From The Vaults

18 May 2015

Historic Rugby Mascots

To the very best of our knowledge, HD Freakes is the only person to have taken a doll to his debut as an international rugby player. Quite why England full-back Freakes is clutching a ceramic doll before the loss to Wales in 1938 is anyone's guess. An early merchandising ploy?

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18 May 2015

Historic Rugby Mascots

To the very best of our knowledge, HD Freakes is the only person to have taken a doll to his debut as an international rugby player. Quite why England full-back Freakes is clutching a ceramic doll before the loss to Wales in 1938 is anyone's guess. An early merchandising ploy?

12 May 2015

Remembering the Middlesex Sevens

The Middlesex Sevens began life as a southern counterpart to the popular Melrose Sevens that had taken place in the Scottish Borders since the 7-man game had been invented there by a butcher, called Ned Haig, in 1883.

09 May 2015

Lest We Forget - Harry Berry (England and Gloucester) and Harry Barnes (Gloucester) 09/05/2015

One hundred years ago today the only Gloucester international rugby player to die in the Great War, Henry 'Harry' Berry, was killed in action on 9th May 1915, during the Battle of Aubers Ridge. Herbert Henry 'Harry' Barnes, his Gloucester teammate, was also killed this day in the same battle. Martin Davies and Malc King here pay tribute to them both.

06 May 2015

...he might have stood as a symbol of the heart of England...remembering Ronnie Poulton

The following is an extract from AA Thomson's 'What Do They Know of England?' published in 1955. It begins with a description of Ronnie Poulton's devastating display against Cambridge in the 1909 Varsity Match:

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.

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.

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.

16 April 2015

Club Histories - The Amazing Old Streetonians

Rugby clubs come in all different shapes and sizes and not all of them fit the traditional mould of having been formed by ex-public schoolboys in the Victorian era.

09 April 2015

Baa Baa’s Birthday

125 years ago on the 9th April 1890, in the early hours of the morning, W P Carpmael and the Southern Nomads team sat down after a successful Easter tour and a hearty meal to form a touring rugby side.

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.

25 March 2015

Tales from the terraces - Cap That!

Dave Allsop recalls friendships made on the terraces of Welford Road...

16 March 2015

Rugby resumes in the aftermath of the Second World War...

After the long-awaited cease in hostilities, international rugby was quick to resume. Having stood shoulder to shoulder on the battlefield, Englishmen and Scotsmen now faced-off against each other for a 'Victory' international test match at Twickenham Stadium.

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