Lennard Stokes
Birth name | Lennard Stokes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | (1856-02-12)12 February 1856 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Greenwich[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 3 May 1933(1933-05-03) (aged 77) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Alton, Hants | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Sydney College, Bath | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Guy's Hospital Medical School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | doctor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dr. Lennard Stokes was a rugby union international who represented England from 1875 to 1881. He also captained his country on five occasions, notably in the first ever match against Wales. Like his brother Frederick Stokes, after captaining his country he went on to become the president of the Rugby Football Union.
Early life
Lennard Stokes was born on 12 February 1856 in Greenwich, the son of Henry Graham Stokes, Proctor to the Admiralty[2] and solicitor, and his wife Elizabeth Sewell. He was one of at least nine children (six brothers and three sisters).[3][4] Unlike his brother Frederick, who attended Rugby School, he attended Sydney College[5] in Bath.[6] He then studied medicine at Guy's Hospital, becoming M.R.C.S. in 1881 and L.R.C.P. in 1882.[7]
Rugby career
Lennard began to play for Blackheath Football Club when he was seventeen, following in the footsteps of his older brothers, notably the first England international captain and at the time captain of Blackheath, Frederick Stokes. Like his brother he became captain of Blackheath and under his captaincy the club grew in reputation. Lennard was responsible for Blackheath acquiring the Rectory Field, on which a number of international matches were played.[7] During the five seasons from 1876 to 1881 that Lennard Stokes captained the club, Blackheath won 68 games and lost only 6 out of a total 83 played.[8]
He made his international debut as a 19-year-old on 15 February 1875 at The Oval in the England vs Ireland match. Of his 12 caps he was on the winning side eight times,[1] and he captained his country on five occasions, including the first ever international against Wales on 19 February 1881 at Richardson's Field, Blackheath,[8] when he played full back. Having changed at the Princess of Wales public house half a mile from the ground, England faced Wales for the first time and under Stokes' leadership won by 7 goals to nil, one dropped goal and six tries to nil. Stokes retired from international service at the end of the 1881 season. He played his final match for England on 19 March 1881 at Edinburgh in the Scotland vs England match.[1] His service to rugby continued, however, and he served as president of the Rugby Football Union for three years from 1886 to 1888 aged just 30 when he began his term.[9] In his international career he played in both the last game of the 20 a-side era in 1876 against Scotland, and the first of the 15 a-side in 1877 against Ireland.[5]
Of his ability, Arthur Budd, president of the RFU from 1888 to 1889, said in 1892 that "I do not believe that there is a three-quarter back playing, who, if we could transplant him to the past, could cover the entire field as Lennard Stokes used to.",[10] and Arthur Guillemard, president of the RFU from 1878 to 1882, said, also in 1892, "it is not too much to say that at this post his equal, either in science or play, has never been seen from the date of the foundation of the Union.".[11] Steve Lewis, author of numerous books on the history of rugby union, commented that "It was with much justification that he was hailed as the greatest player of his day."[5]
Cricketing career
Stokes, again like his brother Frederick, played cricket for Blackheath Cricket Club and for Kent from 1877 to 1880.[9] He made his first-class debut for Kent on 4 June 1877 in the seven-wicket victory against Hampshire.[12] He played two more matches during the 1877 season, but did not appear for Kent over the following two campaigns. He played for an R Page XI against Colchester Garrison in a one-day first-class match on 12 August 1879.[12] Stokes made his final first-class appearance on 22 July 1880, scoring the winning runs in a 10-wicket win over Sussex.[12][13]
Career and later life
After qualification as a doctor he served as housesurgeon and resident obstetrical officer at Guy's, and then began general practice at Blackheath. For a number of years he was honorary surgeon to St. John's Hospital, Lewisham. Approaching sixty years of age, in 1921 he went to practise in Hampshire.[7] He died at Hurstbourne Tarrant, near Andover, Hampshire, on 3 May 1933 having suffered with indifferent health for a number of months.[7]
Further reading
- "Football – The Rugby Union Game" by Rev. F.Marshall, published in 1892.
