Birth name | Matthew Mullineux | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 8 August 1867 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Barton-upon-Irwell, Eccles, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 13 February 1945 77) | (aged||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Kensington, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Cambridge University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | Military Chaplain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Matthew Mullineux MC (8 August 1867 – 13 February 1945) [1] was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia. An Anglican minister, he later became a chaplain in the British Army, and was awarded the Military Cross for his actions during the First World War.
Mullineux was born in Barton-upon-Irwell, Eccles, Lancashire, though some sources record his birthplace as nearby Worsley, to Matthew Mullineux, an insurance-inspector, and his wife, Elizabeth (Derbyshire) Mullineux. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and then Matriculated to St John's College, Cambridge. [2]
He earned his BA in 1896, and the next year was ordained as a Deacon at Southwark Cathedral. The next year he was ordained as a priest and took his orders at the Church of Mottingham, also becoming the Assistant Master at the nearby Royal Naval School in Eltham. On 9 May 1899, he left England for Australia as part of the British Isles rugby tour and left both his posts.[ citation needed ]
Mullineux first came to note as a rugby player when he represented Cambridge University as a student, playing at scrum-half, [3] before turning out for Blackheath. In 1896 he was selected to play in Johnny Hammond's British Isles team to tour South Africa; although Mullineux only played in one of the Test matches, the opening win over South Africa at Port Elizabeth. [4] He played in twelve games in total on the tour scoring four tries, including two against Queenstown, and a dropped goal in the win over Grahamstown. [5]
In 1899, the first official British team to tour Australia was selected, and Mullineux was not only chosen to captain the team, but also to manage it. Mullineux again represented the British team in the opening game, but the tourists lacked cohesion and lost to the Australians 13–3. [6] The British Isles had under-performed in the few invitational games leading up to the first Test, and after the defeat to the Wallabies, Mullineux dropped himself from the team for the remaining Tests, and brought in Charlie Adamson as his replacement. The captaincy was given to Frank Stout, and the tourists play began to improve. After Mullineux's decision the British Isles played far better rugby [7] and won the last three tests to take the series 3–1. Although no longer a part of the Test team, Mullineux continued to represent the British team against the invitational and regional teams. He played in ten games on the tour, his only points came from a try in the loss against Queensland.
A reflection of Mullineux's character was seen during the 1899 tour, when after the third Test in Sydney he undiplomatically embarrassed the Australian hosts at the after-match dinner. After JJ Calvert, the president of the New South Wales RFU, had made a light-hearted excuse for the Australian team's poor performance, Mullineux responded by lecturing the Australian's on their style of play, and offered suggestions as to how they could refine their play. [8]
Despite only playing in the first Test, Mullineux was honoured when bush poet, Banjo Paterson wrote a poem about his playing prowess, entitled The Reverend Mullineux. [9]
Mullineux followed a career in the Anglican church from an early age, and was the Reverend Mr Mullineux during the British Isles tours; even preaching at local churches after the matches. [10] After the British Isles tour, he served in the British Army as an acting Chaplain to the Forces during the Second Boer War. On 7 August 1902 he became a Royal Navy chaplain, [11] and served on several ships; HMS Amphion (1902–04), HMS Terrible (1904), HMS Albion (1904–06), HMS Barfleur (1905–06) and HMS Hogue (1906–07). [2] In 1907 he became the assistant chaplain at Montreux.
Before the outbreak of the First World War, Mullineux was chaplain to the Flying Angel Mission in America, but travelled by mail boat to New Zealand in order to proceed on active duty. While in New Zealand he studied medicine, before leaving for Britain as a Chaplain to the Forces. In May 1918, while posted at a regimental aid post in France, Mullineux took command of the post after the serving medical officer was incapacitated by his wounds. The station came under high-explosive and gas-shelling for 12 hours, during which time Mullineux tended to the wounded and supervised evacuation of the site. For his actions during this time, he was awarded the Military Cross. [12] [13] The citation for his MC, which appeared in The London Gazette in September 1918, reads as follows:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During two days' hard fighting, when the medical officer had become a casualty, early on the morning of the first day, he took charge of the Regimental Aid post, dressed the wounded and superintended their evacuation. The Regimental Aid post was subjected to very heavy high explosive and gas shell fire for twelve hours, and but for his skill and excellent dispositions, serious congestion would have occurred. His untiring energy and cheerful service in providing comfort for the troops under most adverse circumstances were of the greatest value to all ranks of the battalion.
