Harrow's openers, T.O. Jameson and T.B. Wilson, July 1910.

Described as ‘a fine all-rounder’ Tom Ormsby Jameson was born in Clonsilla, Dublin on the 4th April 1892 and attended Hazelwood School until March 1906. When leaving Hazelwood for Harrow, the former school magazine noted that Jameson ‘…will find at Harrow the right training ground for his talents in every branch of sport. He has shown abilities as a cricketer second to few or none.’ He went on to play for the Harrow XI in 1909 and 1910. The latter year he played in the renowned ‘Fowler’s Match’ where he was twice dismissed for single figures, Jameson opened the second inning by scoring 2 runs in 50 minutes of play.

Though his sporting endeavours weren’t limited to cricket. While at Harrow he played rackets and continued to play the game with much distinction while serving in the British Army (which he joined upon the outbreak of the First World War). Mobilised as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion, he was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant and later Captain on 1st January 1917. In September 1917 Jameson was seconded to the West African Frontier Force before returning to his old battalion and serving in Ireland from 1919 to 1922. Such was his athletic prowess he won the amateur Squash Rackets championships in 1922 and 1923.

At Tourin, Co. Waterford: Captain and Mrs. T.O. Jameson entertain Lord and Lady Charles Cavendish, Mrs. Astaire and Mr. Villiers Stuart, May 1934

Jameson &Amp; Joan Musgrave: A Couple in Cappoquin

Even with such a hectic career and sporting endeavours there was time for romance. On the 11th June 1920 Jameson married the artist Joan Moira Maud Musgrave, the daughter of Sir Richard John Musgrave, 5th Baronet of Tourin. Joan had studied art at the Académie Julian in Paris. On his retirement from the army in 1924 Jameson moved back to Ireland and ran a family farm at Cappoquin, Co. Waterford. The couple split their time between Waterford and London till 1929 when upon the death of Joan’s father the couple moved to Tourin.

Captain Jameson and Lady Dorothie Moore at Cahir Park.

Between 1919 to 1932, Jameson played 53 matches for Hampshire scoring over 2,000 runs (including 105 not out against Somerset in Portsmouth in 1926) and taking 77 wickets (his best figures were 5 for 18 against Kent at Southampton in 1925). During the same period the Dubliner played for M.C.C. (his first appearance coming in 1919) and the Army (in 1920, the year in which he was also elected a Free Forester). Jameson numbered the Tennyson XI which toured South Africa in 1924-25 and played in three games against the hosts as well as scoring 90 not out against Rhodesia at Bulawayo and reaching his highest score in his first-class cricket career of 133 against the Orange Free State at Bloemfontein.

After the South African tour, Jameson played for the M.C.C. side which visited the West Indies reaching figures of 110 against Jamaica at Kingston and 98 against the West Indies at Bridgetown. He was a part of Marylebone’s trip to South America in 1926-27 excelling with both bat and ball which saw him take 5 for 27 and 5 for 29 against Argentina at Belgrano. When the opportunity arose Jameson also played for his native Ireland and in 1928 membered the team which inflicted a first defeat of the tour on the travelling West Indian side.

From Touring To Tourin: A Revival Of Cricket In West Waterford

Two years after moving to Tourin with his wife, Jameson was one of the individuals behind the revival of cricket in Cappoquin after a thirty year lapse of the playing of the game in the west Waterford town. Under Jameson’s guidance he was tutoring the players of the club who in their first month of existence in July 1931 played three matches, two against Cahir (a loss and a draw) and were victorious over the well-established Lismore Cricket club by 107 runs to 58. Subsequently they played a Hearne’s XI made up of the employees of the building contractor John Hearne and Son, with the west Waterford side losing by 18 runs.

For the return fixture the Cappoquin side who could call on the services of their captain Tom Jameson who with J. Lacey managed to bowl the Waterford city side out for nine runs in the first innings. Over the two innings Cappoquin comfortably won by two wickets and 40 runs. Jameson took 7 wickets over the two innings and scored 12 runs (dismissed by lbw) in the first innings for his side.

Though Jameson’s interests weren’t just limited to cricket as he was also patron of the Cappoquin Rugby Football Club. Over the next couple of years the Cappoquin Cricket Club regularly played the Hearne’s XI, Cahir, Curraghmore and Woodstown cricket clubs. However Jameson appeared to be more absent than present for his club’s matches. Though when available Jameson’s bowling efforts were unable to compete with a continually improving Hearne’s side as it appeared that the game was slowly petering out in Cappoquin by 1935. Though Jameson’s own life was nearly extinguished when in August 1935 when driving over a mile from Cappoquin the steering gear of his car became locked and the car struck a fence with the vehicle completely wrecked he managed to survive with a few scratches.

Decline of Cappoquin, Rise of County Waterford Cricket

May 1936 saw the Cappoquin Cricket Club cease to function for that summer with many of it’s prominent members becoming involved with the Lismore club. But the club would return briefly again by the end of the decade. In 1937, aged 45 Jameson was selected for the Lord Tennyson side in India but poor health saw his performances hampered.

Waterford city and county could boast 9 clubs by May 1939 with Bishop Foy School, Cappoquin, Christendom, John Hearne & Son, Killea, Lismore, Newtown School, Tramore and Woodstown. It was the intention of the latter club’s captain P.L. Dempster and J.E. Lloyd Lewis (headmaster of Bishop Foy School) to form and develop a County Waterford team. The following year Jameson was selected for a Waterford County XI to face the Phoenix Club of Dublin at Woodstown Cricket Club grounds. The creation of a Waterford County side was part of the growth in the game in the south-east of Ireland with Cork very much being a particular stronghold in the province of Munster.

Jameson was described as ‘A tall, stylish batsman and a particularly fine driver’ by The Cricketer in April 1965. Upon his death Wisden recorded of Jameson that ‘In all first-class cricket he hit 4,631 runs, average 31.71, with leg-break bowling took 241 wickets for 23.92 runs each and, chiefly at slip, held 86 catches.’ Prior to his death, Jameson had been residing at Rock House in Ardmore having moved there with his wife in the early 1950s. It’s an unfamiliar tale of one of the great all-rounders making his home in west Waterford. Jameson brought his love of the game of cricket to Cappoquin but it was his love for Joan Musgrave that brought him to Cappoquin in the first innings.