James Rodgers continues his exploration of the Club’s history with this piece on one of the two Sydney University cricketers to serve in the Boer War.
LIEUTENANT HENRY CHARLES MORRISET DELOHERY 1875-1928
Henry Delohery, born in Maitland, attended Sydney Grammar School, as did his four brothers. All of them played cricket with some skill.
Five sons and three daughters were children of Cornelius Delohery (1838-1924), one-time Deputy Stipendiary Magistrate, and Harriett – nee Roberts – (1838-1923) who were married in 1861. Henry was the only one of the family to pursue medical studies and he enrolled in Medicine I at Sydney University in 1893. His entry into the University coincided with the Cricket Club’s emergence as one of the clubs in the initial season of ‘Electorate Cricket’. Indeed, Henry played in the first game of the new competition (SUCC 1st Grade cap no7), University v Glebe at Wentworth Park in October 1893. His intermittent appearances I 1st Grade, however, were not productive. Consistency eluded him. 26 innings spread over four seasons produced only 347 runs and he barely held his place.
These were not happy seasons for the Club. A series of faltering performances led to University’s withdrawal from the competition for the 1897-98 season and its readmission on humbling terms in 1898-99. The 1st XI, restricted to undergraduates only, played in the 2nd Grade competition but Delohery, nearing the end of his studies, had his best season: 462 runs at 46.2. Joined by a younger brother, Ernest who scored 393 runs and took 33 wickets, Henry seems to have found his level at last and the side won the 2nd Grade premiership.
After graduation, Henry played 1st Grade for Sydney in 1900-01 but the Boer War had been declared in South Africa and wounded and sick troops desperately needed doctors. Just after the season ended, Lieutenant Delohery, now a Medical Officer in the NSW Contingent of the Army Medical Corps, sailed on the SS Custodian and spent twelve months attached to Colonel Williams’ and Colonel Rimmington’s columns in West and East Transvaal.
Just after the peace treaty was signed, Delohery arrived back in Sydney in June 1902.
His life from there seems to defy much analysis. He seems to have played no more Electorate Cricket; he was married and had three children (the youngest of whom was only 12 months old when Dr Delohery died); he practised at Wallsend and Forbes and finally at Hunters Hill.
On Thursday 16 February 1928, just after completing surgery, he collapsed suddenly at his home in Lane Cove. He was only 53 years old and any links with his first cricket club seemed to have been forgotten.
James Rodgers