James Greenlees
Encyclopedia
Dr. James Robertson Campbell Greenlees DSO
& Bar
(14 December 1878 – 16 May 1951) was a Scottish
rugby union
footballer and educationlist. As a sportsman he played club rugby for Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
and Kelvinside Academicals RFC and international rugby for Scotland
. After leaving international rugby he became a referee, officiating at Test level.
, Scotland in 1878 to Matthew Greenlees and Wilhelmina Alexander Campbell. He was educated at Kelvinside Academy
and later Loretto School
; he matriculated to St John's College, Cambridge
in 1898. He gained his Bachelor of Medicine in 1907, and was a physician in Glasgow
from 1906 through to 1926. He worked at Western Infirmary
and the Sick Children Hospital, both based in the city. In 1926 he became headmaster of his former school, Loretto. Originally brought in as temporary cover after the untimely death of his predecessor, A.R. Smith, Greenlees became a permanent appointment. He intended to retire as head in 1939, but after the outbreak of World War II he continued in his post until 1945.
and was posted to France. On 12 August 1915 he was promoted to temporary captain in the 22nd Field Ambulance; he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order that same year. He was later posted to the 98th Field Ambulance, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
. In 1917 he was awarded a Bar to his DSO, and the next year he was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
. Greenlees was Mentioned in Despatches on four occasions.
each year from 1898 to 1901, and became University rugby club captain in 1900. While still playing at Cambridge, Greenlees was selected to represent Scotland in the 1900 Home Nations Championship
, facing Ireland
on 24 February. The game ended in a nil-nil draw and Greenlees was not chosen for the final game of the tournament. Greenlees missed the entire 1901 Championship, but played in all three matches of the 1902 Home Nations Championship
, a terrible campaign for Scotland that resulted in three loses. The Scottish selectors kept faith in Greenlees and he was part of the 1903 team
. After the disappointment of the previous campaign, Scotland responded by winning all three matches, taking the Championship title and the Triple Crown
. In the final match of the Championship, played at Richmond against England
, Greenlees was given the captaincy after regular captain Mark Coxon Morrison
was unavailable. It would be Greenlees' final international game.
After leaving international rugby, Greenlees kept his connection with rugby by becoming a referee. He officiated two international games, the 1913
encounter between Ireland and England, and the England versus Wales match of 1914
. He also refereed the South Africa
match with Swansea
in 1912
. For the 1913-14 season he was President of the Scottish Rugby Union
.
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...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(14 December 1878 – 16 May 1951) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
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...
footballer and educationlist. As a sportsman he played club rugby for Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
Cambridge 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...
and Kelvinside Academicals RFC and international rugby 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...
. After leaving international rugby he became a referee, officiating at Test level.
Personal history
Greenlees was born in PartickPartick
Partick is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch. Partick was a Police burgh from 1852 until 1912 when it was incorporated into the city.-History:...
, Scotland in 1878 to Matthew Greenlees and Wilhelmina Alexander Campbell. He was educated at Kelvinside Academy
Kelvinside Academy
Kelvinside Academy is a private school in the City of Glasgow, Scotland, founded in 1878. It has a capacity of 640 pupils and spans two years of Junior Start , six years of Junior School , and seven years of Senior School , comprising fifteen years in all...
and later Loretto School
Loretto School
Loretto School is an independent school in Scotland, founded in 1827. The campus occupies in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh.-History:Loretto was founded by the Reverend Thomas Langhorne in 1827. Langhorne came from Crosby Ravensworth, near Kirkby Stephen. The school was later taken over by his son,...
; he matriculated to St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
in 1898. He gained his Bachelor of Medicine in 1907, and was a physician in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
from 1906 through to 1926. He worked at Western Infirmary
Western Infirmary
The Western Infirmary is a teaching hospital situated in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. There is also a Maggie's centre at the hospital to help cancer patients, as well as the Glasgow Clinical Research Facility....
and the Sick Children Hospital, both based in the city. In 1926 he became headmaster of his former school, Loretto. Originally brought in as temporary cover after the untimely death of his predecessor, A.R. Smith, Greenlees became a permanent appointment. He intended to retire as head in 1939, but after the outbreak of World War II he continued in his post until 1945.
Military service
With the outbreak of World War I, Greenlees joined the Royal Army Medical CorpsRoyal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
and was posted to France. On 12 August 1915 he was promoted to temporary captain in the 22nd Field Ambulance; he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order that same year. He was later posted to the 98th Field Ambulance, achieving the rank of 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 1917 he was awarded a Bar to his DSO, and the next year he was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. Greenlees was Mentioned in Despatches on four occasions.
Rugby career
Greenlees first came to note as a rugby player when he was chosen for the Cambridge University team in his first year at St. Johns. He won four sporting Blues playing in The Varsity MatchThe 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...
each year from 1898 to 1901, and became University rugby club captain in 1900. While still playing at Cambridge, Greenlees was selected to represent Scotland in the 1900 Home Nations Championship
1900 Home Nations Championship
The 1900 Home Nations Championship was the eighteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 6 January and 17 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, facing Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
on 24 February. The game ended in a nil-nil draw and Greenlees was not chosen for the final game of the tournament. Greenlees missed the entire 1901 Championship, but played in all three matches of the 1902 Home Nations Championship
1902 Home Nations Championship
The 1902 Home Nations Championship was the twentieth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 11 January and 15 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
, a terrible campaign for Scotland that resulted in three loses. The Scottish selectors kept faith in Greenlees and he was part of the 1903 team
1903 Home Nations Championship
The 1903 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-first series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 10 January and 21 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
. After the disappointment of the previous campaign, Scotland responded by winning all three matches, taking the Championship title and the 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...
. In the final match of the Championship, played at Richmond against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
, Greenlees was given the captaincy after regular captain Mark Coxon Morrison
Mark Coxon Morrison
Mark Coxon Morrison was a Scottish rugby union footballer who captained both Scotland and the British Isles. He played for Scotland twenty three times between 1896 and 1904, and captained the team fifteen times, a record which stood until the era of Arthur Smith, sixty years later...
was unavailable. It would be Greenlees' final international game.
After leaving international rugby, Greenlees kept his connection with rugby by becoming a referee. He officiated two international games, the 1913
1913 Five Nations Championship
The 1913 Five Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-first series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
encounter between Ireland and England, and the England versus Wales match of 1914
1914 Five Nations Championship
The 1914 Five Nations Championship was the fifth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-second series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. He also refereed the South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
match with Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
in 1912
1912-13 South Africa rugby union tour
The 1912–13 South Africa rugby union tour was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the South Africa national rugby union team against England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France. The tour also took in several matches against British and Irish club, county and invitational teams...
. For the 1913-14 season he was President of the Scottish Rugby Union
Scottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
.