References
- ^ a b c Lennard Stokes Profile on scrum.com
- ^ The Gentleman's Magazine, Published by F. Jefferies, 1866, p681
- ^ Stokes' brothers included Henry, Frederick, Russell, Graham and Reginald; sisters included Mary (older), Elizabeth and Emily (younger)
- ^ Class: RG10; Piece: 760; Folio: 35; Page: 20; GSU roll: 824727, Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1871
- ^ a b c Steve Lewis, One Among Equals, 2008, pp10 (Vertical Editions:London)
- ^ Steve Lewis, One Among Equals, 2008, pp9-10 (Vertical Editions:London)
- ^ a b c d British Medical Journal, v.1(3776); 20 May 1933, Lennard Stokes Obituary
- ^ a b Blackheath Rugby Official Site Archived 17 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "2008 archive of candidates for induction to the IRB Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 21 June 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ Arthur Budd writing in Marshall, Francis, Football; the Rugby union game, p127, (1892) (London Paris Melbourne, Cassell and company, limited)
- ^ Arthur Guillemard writing in Marshall, Francis, Football; the Rugby union game, p127, (1892) (London Paris Melbourne, Cassell and company, limited)
- ^ a b c "First Class matches played by L Stokes". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
- ^ Carlaw D (2020) Kent County Cricketers A to Z. Part One: 1806–1914 (revised edition), pp. 507–508. (Available online at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 2020-12-21.)
Sporting positions | ||
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Preceded by | English National Rugby Union Captain 1880-1881 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Rugby Football Union President 1886-1888 | Succeeded by A Budd |
- v
- t
- e
- 1871–1873: Frederick Stokes
- 1874: Alfred Hamersley
- 1875: Henry Lawrence
- 1875–1876: Francis Luscombe
- 1877 – Mar 1878: Edward Kewley
- Mar 1878: Murray Marshall
- 1879: Frank Adams
- 1880–1881: Lennard Stokes
- Feb 1882: Charles Gurdon
- Mar 1882: Albert Hornby
- Dec 1882 – 1885: Edward Gurdon
- Jan–Feb 1886: Charles Marriott
- Mar 1886: Edward Gurdon
- 1887: Alan Rotherham
- 1889: Fred Bonsor
- Feb 1890: Andrew Stoddart
- Mar 1890: John Hickson
- Mar 1890: Andrew Stoddart
- 1891 – Jan 1892: Frederic Alderson
- Feb 1892: Sammy Woods
- Mar 1892: Frederic Alderson
- Jan 1893: Andrew Stoddart
- Feb 1893: Sammy Woods
- Mar 1893: Andrew Stoddart
- Jan–Feb 1894: Richard Lockwood
- Mar 1894: Ernest Taylor
- 1895: Sammy Woods
- 1896: Ernest Taylor
- Mar 1896: Frank Mitchell
- 1897: Ernest Taylor
- 1898: James Byrne
- 1899: Arthur Rotherham
- Jan 1900: Richard Cattell
