The son of Colonel George Herbert Frederick Campbell, Evenley Hall, Brackley, Northamptonshire. His father was proud of his Scottish descent which he could trace back through the 2nd Earl of Argyll to the old Thanes of Cawdor. The Colonel took an active interest in public affairs in Northamptonshire for which he acted as Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace. His wife, Louisa, was the 3rd daughter of Richard Henry Cox, of Hillingdon, Middlesex.

George was educated at Wellington College, which he entered in 1860.

He played regularly for Liverpool Cricket club from 1861 (aged 14!) to 1868. An H.E.Campbell was playing for the club at that time, perhaps a relative?

On the 8th and 9th July 1863 he appeared for Sixteen of Dingle against the Players of Lancashire at Prince's Park, Liverpool, scoring 19 and taking a wicket.

On 22nd and 23rd July 1864 he played for the Gentlemen of Lancashire against the Gentlemen of Warwickshire at Warwick, scoring 1 and 44 - the top score of the match for either team.

On 28th and 29th June 1865 he played for the Gentlemen of Lancashire against the Gentlemen of Shropshire at Liverpool, taking two wickets and scoring 0 and 6 (or 0 again, depending on which version of the score you believe).

He was still only nineteen years old when he played his only first-class match, for Lancashire against Surrey, at the Wavertree Ground, Liverpool

He accompanied Liverpool C.G.'s (City Gents) on their visit to Cheltenham College on 12th May 1866, and the following year was a member of the Liverpool side that visited Cheltenham on 10th and 11th May. These were the first two matches in the series of Liverpool Public School Tours which survived until the First World War.

In 1868 he married the Hon. Alice, elder daughter of the eighth Viscount Barrington of Berkshire, and set up house at Market House, Brackley. At the time of the 1881 Census he was living there with his wife, two sons, a daughter, a french governess and nine domestic servants. The couple were to have two further sons. Their town residence was at 46 Wilton Crescent, London S.W.

He was a partner in the firm of bankers and army agents, Cox and Company, a connection stemming from his mother's family.

He was fond of hunting and for eleven years was Secretary to the Grafton Hounds. He was also for many years President of the Brackley Conservative Association.

His eldest son married a daughter of Viscount Downe, and he later became the father-in-law of H.J.F.Eaton (Oratory and Cambridge University 1885).

His funeral, at Brackley Parish Church, was attended by many distinguished mourners, including Mr. Archibald Campbell (Chairman of the London Stock Exchange) and Commander Oliver FitzRoy (representing the Speaker of the House of Commons).

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Don Ambrose)

Copyright © 2003-2024 Lancashire CCC and CricketArchive