James Peters
Encyclopedia
James Peters was an English rugby union
player and, later, a rugby league
player. He is notable as the first black man to play rugby union for England. He was also known as "Darkie Peters".
James Peters's Jamaican father, George, had been mauled to death in a training cage by lions. His mother was Hannah Gough from Wem in Shropshire. He found himself in Fegan's orphanage in Southwark and the Little Wanderers' Home in Greenwich. Greenwich Admirals Rugby League Club now celebrate Peters' life with an annual challenge game.
Peters worked in printing
and his trade brought him to Bristol
, where we played for Bristol Rugby
Club. Peters then moved on to Plymouth
.
He played rugby union for Devon, and in 1906 was to play the South Africans in front of 20,000 fans at the Plymouth County ground. However, tourists had belatedly noticed Peters' colour and were seething at playing with a black man. Initially, they refused to play but eventually the South African High Commissioner , who feared a riot if the game was cancelled, persuaded the team to play.
In 1906, England played South Africa
(known as the Springboks) for the first time; James Peters was withdrawn from the England squad after the South Africans objected to playing against a black player.
On 17 March 1907, Peters played for England against Scotland
. The Sportsman
commented that the "dusky Plymouth man did many good things, especially in passing." However, The Yorkshire Post
pointed out, "his selection is by no means popular on racial grounds".
He was to play a further game, against France
, in which he scored a try. Six weeks after playing against South Africa, for Devon, he was not picked for the next game against South Africa on racial grounds and was not to play another game for England.
In 1910 Peters lost three fingers in a dockyard accident, but continued to play until 1912. It was not injury, but politics that forced James Peters out of rugby union.
Clubs in the South West of England attempted to join the Northern Union (later Rugby League
), form a Western League of the Northern Union with competitive fixtures.
He was suspended for accepting payment from Devon Rugby Club, which was illegal according to the codes of rugby union. Many players including Peters and also RFC Plymouth were suspended by RFU. Plymouth Ground closed signaling the end of Plymouth RFC. The rules of professionalism often owed more to politics than finance.
Peters, by then 34 and disillusioned with rugby union, was accepted into rugby league
. Returning to his native North West of England, Peters played for Barrow
in 1913, and then transferred to St. Helens in 1914 until his retirement from rugby.
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...
player and, later, a rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player. He is notable as the first black man to play rugby union for England. He was also known as "Darkie Peters".
James Peters's Jamaican father, George, had been mauled to death in a training cage by lions. His mother was Hannah Gough from Wem in Shropshire. He found himself in Fegan's orphanage in Southwark and the Little Wanderers' Home in Greenwich. Greenwich Admirals Rugby League Club now celebrate Peters' life with an annual challenge game.
Peters worked in printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
and his trade brought him to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, where we played for Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
Club. Peters then moved on to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
.
He played rugby union for Devon, and in 1906 was to play the South Africans in front of 20,000 fans at the Plymouth County ground. However, tourists had belatedly noticed Peters' colour and were seething at playing with a black man. Initially, they refused to play but eventually the South African High Commissioner , who feared a riot if the game was cancelled, persuaded the team to play.
In 1906, England played 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...
(known as the Springboks) for the first time; James Peters was withdrawn from the England squad after the South Africans objected to playing against a black player.
On 17 March 1907, Peters played for England against Scotland
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...
. The Sportsman
The Sportsman
The Sportsman can refer to several different things including:*The Sportsman Channel*A named passenger train formerly of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway....
commented that the "dusky Plymouth man did many good things, especially in passing." However, The Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire Post
The Yorkshire Post is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by Yorkshire Post Newspapers, a company owned by Johnston Press...
pointed out, "his selection is by no means popular on racial grounds".
He was to play a further game, against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in which he scored a try. Six weeks after playing against South Africa, for Devon, he was not picked for the next game against South Africa on racial grounds and was not to play another game for England.
In 1910 Peters lost three fingers in a dockyard accident, but continued to play until 1912. It was not injury, but politics that forced James Peters out of rugby union.
Clubs in the South West of England attempted to join the Northern Union (later Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
), form a Western League of the Northern Union with competitive fixtures.
He was suspended for accepting payment from Devon Rugby Club, which was illegal according to the codes of rugby union. Many players including Peters and also RFC Plymouth were suspended by RFU. Plymouth Ground closed signaling the end of Plymouth RFC. The rules of professionalism often owed more to politics than finance.
Peters, by then 34 and disillusioned with rugby union, was accepted into rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
. Returning to his native North West of England, Peters played for Barrow
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
in 1913, and then transferred to St. Helens in 1914 until his retirement from rugby.