George Giffen (1859 - 1927)

Born 27 Mar 1859 in Adelaide, South Australia

Ancestors

Died 29 Nov 1927 at age 68 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

George Giffen was born in the Colony of South Australia (1836-1900)

George Giffen is Notable.

George Giffen was a cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. An all-rounder who batted in the middle order and often opened the bowling with medium-paced off-spin, George captained Australia during the 1894–95 Ashes series and was the first Australian to score 10,000 runs and take 500 wickets in first-class cricket. He was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame on 26 February 2008.^[1]

Geroge was born on 27th March 1859 in Adelaide, South Australia, as the son of English migrants Richard Giffen, a carpenter, and his wife Elizabeth Challand.^[2]

As a boy, George was coached by Charles and James Gooden, and commenced his cricket career playing for the Norwood club.^[3]

Early in 1877 George played for South Australia against a visiting East Melbourne team making 16 and 14, the highest score in each innings. In November 1877 he made his first-class cricket debut against Tasmania.^[1]

At 22 years of age George made his test debut in Melbourne against England, on 31st December 1881. He toured England for the first time in 1882. He took part in the first Ashes match, where he scored two runs in the first innings and was dismissed for a duck in the second.^[4][1]

In February 1884, Giffen became the first Australian to take all ten wickets in a first-class innings, taking 10/66 for an Australian XI against the Rest.^[1] As Australia's captain in the 1894-95 Ashes series, he totalled 475 runs and 34 wickets.^[3] In tests, he was the first player to score 1000 runs and take 100 wickets.^[5]

George's last test was played in 1896 at The Oval, where England won by 66 runs. He was out for a duck in the first innings, and scored only one run in the second. His bowling fared better, where he captured two wickets for 64 runs in the first innings and one wicket for four runs in the second.^[6]

In first-class cricket George scored 12,501 runs at an average of 29 and took 1109 wickets at 21 runs each. He once took 17 wickets in a match and once 10 wickets in an innings; he also performed three hat-tricks. Against Victoria in 1891 he scored 237 and took 12 wickets for 192. In 1892 he made 271 (a score not surpassed for South Australia until Donald Bradman did so in 1935) and took 16 wickets for 166 runs. For ten years against Victoria he averaged 138 with the bat and 11 wickets per match.^[3]

George worked in the Adelaide post office in 1882-1925,^[3] and died unmarried on 29th November 1927.^[7] He was interred the following day in the West Terrace Cemetery, Road 2, Path 7, Aspect W, Site Number 18, next to two of his sisters, Elizabeth and Theresa.^[8]

George Giffen was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1993. [1]

Further Reading

Obituary for George Giffen in The Register, Adelaide, South Australia

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Wikipedia - George Giffen (27 March 1859 – 29 November 1927), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Giffen, accessed 19 Jun 2020
2. ↑ Birth - Genealogy SA. Birth index. (https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 19 Jun 2020), database entry for Giffen, George (Birth Date: 27 Mar 1859, Father: Richard Giffen, Mother: Elizabeth Challand, Birthplace: Adelaide), Reference: District Adelaide, Book 15, Page 69.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Australian Dictionary of Biography - Australian Dictionary of Biography, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/giffen-george-3608, accessed 19 Jun 2020. Entry for George Giffen (1859-1927).
4. ↑ Career Statistics - Australian Players - George Giffen (ESPNcricinfo, https://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/5382.html ; accessed 19 Jun 2020.
5. ↑ 1000 Runs & 100 Wickets - Records - 1000 Runs and 100 Wickets (ESPNcricinfo, https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/282786.html, accessed 19 Jun 2020.
6. ↑ Final Test - Third Test - Australia tour of England 1896 (ESPNcricinfo, https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/17673/scorecard/62447/england-vs-australia-3rd-test-australia-tour-of-england-1896, accessed 19 Jun 2020)
7. ↑ Death - Genealogy SA. Death Index. (https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 19 Jun 2020), record for Giffen, George (Death Date: 29 Nov 1927, Residence: North Unley, Death Place: Adelaide, Marital Status: Single, Age: 68), Reference: District Adelaide, Book 500, Page 45.
8. ↑ Burial - Adelaide Cemeteries Authority. West Terrace Cemetery. (http://www.aca.sa.gov.au/Records : accessed 19 Jun 2020) Database entry for Giffen, George (Burial Date: 30 Nov 1927, Age: 68, Location: Road 2, Path 7, Aspect W, Site Number 18).

• Sport Australia Hall of Fame