After a brief spell at Cheltenham College, Jack MacBryan attended Exeter School and the RMC Sandhurst, where he earned a reputation as an outstanding cricketer, rugby footballer and hockey player. While still at Sandhurst he made his début as a county cricketer for Somerset in 1911. He was commissioned into the Price Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry in 1912 but shortly after his 21st birthday resigned his commission and enrolled at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital with the intention of following his father as a doctor. The war soon interrupted his medical studies and after rejoining his regiment, MacBryan had the misfortune to be taken prisoner in France just three weeks after the outbreak of hostilities. After the war, MacBryan went up to Jesus College, Cambridge, and won a cricket blue in 1920. Although he also played hockey for Cambridge he was not selected for the match against Oxford. The 1920 Olympic Games was the only occasion that he played hockey at international level. Apart from his obvious cricket and hockey talents he was an accomplished golfer, playing to a handicap of four at Sunningdale and at Prince’s Club, Sandwich, and also played rugby for Richmond. MacBryan represented Somerset at all four sports but cricket was undoubtedly his main love. On leaving Cambridge, he served for two years as a private secretary to Sir Francis Towle but then took a job on the Stock Exchange which did not interfere with his cricketing summers. He was one of the mainstays of the Somerset team from 1911 to 1931 and in 1924 he played for England against South Africa at Old Trafford but, because of rain, little play was possible and MacBryan did not bat. However, the opportunity to show his batting talents to the South Africans was not long delayed and he went on the unofficial MCC tour that winter, playing in four of five “Tests”. He scored more than 1000 runs in a season five times, coming close to scoring 2000 in 1923, and in 1925 Wisden’s named him as one of the Cricketers of the Year. Sadly, Jack MacBryan’s good fortune as a sportsman did not embrace his whole life. His marriage to the Gaiety Girl, Myrna Thompson, was short-lived and in his old age he suffered from severe financial distress. After retiring from the stockbrokerage house for whom he had worked for many years he joined another firm which soon failed and MacBryan was faced with the tragedy of being “hammered” at the age of 80. He spent his last years in very modest circumstances in Cambridge and the Memorial Service held there one week after his death, on what would have been his 91st birthday, was attended by only 14 people.
Great Britain