Why is there still no real memorial to England’s first black rugby player?
Belated recognition for Plymouth Argyle and England’s first black footballer has given a boost to another campaign by Bill Nicholson to recognise another black sporting pioneer with strong links to the Westcountry
AKEEN RUGBY fan is calling for the first black man to play for England to be honored in his home city of Plymouth.
Following the decision to honour black footballer Jack Leslie with a statue at Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park, Bill Nicholson wants to see Jimmy Peters, of Plymouth Albion and England, honoured. Here Mr Nicholson sets out the incredible story of the player and issues a rallying call to rugby fans to join his campaign:
“Jimmy Peters was born in 1879, the first child of a black father and a white mother, in Salford. His early life saw him moving around with a zoo where his father George was a lion tamer with Cedric’s Menagerie. Tragically George was mauled to death by a lion.
“Jimmy is said to have become a bareback horse rider with another circus but after breaking his arm and being unable to perform he was abandoned and left tied to a wagon where he was found by Lord and Lady Portman.
“They came from one of the richest families in Britain in the late 19th Century and, in 1890, they sent him to Fegan’s Orphanage in London where, among other things, the boys were introduced to sport. Jimmy was luckily introduced to the game of Rugby Union and played against Blackheath FC before leaving the orphanage in September 1898.
“He moved to Bristol and took up employment as a carpenter and was reunited with his family in the area of St Phillip’s Marsh, and soon began playing rugby for the city’s club.
“Mark Hoskins, a Bristol rugby historian, said that Jimmy ‘was a quite athletic player, with a sharp, fast pass. He was a very good ball-handler’. Jimmy went on to represent Bristol no less than 35 times over two seasons but left the city for Plymouth in 1902. County Championship success followed with Devon in 1906 and he made his historic England debut for England RFU in an international against Scotland in March 1907. On the team sheet Jimmy was shown as ‘Darkie Peters’. England won 8-3 of course!
“Jimmy was playing for Plymouth Albion RFC and Devon County but racism reared its ugly head when the touring South Africans were said to be unhappy to play against a black man when playing Devon County in October 1906 at Devonport. It was the first overseas trip for the ‘Springboks’ and Devon beat them 22-6.
“By then Jimmy had played four times more for England but was dropped for the England match against South Africa. No doubt because he was black.
“In spite of that he played a further two matches for England and continued with Plymouth and Devon until he lost three fingers in a workplace accident in Devonport Dockyard. A testimonial match arranged by Plymouth was considered an act of professionalism and against the RFU’s amateur regulations and consequently he was banned from playing rugby. Was this a way of stopping a black man from participating in the sport of rugby? It would be more than 80 years before another black man would play for England RFU and that was Chris Oti in 1988.
“I would be the first to contribute to a fund in order to erect a statue of Jimmy Peters. Surely the wider Rugby Union family including wealthy business people, players and supporters would be willing to generously donate as have those who follow Rugby League. I appreciate that very little could be donated by Albion supporters owing to small crowds but there is plenty of money associated with The Chiefs. If Plymouth City Council is donating a large sum towards the statue of Jack Leslie then they must in all conscience donate a similar sum towards a statue of Jimmy Peters.
“I do hope my views stir the consciences of the rugby union fraternity.”