James Gowans
Encyclopedia
James Gowans DSO
(23 April 1872 - 14 March 1936) was an English
-born sportsman who played international rugby union
as a wing for Scotland
and as a cricket
er represented Marylebone Cricket Club
.
, South Shields
in 1872 to Dr. William Gowans of Westoe House. Gowans was educated at Harrow
before matriculating to Clare College, Cambridge
in 1890. Gowans joined the British Army and was posted to the Royal Field Artillery
, fighting in South Africa during the Second Boer War
, where he reached the rank of major. From March to June 1900 he served in operations around Natal
and later around the Zululand Frontier, including the defence of Forts Itala and Prospect. For his actions during the conflict he was mentioned in despatches and also received the Distinguished Service Order, the Queen's South Africa Medal
with three clasps and the King's South Africa Medal
with two clasps. In 1902 he married Erin Laura Muriel, daughter of William Wheelwright of Durban, and settled in South Africa.
Gowans served his country again during the First World War, serving as a temporary Lieutenant Colonel
in the Royal Field Artillery, and was mentioned in despatches on another two occasions.
whilst a student at Clare College. He played in two Varsity Matches
in 1892 and 1893, winning two sporting 'Blues'. Gowans played his rugby on the wing and was first capped for Scotland, while still a Cambridge student, in the 1893 Home Nations Championship
, against Wales. His seven others caps for Scotland were also in Home Nations encounters and he took part in their successful 1895 campaign
where they claimed their first ever Triple Crown
. It was during the 1895 tournament that Gowens scored his first international points, scoring a match winning try
in the encounter with Wales. He would score one more try, in his final match, during the 1896 game against England.
match for the Marylebone Cricket Club
against Cambridge University. Playing as a wicket-keeper, he top scored in their first innings with 40 and wasn't required to bat in the second. The bowler who dismissed him, Cyril Wells
, was also a rugby union international, representing England.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(23 April 1872 - 14 March 1936) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born sportsman who played international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
as a wing for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and as a cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er represented Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
.
Personal history
Gowans was born in WestoeWestoe
Westoe is a suburb of South Shields, Tyne & Wear, United Kingdom.- History :Westoe was originally a village a mile south of South Shields, and was gradually absorbed into the urban sprawl extending from the centre of Shields at the end of the niineteenth century.In contemporary usage the term...
, South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
in 1872 to Dr. William Gowans of Westoe House. Gowans was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
before matriculating to Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
in 1890. Gowans joined the British Army and was posted to the Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
, fighting in South Africa during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, where he reached the rank of major. From March to June 1900 he served in operations around Natal
Natal, South Africa
Natal is a region in South Africa. It stretches between the Indian Ocean in the south and east, the Drakensberg in the west, and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The main cities are Pietermaritzburg and Durban...
and later around the Zululand Frontier, including the defence of Forts Itala and Prospect. For his actions during the conflict he was mentioned in despatches and also received the Distinguished Service Order, the Queen's South Africa Medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
with three clasps and the King's South Africa Medal
King's South Africa Medal
The King's South Africa Medal was awarded to all troops who served in the Boer War in South Africa on or after 1 January 1902, and completed 18 months service before 1 June 1902. The medal was not issued alone but always with the Queen's South Africa Medal or QSA.The KSA was awarded only to those...
with two clasps. In 1902 he married Erin Laura Muriel, daughter of William Wheelwright of Durban, and settled in South Africa.
Gowans served his country again during the First World War, serving as a temporary Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in the Royal Field Artillery, and was mentioned in despatches on another two occasions.
Rugby career
Gowans first came to note as a rugby player when he represented Cambridge UniversityCambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
whilst a student at Clare College. He played in two Varsity Matches
The Varsity Match
The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
in 1892 and 1893, winning two sporting 'Blues'. Gowans played his rugby on the wing and was first capped for Scotland, while still a Cambridge student, in the 1893 Home Nations Championship
1893 Home Nations Championship
The 1893 Home Nations Championship was the eleventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 17 January and 11 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
, against Wales. His seven others caps for Scotland were also in Home Nations encounters and he took part in their successful 1895 campaign
1895 Home Nations Championship
The 1895 Home Nations Championship was the thirteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 16 March...
where they claimed their first ever Triple Crown
Triple Crown (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
. It was during the 1895 tournament that Gowens scored his first international points, scoring a match winning try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
in the encounter with Wales. He would score one more try, in his final match, during the 1896 game against England.
Cricket career
In 1891, Gowans played a first-class cricketFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
match for the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
against Cambridge University. Playing as a wicket-keeper, he top scored in their first innings with 40 and wasn't required to bat in the second. The bowler who dismissed him, Cyril Wells
Cyril Wells
Cyril Mowbray Wells was an English cricketer, rugby footballer and schoolmaster....
, was also a rugby union international, representing England.
External links
See also
- List of Scottish cricket and rugby union players