The Baileys Of Ceylon And Tasmanian Origins
George Bailey's great-great-grandfather of the same name and son of Revd. Bailey, was born today in 1853 in Ceylon, and is the first Tasmanian Cricketer to represent Australia.
Most Cricket fans would know by now that George Bailey, former Australian Cricketer who is now their Chairman of Selectors, has an ancestor who is the first Tasmanian to play for Australia. This George Bailey however, has a special connection to Ceylon as it was his place of birth and was born on this day!
George Herbert Bailey, the first Tasmanian
George Bailey's great-great-grandfather George Herbert Bailey, was born on October 29th 1853 whose father was a Ceylon School Inspector (whose name will be revealed as we go on). Born in Colombo and later moving to the UK for his early education, he joined his father in Tasmania in 1870.
G.H.Bailey seated on left with a white hat
By 1872, he was starting to make a name for himself as a top-order batter within the Tasmanian First-Class Circuit when he played for the Launceston Cricket Club. In 1877, he earned his maiden call to play for the touring Australian side as the 12th man in place of John Arthur who fell ill, making him the first Tasmanian cricketer to be part of an Australian team, playing 12 First Class matches.
The Bailey who brought Cricket to the Colombo Academy
Remember G.H. Bailey's father being a Ceylon School's Inspector? He is none other than Revd. Joseph Brooke Bailey, one of the former Headmasters of Royal College, Colombo!
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