George Worthington, a colliery proprietor and businessman, was an enthusiastic cricketer, as well as being a leading figure in the creation of a club in Central Cardiff where his sporting friends and other gentlemen could meet and socialize.
Born in Worcestershire in 1829, George was the second son of Jonathan Worthington, the proprietor of Llancaiach and Gelligaer Collieries and a Director of the Rhymney Railway. As a young man, George worked initiaslly in the Neath area and in 1855, as well as 1856 he appeared for the XXII of South Wales against the All-England Eleven. He also played against the same opponents for the Cardiff and District XXII in 1855 as well as for Llanelly in 1856 and Monmouthshire in 1858.
Given his business links and social standing, George joined the South Wales Cricket Club shortly after its formation during 1859. He also featured in the matches against Clifton CC and Lansdown CC in 1860 and 1861, whilst during the latter, as well as 1862, he went on their London tour,
George also made his Glamorganshire debut in 1861 against Carmarthenshire at Llanelly House, whilst two years later he turned out again for his adopted county against Carmarthenshire in the games at Llanelly and Bryn-y-Mor Field in Swansea. By this time, George had succeeded his father as the manager of the Collieries, besides a Director of the Penarth Dock and Railway Company.
With his business career on the up, George took a short break from his cricketing activities in 1863 besides spending time on another project. George was a keen huntsman, riding with the Roath Court and Glamorganshire Hunts, besides being a regular at the Cardiff Races. Perhaps it was during the jolly banter and bonhomie exuded in no small amount at the post-race events or after the cricket matches in which George participated that the seeds were sown for the creation of a gentlemen’s club in Cardiff where the well-to-do of the town and its environs could socialise and relax with the dignified and civilised company of their equals, and chat about their sporting endeavours, rather than drinking with the hoi polloi in the many taverns and alehouses.
During the second half of 1863 George became Director of the Cardiff Hotel Company Limited as a project began to create The Royal Hotel, at the southern end of St. Mary Street which could offer more luxurious accommodation and facilities compared with those at the Cardiff Arms which was, to all intents and purposes, just a coaching inn. His fellow Directors included his hunting pal Charles Williams of Roath Court, and barrister Richard Evans Spencer of Llandaff, who was another cricketer with the Cardiff club and Glamorganshire. The new hotel was completed by the late summer of 1865 with George basing himself permanently in rooms at the Royal Hotel.
He returned to county cricket during 1870, appearing for Glamorganshire against Monmouthshire at the Arms Park. It proved to be his most successful major match with the bat, with George scoring 38. This was in vast contrast with many of his other efforts – in 49 innings in major games, he scored 242 runs at an average of just 5.62. Despite this modest record, George also played against Monmouthshire at Cardiff in 1871, as well as Breconshire and Radnorshire in 1872 followed in 1874 and 1875 by appearances at Brecon in their games against Glamorganshire,
By this time, an annexe to the Hotel had been created as the Cardiff and County Club came into being. Each evening the bachelor would dine in the Club, before retiring to his rooms in the Hotel. It was in the Club on the evening of 30 June 1881 that he sadly passed away. George had been dining with a small group of friends when, around 8pm at the end of their meal, he suddenly collapsed and gasped for breath. Edmund Reece, the Cardiff coroner and a prominent solicitor, was dining on a nearby table and he quickly tried to help his ill friend. A doctor then arrived and attempted some cardiac massage, but it soon became clear that further assistance was to no avail, and George was pronounced dead.
WORTHINGTON, George Samuel
Born – Stourport-on-Severn, 1829.
Died – Cardiff, 30 June 1881.