James Reid Kerr
Encyclopedia
James Reid Kerr was a Scottish sportsman who played both rugby union
and cricket
for his country. He was also part of the first official British and Irish Lions
team that toured South Africa in 1910
.
, Renfrewshire
, Scotland
. He was the son of Robert Kerr, a Sugar Refiner. After attending Greenock Collegiate and Glasgow University he worked for his father as a Sugar Chemist.
. He played one game for Scotland, vs England at Richmond on March 20, 1909
The following year, he was selected for the first official British
tour to South Africa
(in that it was sanctioned and selected by the four Home Nations official governing bodies).
.
during the First World War. During the war he saw action in the Gallipoli campaign in 1915.
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...
and 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...
for his country. He was also part of the first official British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
team that toured South Africa in 1910
1910 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1910 British Isles tour to South Africa was the eighth tour by a British Isles team and the fourth to South Africa. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950. As well as South Africa, the tour included a game in...
.
Early life
James Reid Kerr was born on 4 December 1883 in GreenockGreenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, 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...
. He was the son of Robert Kerr, a Sugar Refiner. After attending Greenock Collegiate and Glasgow University he worked for his father as a Sugar Chemist.
Rugby
Kerr played as a rugby forward for his local side, Greenock Wanderers RFCGreenock Wanderers RFC
Greenock Wanderers R.F.C. is a rugby union team based in Greenock, Scotland. It consists of 1st XV, 2nd XV, under 18s, under 17s, under 16s, under 15s, S2 and S1 plus a complete Mini section; a mini rugby tournament is organised every year. Greenock Wanderers was formed in 1873, making it one of...
. He played one game for Scotland, vs England at Richmond on March 20, 1909
The following year, he was selected for the first official British
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
tour to South Africa
1910 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1910 British Isles tour to South Africa was the eighth tour by a British Isles team and the fourth to South Africa. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950. As well as South Africa, the tour included a game in...
(in that it was sanctioned and selected by the four Home Nations official governing bodies).
Cricket
Kerr also played cricket for Greenock as a Right-hand bat. In 279 matches he scored 5,262 runs at an average of 23.08, and he had a top score of 119. He went on to play for Scotland, making only one appearance in 1921. That was against Ireland. In that match he scored 15 runs over two innings. He was also the cousin of the famous Scottish cricketer, John KerrJohn Kerr (Scottish cricketer)
John Kerr was a Scottish cricketer from Greenock.A right-handed batsman, Kerr represented Scotland for 26 years and is their longest serving player of all time. His unbeaten 178 against Ireland in Dublin remained a national record for 3 decades until it was passed by James Aitchison...
.
First World War
James Reid Kerr served as a captain the Argyll and Sutherland HighlandersArgyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
during the First World War. During the war he saw action in the Gallipoli campaign in 1915.
See also
- List of Scottish cricket and rugby union players