- 1900: John Daniell
- Jan 1901: Jack Taylor
- Feb–Mar 1901: William Bunting
- Jan 1902: Harry Alexander
- Feb–Mar 1902: John Daniell
- Jan–Feb 1903: Bernard Oughtred
- Mar 1903: Toggie Kendall
- Jan 1904: Frank Stout
- Feb–Mar 1904: John Daniell
- Jan–Mar 1905: Frank Stout
- Dec 1905 – Dec 1906: Vincent Cartwright
- Jan 1907: Basil Hill
- Feb 1907: John Green
- Mar 1907: Ernest Roberts
- Jan 1908: Thomas Kelly
- Jan 1908: John Birkett
- Feb 1908: Curly Hammond
- Mar 1908: Lancelot Slocock
- Jan 1909: George Lyon
- Jan–Mar 1909: Robert Dibble
- Jan–Feb 1910: Adrian Stoop
- Mar 1910: Edgar Mobbs
- Mar 1910 – Feb 1911: John Birkett
- Mar 1911: Anthony Henniker-Gotley
- Jan–Mar 1912: Robert Dibble
- Apr 1912 – Mar 1913: Norman Wodehouse
- 1914: Ronald Poulton
- 1920: John Greenwood
- 1921: Dave Davies
- Jan 1922: Bruno Brown
- Feb 1922 – 1923: Dave Davies
- 1924–1926: Wavell Wakefield
- 1927: Leonard Corbett
- 1928 – Feb 1929: Ronald Cove-Smith
- Mar 1929 – Feb 1930: Joe Periton
- Feb 1930 – Jan 1931: Sam Tucker
- Feb 1931: Peter Howard
- Mar 1931 – Jan 1933: Carl Aarvold
- Feb–Mar 1933: Tony Novis
- 1934: Bernard Gadney
- Jan–Feb 1935: Douglas Kendrew
- Mar 1935 – Mar 1936: Bernard Gadney
- 1937: Tuppy Owen-Smith
- Jan–Feb 1938: Peter Cranmer
- Mar 1938 – Mar 1939: Henry Toft
- Jan–Feb 1947: Joe Mycock
- Mar–Apr 1947: Jack Heaton
- Jan 1948: Edward Scott
- Jan 1948: Tommy Kemp
- Feb–Mar 1948: Edward Scott
- Mar 1948: Bob Weighill
- Jan–Feb 1949: Nim Hall
- Feb 1949 – Mar 1950: Ivor Preece
- Jan 1951: Vic Roberts
- Feb–Mar 1951: John Kendall-Carpenter
- Jan 1952 – Mar 1953: Nim Hall
- 1954: Bob Stirling
- Jan–Feb 1955: Nim Hall
- Feb–Mar 1955: Peter Young
- Jan 1956 – Mar 1958: Eric Evans
- 1959: Jeffrey Butterfield
- 1960–1962: Dickie Jeeps
- Jan–Mar 1963: Richard Sharp
- May–Jun 1963: Mike Weston
- Jan–Feb 1964: John Willcox
- Feb–Mar 1964: Ron Jacobs
- 1965: David Perry
- 1966: Budge Rogers
- Jan 1967: Richard Sharp
- Feb–Nov 1967: Philip Judd
- Jan–Feb 1968: Colin McFadyean
- Feb–Mar 1968: Mike Weston
- Feb 1969: Dick Greenwood
- Feb–Apr 1969: Budge Rogers
- Dec 1969 – Mar 1970: Bob Hiller
- Apr 1970: Bob Taylor
- Jan 1971: Tony Bucknall
- Feb 1971: John Spencer
- Feb 1971: Bob Hiller
- Mar–Apr 1971: John Spencer
- Jan–Feb 1972: Bob Hiller
- Feb–Mar 1972: Peter Dixon
- Jun 1972 – Mar 1974: John Pullin
- Jan–Feb 1975: Fran Cotton
- Mar–May 1975: Tony Neary
- May 1975: John Pullin
- Jan–Mar 1976: Tony Neary
- 1977: Roger Uttley
- 1978: Bill Beaumont
- Feb 1979: Roger Uttley
- Feb 1979 – Jan 1982: Bill Beaumont
- Feb 1982 – Feb 1983: Steve Smith
- Mar 1983: John Scott
- Nov 1983 – Mar 1984: Peter Wheeler
