Jump to content

Henry Brougham (sportsman)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Olympic medal record
Men's Rackets
Bronze medal – third place 1908 London Men's singles

Major Henry Brougham (8 July 1888 – 18 February 1923) was an English rugby union and rackets player.[1]

Brougham was born at Wellington College, Berkshire on 8 July 1888, and was educated at that School and at Brasenose College, Oxford.

In 1907 he won the Public Schools Racquets Championships and in the following year reached the semi-final of the Olympic men's singles competition in London to gain a bronze medal. In 1909 he represented Oxford in the annual match against Cambridge University winning in both the singles and doubles.[2]

As a cricketer he had first represented Berkshire in the Minor Counties Championship whilst still at school, and in 1907 he captained the Wellington first XI.[3] He made his first-class debut for Oxford University in 1911 and in the Varsity Match that summer scored a stylish second innings of 84, which helped to turn a close match decisively in Oxford's favour. The following year he also represented the Minor Counties against the South African tourists.[4]

Although he was never a particularly prominent rugby player either school or University, he caught the attention of the England selectors after a number of fine performances on the wing for Harlequin F.C. during the 1911-12 season, and marked his international debut with a try in an 8-0 victory over Wales at Twickenham in January 1912. He played in all four Tests in that season's Five Nations tournament scoring further tries against Ireland and France.[5]

On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 he gained a commission in the Royal Artillery and was posted to France in 1915, eventually attaining the rank of Major. After being caught in a German gas attack in 1917 he was invalided out of active service. In 1918 he contracted tuberculosis whilst commanding a battery in Northern Ireland and never fully recovered his health. He died on 18 February 1923 at La Croix, France from the effects of phthisis.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Henry Brougham". Olympedia. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  2. ^ Brazennotes Issue 14, Trinity Term 2012
  3. ^ "Olympians Who Played First-Class Cricket". Olympedia. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  4. ^ Wisden's Cricketers' Almanack 1924, www.Cricket Archive.com/archive/scorecards
  5. ^ "Statsguru - Henry Brougham - match by match list". ESPNscrum. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  6. ^ Brazennotes, 2012
[edit]