Benjamin Burns
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Henry Burns was a rugby union
footballer who represented England
in the first international match against Scotland
in 1871.
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
. 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. 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. England lost the game, which was the first international rugby match, by one goal to nil on 27 March 1871. ESPNscrum lists him as playing as a forward in the match, but his obituary in The Evening Post
suggests that he was a half-back. When he worked in India, Burns appeared for the Calcutta Football Club.
In addition to rugby, Burns was also an avid golf
er, and while working in Christchurch
, he was one of four promoters to establish a gold 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.
in Perthshire
. He started his working life as a clerk for the Oriental Bank Corporation
. He moved to India
during his work with the bank, but due to health issues, he moved to Christchurch
, New Zealand
, taking the position of manager of the Colonial Bank. Upon the merger with the Bank of New Zealand
, he became assistant-manager of the Christchurch branch. He then went into partnership with Mr Henderson, and upon his death he ran Henderson and Burns, a share broker
. By the time of his death in 1932, Burns was a director of Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd.
a national chain of book stores.
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
.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who represented England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
in the first international match against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in 1871.
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 TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
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
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
. 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. He was initially not meant to be among the 20-man England side, but the withdrawal of Francis Isherwood
Francis Isherwood
Francis William Ramsbottom Isherwood was an English sportsman who played international rugby union for England and first-class cricket....
(who played in the second match) saw Burns take his place in the team. England lost the game, which was the first international rugby match, by one goal to nil on 27 March 1871. ESPNscrum lists him as playing as a forward in the match, but his obituary in The Evening Post
The Evening Post (New Zealand)
The Evening Post was a daily newspaper based in Wellington, New Zealand. It was founded in 1865 by Henry Blundell , an Irish immigrant to New Zealand. It continued under Blundell family control until the 1960s, when it was purchased by Independent Newspapers Ltd.In 2002 it merged with The...
suggests that he was a half-back. When he worked in India, Burns appeared for the Calcutta Football Club.
In addition to rugby, Burns was also an avid golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er, and while working in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, he was one of four promoters to establish a gold club at Hagley Park
Hagley Park
Hagley Park is the largest urban open space in Christchurch, New Zealand, and was created in 1855 by the Provincial Government. According to the government's decree at that time, Hagley Park is "reserved forever as a public park, and shall be open for the recreation and enjoyment of the public."...
in the city. He won the Christchurch championship on two occasions, and became captain, and later life-member of the club.
Life and business career
Burns was born on 28 May 1848, to Archibald Burns who was general manager of the Bank of ScotlandBank of Scotland
The Bank of Scotland plc is a commercial and clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland. With a history dating to the 17th century, it is the second oldest surviving bank in what is now the United Kingdom, and is the only commercial institution created by the Parliament of Scotland to...
in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. He started his working life as a clerk for the Oriental Bank Corporation
Oriental Bank Corporation
The Oriental Bank Corporation was a bank in India in the 19th century. It was also the first bank in Hong Kong and the first bank to issue banknotes in Hong Kong....
. He moved to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
during his work with the bank, but due to health issues, he moved to Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, taking the position of manager of the Colonial Bank. Upon the merger with the Bank of New Zealand
Bank of New Zealand
Bank of New Zealand is one of New Zealand’s largest banks and has been operating continuously in the country since the first office was opened in Auckland in October 1861 followed shortly after by the first branch in Dunedin in December 1861...
, he became assistant-manager of the Christchurch branch. He then went into partnership with Mr Henderson, and upon his death he ran Henderson and Burns, a share broker
Stock broker
A stock broker or stockbroker is a regulated professional broker who buys and sells shares and other securities through market makers or Agency Only Firms on behalf of investors...
. By the time of his death in 1932, Burns was a director of Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd.
Whitcoulls
Whitcoulls is a major national bookstore chain in New Zealand, formerly known as Whitcombe & Tombs. It has 62 stores nationally. Whitcombe & Tombs was founded in 1888, and Coulls Somerville Wilkie in 1871. The companies merged in 1971 to form Whitcoulls...
a national chain of book stores.
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
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain during World War I and World War II. Ultimately, the NZEF of World War I was known as the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
.