- Jun 1984: John Scott
- Nov 1984: Nigel Melville
- 1985: Paul Dodge
- 1986: Nigel Melville
- Feb–Mar 1987: Richard Hill
- Apr 1987 – Feb 1988: Mike Harrison
- Mar 1988: Nigel Melville
- Apr–Jun 1988: John Orwin
- Jun 1988: Richard Harding
- Nov 1988 – Mar 1989: Will Carling
- May 1989: Rob Andrew
- Nov 1989 – May 1995: Will Carling
- May 1995: Rob Andrew
- Jun 1995: Will Carling
- Nov 1995 – Mar 1996: Will Carling
- Nov 1996: Phil de Glanville
- Dec 1996: Jason Leonard
- Feb–Jul 1997: Phil de Glanville
- Nov 1997 – Apr 1998: Lawrence Dallaglio
- Jun 1998: Tony Diprose
- Jun–Jul 1998: Matt Dawson
- Nov 1998: Martin Johnson
- Nov 1998 – Apr 1999: Lawrence Dallaglio
- Jun–Oct 1999: Martin Johnson
- Feb–Apr 2000: Matt Dawson
- Jun 2000 – Apr 2001: Martin Johnson
- Jun 2001: Kyran Bracken
- Oct 2001: Matt Dawson
- Nov 2001: Neil Back
- Nov 2001 – Mar 2002: Martin Johnson
- Mar–Apr 2002: Neil Back
- Jun 2002: Phil Vickery
- Nov 2002 – Feb 2003: Martin Johnson
- Mar 2003: Jonny Wilkinson
- Mar–Jun 2003: Martin Johnson
- Aug 2003: Jason Leonard
- Aug 2003: Dorian West
- Sep–Oct 2003: Martin Johnson
- Nov 2003: Phil Vickery
- Nov 2003: Martin Johnson
- Feb–Jun 2004: Lawrence Dallaglio
- Nov 2004 – Feb 2005: Jason Robinson
- Mar 2005 – Mar 2006: Martin Corry
- Jun 2006: Pat Sanderson
- Nov 2006: Martin Corry
- Feb 2007: Phil Vickery
- Mar 2007: Mike Catt
- May 2007: Jason Robinson
- Jun 2007: Jonny Wilkinson
- Aug 2007: Phil Vickery
- Aug 2007: Mike Catt
- Aug–Sep 2007: Phil Vickery
- Sep 2007: Martin Corry
- Oct 2007 – Feb 2008: Phil Vickery
- Feb 2008: Steve Borthwick
- Feb–Mar 2008: Phil Vickery
- Jun 2008 – Mar 2010: Steve Borthwick
- Mar–Nov 2010: Lewis Moody
- Nov 2010: Nick Easter
- Nov 2010: Lewis Moody
- Feb 2011: Mike Tindall
- Aug 2011: Lewis Moody
- Aug–Sep 2011: Mike Tindall
- Sep–Oct 2011: Lewis Moody
- Feb–Jun 2012: Chris Robshaw
- Jun 2012: Dylan Hartley
- Nov 2012 – Mar 2013: Chris Robshaw
- Jun 2013: Tom Wood
- Nov 2013 – Oct 2015: Chris Robshaw
- Feb 2016 – Mar 2018: Dylan Hartley
- Mar 2018: Owen Farrell
- Mar 2018: Dylan Hartley
- Jun–Nov 2018: Owen Farrell
- Nov 2018: George Ford
- Nov 2018 – Mar 2019: Owen Farrell
- Aug 2019: George Ford
- Aug–Sep 2019: Owen Farrell
- Sep 2019: George Ford
- Oct 2019 – Mar 2021: Owen Farrell
- Jul 2021: Lewis Ludlow
- Nov 2021: Courtney Lawes
- Nov 2021: Owen Farrell
- Nov 2021: Courtney Lawes
- Feb 2022: Tom Curry
- Feb–Jul 2022: Courtney Lawes
- Nov 2022 – Feb 2023: Owen Farrell
- Mar 2023: Ellis Genge
- Mar 2023: Owen Farrell
- Aug 2023: Ellis Genge
- Aug 2023: Owen Farrell
- Aug–Sep 2023: Courtney Lawes
- Sep–Oct 2023: Owen Farrell
- Feb 2024: Jamie George