John Batten
Encyclopedia
John Maxwell Batten was a rugby union
fullback who played club rugby for Cambridge University
and international rugby for England
.
, India, the second son of John Hallet Batten a member of the Indian Civil Service. Batten was educated at Haileybury School
, before marticulating to St John's College, Cambridge
in 1871. He received his BA (1st class) in 1875, becoming an Assistant Master at his old Secondary School, Haileybury. He left his post at Haileybury in 1877 and took up a similar role at Kelly College
in Tavistock, Devon from 1877 to 1882; and then at Newton Abbott, 1883-1884. In 1884 he became the headmaster of Plymouth College
, a position he held until 1889.
while at St John's College. He won four sporting 'Blues' for rugby, and his first was in the very first Varsity Match
between Cambridge and Oxford
in 1872. Cambridge lost the first match, but Batten played in the next year's encounter and scored one of three tries
in Cambridge's first Varsity Match victory. Batten played in both the 1874 and the 1875 matches, and was given the captaincy of the Cambridge team, both games ended in draws.
Batten won his first and only international cap for England in 1874
. The game was played against Scotland
in the third encounter between the two teams, and only the third international rugby union game to be played. Batten was positioned in his usual role as fullback, and although England won narrowly, he was replaced for the next season's match by A.W. Pearson.
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...
fullback who played club rugby for Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
and international rugby for 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...
.
Personal life
Batten was born in 1848, in AlmoraAlmora
Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568.It is a town bustling with activity and a rich cultural heritage and history. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of...
, India, the second son of John Hallet Batten a member of the Indian Civil Service. Batten was educated at Haileybury School
Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College, , is a prestigious British independent school founded in 1862. The school is located at Hertford Heath, near Hertford, from central London, on of parkland occupied until 1858 by the East India College...
, before marticulating to St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
in 1871. He received his BA (1st class) in 1875, becoming an Assistant Master at his old Secondary School, Haileybury. He left his post at Haileybury in 1877 and took up a similar role at Kelly College
Kelly College
Kelly College is a coeducational independent school situated in the outskirts of Tavistock, Devon, with around 350 students ranging from ages 11 to 18; there is an associated preparatory school for primary school children, Kelly College Preparatory School, nearby.The college has eight hectares of...
in Tavistock, Devon from 1877 to 1882; and then at Newton Abbott, 1883-1884. In 1884 he became the headmaster of Plymouth College
Plymouth College
Plymouth College is a co-educational independent school in Plymouth, Devon, England, for day and boarding pupils from the ages of 11 to 18...
, a position he held until 1889.
Rugby career
Batten first came to note as a rugby player when he represented Cambridge UniversityCambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
while at St John's College. He won four sporting 'Blues' for rugby, and his first was in the very first Varsity Match
The Varsity Match
The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
between Cambridge and Oxford
Oxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
in 1872. Cambridge lost the first match, but Batten played in the next year's encounter and scored one of three tries
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
in Cambridge's first Varsity Match victory. Batten played in both the 1874 and the 1875 matches, and was given the captaincy of the Cambridge team, both games ended in draws.
Batten won his first and only international cap for England in 1874
1873-74 Home Nations rugby union matches
The 1873–74 Home Nations rugby union matches was a single international friendly held between the England and Scotland national rugby union teams...
. The game was played 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 the third encounter between the two teams, and only the third international rugby union game to be played. Batten was positioned in his usual role as fullback, and although England won narrowly, he was replaced for the next season's match by A.W. Pearson.