John Warburton Sagar
Encyclopedia
John Warburton Sagar was a former England
international rugby union
fullback and British diplomat in the Sudan.
in 1878 and was educated at Durham School.
In 1898 he gained entry to Jesus College, Cambridge
and was awarded his degree in 1901. On leaving university he became a private tutor in Yorkshire, before leaving to accompany a friend on a voyage around the world.
On his return in 1902 he joined Loretto School
in Scotland as an assistant master. In 1903 he joined the Sudan
Political Service, remaining with the service until 1924. He gained several promotions during his time in Sudan, becoming the Governor of Kordofan
from 1917 to 1922, and the Governor of Wadi Halfa
from 1922 until he left the service in 1924.
Sagar died of mycardial degeneration in Bournemouth
, England in 1941.
and in 1899 and 1900, played in The Varsity Match
against Oxford
winning two sporting Blues.
He played twice for England in the 1901 Home International
championships.
He was the first captain of the newly formed Wakefield RFC
in September 1901, the chairmen William Ticken Smith "had great pleasure in proposing that Mr Sagar be appointed captain, observing that they all knew his capacities as an International, Varsity and Yorkshire County player"
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...
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...
fullback and British diplomat in the Sudan.
Life history
Sagar was born in County DurhamCounty Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
in 1878 and was educated at Durham School.
In 1898 he gained entry to Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
and was awarded his degree in 1901. On leaving university he became a private tutor in Yorkshire, before leaving to accompany a friend on a voyage around the world.
On his return in 1902 he joined 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,...
in Scotland as an assistant master. In 1903 he joined the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
Political Service, remaining with the service until 1924. He gained several promotions during his time in Sudan, becoming the Governor of Kordofan
Kurdufan
Kurdufan , also spelled Kordofan, is a former province of central Sudan. In 1994 it was divided into three new federal states: North Kurdufan, South Kurdufan, and West Kurdufan...
from 1917 to 1922, and the Governor of Wadi Halfa
Wadi Halfa
Wadi Halfa is a city in the state of Northern, in northern Sudan, on the shores of Lake Nubia . It is the terminus of a rail line from Khartoum and the point where goods are transferred from rail to ferries going down the Lake Nasser...
from 1922 until he left the service in 1924.
Sagar died of mycardial degeneration in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, England in 1941.
Rugby career
While at Jesus College, Sagar played for 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...
and in 1899 and 1900, played in The Varsity Match
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...
against Oxford
Oxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
winning two sporting Blues.
He played twice for England in the 1901 Home International
1901 Home Nations Championship
The 1901 Home Nations Championship was the nineteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 16 March...
championships.
He was the first captain of the newly formed Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC was an English rugby union club, founded in 1901, and which dropped out of the English leagues in 2004 as a result of the effects of professionalism...
in September 1901, the chairmen William Ticken Smith "had great pleasure in proposing that Mr Sagar be appointed captain, observing that they all knew his capacities as an International, Varsity and Yorkshire County player"
Sources
- Wakefield Rugby Football Club—1901-2001 A Centenary History. Written and compiled by David Ingall in 2001.
- A biographical dictionary of the Sudan By Richard Leslie Hill. Page 324. ISBN 978-0-7146-1037-5