From The Vaults

08 August 2015

Lest We Forget - Albert 'Doolan' Downing (New Zealand) 08/08/1915

Sergeant Albert Downing was born in Napier on July 12, 1886. He was educated at the Marist Brothers' School there, which he left in 1904, and was employed as a clerk successively by the Excelsior Dairy Co., Ltd., Barry Bros., Ltd., and Ellison and Duncan, Ltd., merchants...

Read More

Showing Players articles

Browse by

08 August 2015

Lest We Forget - Albert 'Doolan' Downing (New Zealand) 08/08/1915

Sergeant Albert Downing was born in Napier on July 12, 1886. He was educated at the Marist Brothers' School there, which he left in 1904, and was employed as a clerk successively by the Excelsior Dairy Co., Ltd., Barry Bros., Ltd., and Ellison and Duncan, Ltd., merchants...

Read More

31 July 2015

Lest We Forget - Billy Geen (Wales) 31/07/1915

At his best, Billy Geen was a dazzlingly entertaining three-quarter, with a bewildering side-step. At times, he reminded supporters of some of the greatest exponents of Welsh back play, like Arthur Gould and Rhys Gabe.

Read More

17 July 2015

Lest We Forget - Frank Tarr (England) 18/07/1915

Francis Nathaniel Tarr, known as Frank, was born at Ironville near Belper, Derbyshire, the only son of Frederick Tarr and his wife Emma. Francis had an older sister, Mabel.

Read More

14 July 2015

Rugby from the front, 1914-1918

Rugby led the rush to war in 1914. As a famous recruiting poster trumpeted in December, 'Rugby Union Footballers Doing their Duty - over 90% have enlisted'.

Read More

26 June 2015

PLAYER PROFILE - JHP Strang

The museum recently received an enquiry from a Mr Strang who had in his possession an 1888 England cap that had belonged to his Grandfather. 1888 was an interesting year for English rugby. A dispute between England and Scotland meant that England would not contest any of the fixtures that normally constituted the Home Nations Championship.

Read More

04 June 2015

Lest We Forget - William Moore Bell Nanson (England) 04/06/1915

William Moore Bell Nanson was born in Carlisle. He was one of seven children of Charles James Nanson and his wife Elizabeth. His father was a slater and slate merchant and, after attending the local Lowther Street School, William followed in his footsteps.

Read More

05 May 2015

Lest We Forget - Ronnie Poulton (England) 05/05/1915

Ronald William Poulton (later unofficially known as Poulton Palmer) was, by general acclaim, the most celebrated rugby player of his day. He was born in Headington, Oxford, one of five children of pro-Darwinian Professor, Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton and his wife Emily.

Read More

25 April 2015

Lest We Forget - Teddy Larkin and Blair Swannell (Australia) 25/04/1915

On the first day of the landings (Anzac Day) Australia lost two gifted, but very different, men who had represented their country before on the field of international rugby.

Read More

19 April 2015

Lest We Forget - Alexander Findlater Todd (England) 21/04/1915

Alexander Findlater Todd, known to the family as "Fin", was born in Lewisham, South London, one of six children of Bruce Beveridge Todd and his wife Phoebe. His father was a wine merchant in the firm of Findlater, Mackie, Todd & Co Ltd, for whom Alexander briefly worked before the war. The company became part of Waitrose in the 1990s.

Read More

31 March 2015

‘Good Sport’ – a history of English multi-discipline international sportsmen

The concept of the all-round sportsman was one of the most significant role models to emerge in the second half of the 19th century. In an era when to be a "good sport" was a distinct asset both in athletic and social terms, the playing of a number of different sports to a high standard frequently led to important opportunities for professional and social advancement for a young sportsman.

Read More

03 March 2015

Lest We Forget - Ronald Owen Lagden (England) 03/03/1915

Ronald Owen Lagden was born in Maseru, Basutoland (modern Lesotho) on the border of present day South Africa, one of five children of Sir Godfrey Yeatman Lagden KCMG and Lady Lagden.

Read More

25 January 2015

Lest We Forget - Percy Dale Kendall (England) 25/01/1915

Percy Dale Kendall, known as 'Toggie", was born in Prescot, Lancashire. His father and mother, Francis and Margaret, had four children, of whom Percy was the third. Francis was a solicitor.

Read More

1 2

…

11 12 13

14

15