Randolph Aston
Encyclopedia
Randolph Littleton Aston (6 September 1869 – 3 November 1930) was an English
rugby union
centre who played club rugby for Blackheath and Cambridge University
and was a member of the first official British Isles
tour in 1891.
, to John Astbury Aston, a clerk. Aston was educated at a succession of notable independent school including Cheltenham
, Westminster
and Berkhamstead, before being admitted to Caius College
, Cambridge in 1888. He graduated in 1891 and from 1891-92 was an Assistant Master at Blair Lodge School in Polmont
, Scotland. At was at Tonbridge School
, where he studied as a boy, from 1892-1923.
. In 1890 he was selected to represent the England national rugby union team
, and was awarded two caps both in the 1890 Home Nations Championship
. The first was an away win over Scotland
and the other a home victory over Ireland
played at the Rectory Field
in Blackheath.
In 1890, and now playing for Blackheath F.C. outside university months, was selected to join Percy Carpmael's
newly formed invitational team, the Barbarians
. Aston became an original member of the team, and toured the South of England in 1891.
Although Aston's international career with England was now behind him, he would play his part in representing a British Isles team, when he was selected to become part of Bill Maclagan
's British Isles team on their 1891 tour
of South Africa
. On the hard grounds of South Africa, Aston was a revelation, possessing not only a massive frame, recorded as 15 stone, but also impressive speed. Aston played in all twenty games of the tour including the three tests, amassing an incredible 30 tries
in total. He scored a try in two of the Test games, the first in Port Elizabeth and the final Test in Cape Town. If it wasn't for the peculiar scoring system of the time, he would have ended the tour as the top Test points scorer, but his two tries were surpassed by two conversions by Arthur Rotherham
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rugby union
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...
centre who played club rugby for Blackheath and 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 was a member of the first official British Isles
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
tour in 1891.
Personal history
Aston was born in 1869 in South Kensington, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, to John Astbury Aston, a clerk. Aston was educated at a succession of notable independent school including Cheltenham
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
, Westminster
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and Berkhamstead, before being admitted to Caius College
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
, Cambridge in 1888. He graduated in 1891 and from 1891-92 was an Assistant Master at Blair Lodge School in Polmont
Polmont
Polmont is a village in the Falkirk council area of Central Scotland. It lies towards the east of the town of Falkirk, north of the Union Canal, which runs adjacent to the village....
, Scotland. At was at Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
, where he studied as a boy, from 1892-1923.
Rugby career
Aston's rugby career began in proper while at Cambridge. He was selected for the Cambridge University team, and won two sporting 'Blues' in the 1889 and 1890 Varsity MatchesThe 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...
. In 1890 he was selected to represent the England national rugby union team
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...
, and was awarded two caps both in the 1890 Home Nations Championship
1890 Home Nations Championship
The 1890 Home Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 1 February and 15 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
. The first was an away win over 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...
and the other a home victory over Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
played at the Rectory Field
Rectory Field
Rectory Field is a playing field in Blackheath, London. It was developed in the 1880s by Blackheath Cricket, Football and Lawn Tennis Company and became the home of Kent County Cricket Club and rugby union team Blackheath F.C....
in Blackheath.
William Percy Carpmael
William Percy Carpmael was the founder and first president of the rugby union Barbarian Football Club. Carpmael was born the eldest of eight in Briscobel, Stretham in England.-Education and early career:...
newly formed invitational team, the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
. Aston became an original member of the team, and toured the South of England in 1891.
Although Aston's international career with England was now behind him, he would play his part in representing a British Isles team, when he was selected to become part of Bill Maclagan
Bill Maclagan
William Edward "Bill" Maclagan was a Scottish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for London Scottish F.C....
's British Isles team on their 1891 tour
1891 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1891 British Isles tour to South Africa was the first British Isles rugby union tour of South Africa and only the second overseas tour conducted by a joint British team. Between 9 July and 7 September, the team played 20 games, including three tests against the South Africa national rugby union...
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. On the hard grounds of South Africa, Aston was a revelation, possessing not only a massive frame, recorded as 15 stone, but also impressive speed. Aston played in all twenty games of the tour including the three tests, amassing an incredible 30 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 total. He scored a try in two of the Test games, the first in Port Elizabeth and the final Test in Cape Town. If it wasn't for the peculiar scoring system of the time, he would have ended the tour as the top Test points scorer, but his two tries were surpassed by two conversions by Arthur Rotherham
Arthur Rotherham
Arthur Rotherham was an English rugby union scrum-half who was a member of the first official British Isles tour and was later capped for the England team.-Personal history:...
.