Frederick Christian

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameFrederick William•Christian
Used nameFrederick•Christian
Born14 June 1867 in Putney, England (GBR)
Died3 April 1934 in Wellington, Wellington (NZL)
AffiliationsDevon & Somerset Wanderers, Castle Cary (GBR)
NOC Great Britain
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

Frederick Christian was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, where he was a fine cricketer and footballer. Although he played for Devon Wanderers at the 1900 Paris Olympics, when he played a significant part in the English team’s victory with seven first innings wickets, he was a member of the Wanderers Cricket Club. After obtaining his degree, he devoted his life to exploring the Polynesian and South Sea Islands, and subsequently published many books about his exploits and the people and language of the region. One such work was a list of 450 English words translated into 58 different Oceanic languages. Christian eventually made his home in New Zealand and was the city librarian in Christchurch at the time of his death.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1900 Summer Olympics Cricket GBR Frederick Christian
Cricket, Men (Olympic) Devon and Somerset Wanderers 1 Gold

Errata

Previously name given as Frederick William "Fred" Christian and dates of birth/death as 1877 in Buxton, Derbyshire - 13 May 1941 in Reading. The death date and place belong to one Frederick William James Christian, who was born in 1909. There was one Frederick William Christian born in 1878 in Buxton, Derbyshire, who according to England Censuses lived most of his life in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire most of his life and died there on 25 June 1959. But we cannot confirm that this Frederick William Christian was the Olympian. Contemprary newspapers list him only as FW Christian and we cannot confirm his full first name from contemporary sources, so even they might be wrong.