Francis Gordon facts for kids

Francis Arthur Gordon (born January 20, 1808 – died June 26, 1857) was a British Army officer who also loved playing cricket. He was part of the important Huntly family, a well-known noble family from Scotland.

Who Was Francis Arthur Gordon?

Francis Arthur Gordon was a British soldier and a talented cricketer. He was born in 1808 into a very old and respected Scottish family called the Huntly family. He lived during a time when cricket was becoming very popular in England.

Early Life and Education

Francis was the youngest son of George Gordon, 9th Marquess of Huntly. His mother was Catherine. He was born at Orton Hall, which was his family's main home in Orton Longueville, Huntingdonshire.

He went to Thistledon School in Rutland. Later, in 1828, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he showed how good he was at cricket. In 1829, he won a special award called a cricket Blue. This award is given to university students who are excellent at their sport.

A Passion for Cricket

Francis Gordon played cricket often in the late 1820s. He played in seven important matches called first-class cricket games. These were big matches between top teams.

He played three matches for his university team. He also played three times for the MCC, which is a very famous cricket club. Once, he even played for the Gentlemen team against the Players team in 1827.

His brother, Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly, also played cricket with him. His brother had even been the president of the MCC club in 1821. Both Francis and his father were members of this famous club. Francis also played in many other cricket matches that were not "first-class."

Military Career

Francis Gordon joined the 1st Life Guards, which is a very old and respected part of the British Army. He worked his way up through the ranks. He eventually became a lieutenant colonel. This is a senior officer rank in the army.

Sadly, in 1855, he had to leave his command because he was not well. He married Isabel Grant, who was the daughter of a general named William Keir Grant. Francis Arthur Gordon passed away in Paris, France, in 1857. He was 49 years old.