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| Born | 3 April 1877 Dalmeny, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Died | 10 May 1945 (aged 68) Longniddry, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Royal High School, Edinburgh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative | Alexander Morrison Uncle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Farmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 55th President of the Scottish Rugby Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1934–1935 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | John MacGill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | William Patrick Scott | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mark Coxon Morrison (3 April 1877 [1] –10 May 1945) [2] was a Scottish international rugby union footballer who captained both Scotland and the British and Irish Lions.
Morrison played for Royal HSFP. [3]
He played two games for Leicester,one in 1898 and one in 1902. [4]
Morrison played for Edinburgh District and played in the Inter-City matches against Glasgow District. [3]
He played for Scotland twenty three times between 1896 and 1904,and captained the team fifteen times,a record which stood until the era of Arthur Smith,sixty years later. [5]
He first played for Scotland against Wales in 1896,while a teenager playing for Royal HSFP. [5] He continued to play for Scotland until 1904,and captained them a total of 15 times. [5] With Scotland he won three Home Nations Championship with them in 1901,1903 and 1904. Two of those Championship victories were Triple Crown wins (1901 and 1903). [5]
He was chosen to captain the British and Irish Lions on the 1903 British Lions tour to South Africa. The Lions lost the Test series 1–0 with two drawn. In 2002 he was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.
Jimmy Sinclair,the Springbok forward described Morrison as "a real roughouse of a man,and a great leader." [5]
He was the 55th President of the Scottish Rugby Union,in post from 1934 to 1935. [6]
Mark Coxon Morrison was born on 3 April 1877 at Dalmeny,Linlithgowshire (now West Lothian) to John Morrison (1839-1923) and Jane Begg (1846-1911). [1]
His father's brother was Alexander Morrison,who was the first Government Botanist in Western Australia.
Mark spent his childhood and teenage years residing with his parents and siblings at the family farm at Wester Dalmeny. [7] [8]
Mark married Mona Middlemas Oliver (1893-1918) on 4 June 1914 at the Parish Church of Maryhill,Lanarkshire. [9] The ceremony was performed by the Minister of Glasgow Cathedral,Pearson McAdam Muir. [9]
The couple had two daughters,Isabella Mona Morrison (1915 [10] -1984 [11] ) and Sybil Jane Morrison (1917 [12] -2007 [13] ).
Mark's first wife Mona died in 1918,aged 25 years. [14]
Following Mona's death Mark married Elspeth Barnes Smith on 22 October 1919 at The Crown Hotel,Thornton in the Parish of Markinch,Fife. [15]
Mark and Elspeth had just one son,Norman Begg Morrison,who died during World War II. [16] He was a Sergeant Pilot in the RAF. [16] He flew out of Scampton,Lincolnshire on a night mission and his plane was shot down by flak crashing at Sandkiva,Norway on 7 September 1941 aged just 20 years. [16]
He was a farmer by trade. [5]
Mark died on 10 May 1945 at his farm at Longniddry,East Lothian aged 68 years. [17]
Some 57 years after his death Mark was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame for Rugby Union. [18]
Mark Coxon Morrison born Third April 1877 at 5h 00m AM at Dalmeny, Parish of Dalmeny; the son of John Morrison, Farmer and Jane Morrison M/S Begg who were married on 14 April 1868 at Falkirk; Informant; John Morrison, Father; Birth Registered on 5 May 1877 at Dalmeny with David Mason, Registrar; citing Ref: 665 / 10
Mark Co On Morrison Aged 4 years residing at Wester Dalmeny Farmhouse, Village of Dalmeny, West Lothian; citing Ref 665 / 1 / 6
Mark C Morrison aged 14 years residing at Wester Dalmeny Farmhouse, Village of Dalmeny, West Lothian; citing Ref 665 / 1 / 5
Mark Coxon Morrison (36), Farmer and Batchelor, married Mona Middlemas Oliver (21), Spinster on 4 June 1914 at Parish Church of Maryhill, Lanarkshire after Banns according to the forms of the Church of Scotland; Ceremony performed by Pearson McAdam Muir, Minister of Glasgow Cathedral; Marriage Registered on 5 June 1914 at Glasgow with Wm Muir, Registrar; citing Ref 644 / 14 / 88
Isobel Mona Morrison; Birth Registered 1915 at Dalmeny; Mothers Maiden Name Oliver; citing Reg 665 / 1 / 12
Leek, Isobel Mona (Year of birth: 1915). GRO Reference: 1984 Apr-May-Jun in Bournemouth (4271B) Volume 23 Page 287
Sybil Jane Morrison birth registered 1917 in Dalmeny, mother's maiden name Oliver; citing Ref 665 / 1 / 22
Hooper, Sybil Jane (Year of birth: 1917). GRO Reference: 2007 Oct-Nov-Dec in Dorset Register Office Dorchester (4291C) Reg 1C002 Entry Number 500524405.
Mona Middlemass Oliver or Morrison; Death Registered 1918 at Dalmeny, West Lothian; (Aged 25) citing Ref 665 / 1 / 17
Mark Coxon Morrison married Elspeth Barnes Smith; Marriage Registered 1919 Markinch; citing Ref 457 / B / 8
Mark Coxon Morrison died 10 May 1945 at The Farm, Longniddry, East Lothian; Death Registered 11 May 1945 with E S Crowe, Registrar; (aged 68 years; Married 1) Mona Oliver 2) Elspeth Barnes Smith; son of John Morrison and Jane Begg); citing Ref 708 / 6
Sources