrote "He believed in good sportsmanship, modesty, tolerance, and seeing the other man's point of view, and he was himself an exemplar of these qualities. He would go to endless trouble to help anybody. To watch him taking a game was a liberal education in the art of coaching. A devotee of using one's feet to play slow bowling and of forward play."
In 1955 he was appointed 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...
for his services to education.