Francis Conry

Francis Conry was born in Bermuda, lived in England as a youngster and then spent a large part of his life working in South Africa, where he had a long and distinguished career in the South African Civil Service. Conry was, at one period, a Government Private Secretary to General Botha, who became South Africa’s first Prime Minister.

The son of a Royal Naval surgeon, Conry and his family moved to England in 1881 and settled in the Devon area, where he was educated at Mannamead School in Plymouth. He soon established himself as a fine sportsman and went on to win Devon county honours as a footballer and cricketer. He also played football for the famous Corinthians FC. Conry was a member of the Devon and Wanderers cricket squad at the 1900 Paris Olympics, but did not play.

After moving to South Africa in 1900, cricket remained a large part of Conry’s life and he was a regular member of the Western Province team from 1906-24. He had earlier played for Natal and was in their side that played the touring Australians in 1902, and in 1913 scored 53 for Western Province against the strong touring MCC team, captained by John Douglas. Conry also served on the South African cricket selection committee. He retired from the South African Civil Service in 1932 and returned to Devon in May of that year.