From The Vaults

10 February 2015

The Mysteries of 'Forever England'

Shane Record's 'Forever England' was unveiled inside the West Stand of Twickenham Stadium in 2014 to commemorate a century since the outbreak of the First World War. It depicts an England side on the cusp of winning the 1914 5-Nations Championship, collecting a second consecutive Grand Slam in the process.

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10 February 2015

The Mysteries of 'Forever England'

Shane Record's 'Forever England' was unveiled inside the West Stand of Twickenham Stadium in 2014 to commemorate a century since the outbreak of the First World War. It depicts an England side on the cusp of winning the 1914 5-Nations Championship, collecting a second consecutive Grand Slam in the process.

05 February 2015

The 'Real' Triple Crown

In 2006 a silver shield was produced as the physical embodiment of an idea that had existed since 1894. The Triple Crown was first made reference to by the Irish Times in 1894 after Ireland had defeated England, Wales and Scotland in a single season for the first time.

02 February 2015

William Webb Ellis, Are You Mad?

In 1971 the Rugby Football Union produced a promotional film detailing the history and culture of rugby union. It included the following re-enactment of the alleged moment that William Webb-Ellis 'picked up the ball and ran' at Rugby School in 1823.

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.

24 January 2015

Lest We Forget - Charles Gerald Taylor (Wales) 24/01/1915

If Charles Taylor hadn't decided to pursue a naval career he might never have become a rugby player. He was born in Ruabon, north Wales on 8 May 1863, the son of Reverend Alfred and Annie Taylor. His father was headmaster of Ruabon Grammar School, where Charles was educated.

20 January 2015

Stoddart sells the Natives short

In February of 1889, during a test-match against the touring New Zealand Natives, England's AE Stoddart, whilst on the attack, lost a 'portion' of his shorts. As was the custom, Stoddart's team-mates formed a circle around him to protect his modesty whilst he collected himself.

15 January 2015

Amateurism Gone Awry

This 1908 New Zealand Jersey came to the museum by way of Tom Smith, an Anglo-Welsh and Leicester Tigers player from the 1900s. The Museum recently bought his collection at auction and it gives a unique insight into one of rugby union's early tours and the state of amateurism within the game at that time.

30 December 2014

I remember when...

Twickenham Stadium Tour Guide Andy Bustin recalls his earliest experiences of the game and a first trip to Twickenham back in 1967...

22 December 2014

Nadolig Llawen!

With Christmas fast approaching I wanted to delve into our stores and see what festive cheer I could find. Hidden amongst team photographs and aerial shots of the stadium I found this Christmas postcard: Sent on Christmas Eve 1903 to Miss Alice Roberts from Newport, South Wales...

16 December 2014

RUGBY DYNASTIES: The Gould and Bancroft Brothers

There have been many sets of brothers over the years that have played international rugby for their countries, but it was two particular sets of brothers who played pivotal parts in the rise of Welsh international rugby from 1881 to the end of the 19th century.

11 December 2014

The Official History of Rugby Officials

When the Laws of the Game of Rugby Football were agreed following the formation of the RFU in 1871, no provision was made for the use of independent arbiters.

01 December 2014

Lest We Forget - Francis Eckley Oakeley (England) 01/12/1914

Francis Oakeley was the fifth son of the vicar of Holy Trinity, Hereford. His father James and his mother Frances had 11 children in all. He was educated at the Cathedral School in Hereford from where he went at the age of 13 to the Royal Naval College at Osborne on the Isle of Wight, before transferring two years later to Dartmouth to complete his training.

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