After the war, Mullineux continued his connections with the armed forces and Australasia, when he toured churches and Red Cross Societies throughout Australia, giving public lectures on the war cemeteries of Europe. [14]
In 1919, Mullineux set up the St Barnabas Society, a charity which helped finance those too poor to visit the graves of family members who had died in the First World War. [15] The society also placed wreaths at graves on behalf of relatives, and soon became the most important organisation providing subsidised war grave pilgrimages from Britain. [16] After his military service came to an end, Mullineux became the vicar of Marham in Norfolk, a post he held from 1935 until his death in 1945.[ citation needed ]
The 1899 British Isles tour to Australia was the fourth rugby union tour by a British Isles team and the second to Australia; though the first tour in 1888 was a private venture, making the 1899 tour the first official undertaking of Australia. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950.
Sydney Pyman Bell was an English rugby union halfback and solicitor. Bell played club rugby for Cambridge University and Northern and played international rugby for the British Isles XV in their 1896 tour of South Africa.
Alexander Boswell Timms was an Australian-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Edinburgh Wanderers and Edinburgh University. Timms played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.
Frank Moxon Stout MC also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond. Stout played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on two tours in 1899 and 1903. On the 1899 tour of Australia, he acted as on field captain for three of the Tests.
Alfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Bucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.
Charles Young Adamson was an English international rugby union utility back who played club rugby for Durham. Adamson played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia. Adamson was also a gentleman cricketer, playing mainly for Durham City. After the 1899 rugby tour, he remained in Brisbane playing for the Valley District Cricket Club and turned out for a single cricket match for Queensland, as well as playing in Durham's first Minor Counties Championship match in 1895. He played for Durham until 1914.
Alan Ayre-Smith was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Guy's Hospital. Ayre-Smith played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.
Gerald "Gerry" Percy Doran also known as Blucher Doran, was an Irish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Lansdowne. Doran played international rugby for Ireland and in 1899 he was selected for the British Isles team on its tour of Australia. Doran's older brother Eddie and younger brother, Bertie, also played international rugby for Ireland.
Thomas Melville Watson McGown was an Irish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and North of Ireland FC. McGown played international rugby for Ireland and in 1899 he was selected for the British Isles team on its tour of Australia.
Arthur Esmonde Martelli was an Irish international rugby union fullback back who played club rugby for Dublin University. Martelli played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia. He was described by British Isles tour manager, Matthew Mullineux, as having 'an excellent drop, punt and place kick'.
John Wallace Jarman was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Bristol. Jarman played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.
Frederick Charles Belson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Clifton and Bath, and county rugby for Somerset. Belson played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.
Blair Inskip Swannell was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northampton, and internationally for the British Isles and later Australia. He was invited to tour with the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia and then their 1904 tour of Australia and New Zealand. He played a total of seven Test matches on these tours, and scored one Test try – against Australia during the 1904 tour. After settling in Australia, Swannell played a single game for his new home when they faced New Zealand. He was viewed as a violent player, and this made him unpopular with other players. Former Australian captain Herbert Moran said of him that "... his conception of rugby was one of trained violence".
Guy Vincent Evers was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Moseley. Evers played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia
Elliot Tenbosch Nicholson was an English international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Birkenhead Park. Nicholson played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.
George Ralph Gibson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northern. Gibson played international rugby for England and was selected to represent the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia. He was described by Matthew Mullineux, the British Isles captain, as a "capital worker".
George Cookson was an English international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Manchester. Cookson was selected for the British Isles on the 1899 tour of Australia playing in all four Test matches.
Charles Edward Thompson was an English international rugby union fullback who played club rugby for Manchester and county rugby for Lancashire. Thompson was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia, but despite representing Great Britain, never played international rugby for England.
John Stanley Francomb (1873–1915) was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Manchester and Sale. Francomb played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.
Hugh Grainger Stewart Gray was a Scottish player on the 1899 British Isles tour to Australia. He was never capped for Scotland, but had appeared in the Scottish Trials.