 Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen was an Indian field hockey player- cum- General Physician and also well known name in Indian field hockey administration in the British Colonial rule and the post British colonial rule in India.
Early life of Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen was born on July 15, 1912 was an Indian field hockey player in 1930’s who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. In 1936, this Anglo Indian field hockey player was a member of the Indian field hockey team. That team which won the gold medal in Berlin (Germany). He played in all five matches as halfback. Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen was born in Kerala in an Anglo Indian family. He was educated at St George's School, Mussoorie, and Madras University. There Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen qualified himself as a medical doctor. During the Second World War, Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen served as an officer in the Indian Army Medical Corps from Allied Powers that was under the surveillance of British Army in India. There Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen was attached to several different regiments and was posted to Iraq and Palestine on active service. Career of Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen continued himself in playing hockey. At club level, Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen played for Portrush and Queen's University in London. He also played for Ulster and was asked to play at the 1952 Olympics for Ireland. After 16 years Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen represented India in Berlin in Hockey Championships. Preparations for the Olympics clashed with Ernest's finals in Belfast, however, so he had to decline the invitation. After finishing his academic work in Belfast, Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen took his family to London where he completed his training at the Westminster Hospital. There he also represented hockey and, as by far the oldest player, at seven side rugby where his pace on the wing was an asset. In 1945, Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen married Captain Elsie Victoria Spratt, a QA officer in the British Indian Army and their first son, Sean Patrick, was born in March 1946 in Pune, now in Maharashtra. In 1947 the family went to live with Elsie's mother in Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland and Ernest had to re-qualify as a doctor at Queen's University, Belfast. From London Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen took his family to Ipswich, Suffolk, where he had obtained a post as an assistant medical doctor in a general practice. His second son, Niall Jonathan Martin, was born on August 10, 1951. Goodsir-Cullen was contacted by a fellow graduate of Madras University whose medical practice was looking for another partner. He took his family to Middlesbrough where he worked as a General Physician in the practice for most of the next 35 years. His third son, Christopher Dermot, was born on August 10, 1959, coincidentally the birthday of Niall. In 1980 Elsie died after a short illness. Two years later Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen married Maud Elizabeth Lowe née Spratt, an elder sister of Elsie. In 1985, the couple moved to Portstewart where they were both active in golf and bowls until Ernest's death. The older brother of Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen, William also won a gold medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics as a member of Indian field hockey team. Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen died in the year 1993 in the month of December |
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