Benjamin Burns
Birth name | Benjamin Henry Burns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 28 May 1848 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Perth, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 3 June 1932 | (aged 84)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Christchurch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Edinburgh Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | Banker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Official website | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ESPNscrum profile of Benjamin Burns |
Benjamin Henry Burns (28 May 1848 – 3 June 1932) was a Scottish
Sports career
Burns was a member of Blackheath F.C. during his early twenties, and in late 1870, along with Edwin Ash, he published a letter in The Times calling for "those who play the rugby-type game should meet to form a code of practice as various clubs play to rules which differ from others, which makes the game difficult to play." Such a meeting took place the following month, leading to the formation of the Rugby Football Union.[1] While he was serving as club secretary of Blackheath, the leading clubs in Scotland wrote a letter to the club issuing a challenge for a match between Scotland and England. Burns replied, agreeing to the contest.[2] He was initially not meant to be among the 20-man England side, but the withdrawal of Francis Isherwood (who played in the second match) saw Burns take his place in the team.[1] England lost the game, which was the first international rugby match, by one goal to nil on 27 March 1871.[3][4] ESPNscrum lists him as playing as a forward in the match,[1] but his obituary in The Evening Post suggests that he was a half-back.[5] When he worked in India, Burns appeared for the Calcutta Football Club.[2]
In addition to rugby, Burns was also an avid golfer, and while working in Christchurch, he was one of four promoters to establish a golf club at Hagley Park in the city. He won the Christchurch championship on two occasions, and became captain, and later life-member of the club.[5]
Life and business career
Burns was born on 28 May 1848, to Archibald Burns who was general manager of the
He married Alice May Gower, and the couple had a son, Archibald, who committed suicide during the First World War, while serving as part of the Canterbury Infantry Battalion.[6]
References
- ^ a b c "Player Profile: Benjamin Burns". ESPNscrum. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ a b "The Calcutta Cup: the legacy of a club that died" (PDF). Edinburgh Academical Football Club. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ "Scotland v England at Edinburgh, Mar 27, 1871". ESPNscrum. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ "The first international rugby match". BBC. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
- ^ a b c "Obituary: Mr. B. H. Burns". The Evening Post. 6 June 1932. p. 9. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ "Auckland War Memorial Museum - Burns-Archibald-Gower-World-War-I,-1914-1918". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2011.