George Robinson was one of the leading wicket-keepers in South Wales during the 1870s, with the Lincolnshire-born amateur mixing his work as an architect and surveyor with a series of decent performances behind the stumps for Glamorganshire as well as for the Cardiff and Llandaff clubs.
In all, he made seven county appearances with the first coming at Cardiff Arms Park against Monmouthshire during June 1870. George’s final county game was at the same ground during August 1875 as he played against Breconshire.
From his office in Caledonian Chambers in St. Mary’s, Street in the centre of Cardiff, he designed designed a number of fine buildings around the city, including Jackson Hall in Westgate Street as well as some of the grand townhouses in West Grove as well as along Cathedral Road where he himself lived in Albert Villa. He also designed several major buildings elsewhere in South Wales, including the Pontypridd Union Workhouse.
He also acted as a wise mentor to fellow architect Edward Seward, who went on to also design many notable buildings in Cardiff, including the Coal Exchange. The pair also collaborated on several projects, including the enlargement of Insole Court, the home of Fred Insole, another sporting gentleman and a cricket colleague of George’s.
He also served as President of Cardiff Naturalists Society, but sadly, the early 1900s were not kind years for George as commissions dried up and in 1909 he appeared in Cardiff’s Bankruptcy Court.
ROBINSON, George Edward
Born: West Butterwick, Broughton, Lincolnshire 1837.
Died: Cardiff, 24 December 1914.