Richard Mullock
Encyclopedia
Richard Mullock was a Welsh
sporting administrator and official, who is most notable for organising the first Welsh rugby union
international game and was instrumental in the creation of the Welsh Football Union, which became the Welsh Rugby Union
in 1934. Mullock came from an Anglo-Irish family; his family's firm in Wales, Henry Mullock & Son, was a printers based on Commercial Street in Newport
, South Wales.
and the South of Ireland. Mullock, wishing to improve the profile of his Newport club, secured a match against Blackheath before the S.W.F.C. could finalise any arrangements, stealing their fixture. Oxford University and West of Scotland lost interest in a match with either organisation, while a team from South of Ireland played a match against Newport on 18 November 1879, a day before the match with the S.W.F.U. By 1880 the S.W.F.U. was losing face as a governing body, with teams pulling out of matches after embarrassing fixture clashes and a lack of firm commitments.
in 1880, organised between rugby union clubs in an attempt to produce a representative team to face the English national team
. Little was gained from the meeting, but it did produce an agreed desire form the parties present to meet with the English Rugby Football Union
to arrange a match between Wales and England
. Mullock became the architect of this movement and it was through him that the RFU arranged a fixture with a Welsh team on 8 January 1881. Mullock arranged a set of trials in December 1880 to choose the team that would face England, to be captained by Cambridge University
player James Bevan
.
The selection performance of the first Welsh team was contentious, with Mullock choosing a geographically varied team of educated men, most of whom most were linked to the older colleges. The original date of 8 January was postponed to 22 January, which in turn was cancelled due to frost. Mullock was concerned that the lack of a fixture date would lead towards the same accusations of incompetence levelled at the S.W.F.U., and accepted a date of 19 February even though it fell a day before a cup semi-final between Swansea
and Llanelli
. On the day of the match two of the players chosen to represent Wales failed to show for the game. The missing players later complained that there was little definite communication between Mullock and themselves.
The match itself was a one sided affair, with the English winning by seven goals, a dropped goal and six tries to nil, 82-0 by modern scoring standards. This was a terrible defeat for the Welsh and when the backlash came from the press, Mullock discovered that he was the only Welsh executive and was carrying the responsibility for the defeat. The Western Mail ran several editorials asking whether the match was an affiliated team endorsed by the S.W.F.U. or a private team organised by Mullock. The S.W.F.U. distanced themselves from the match, allowing the responsibility to fall on Mullock; though this tactic was ill conceived, as the rugby clubs appeared to prefer Mullock's positive approach rather than the S.W.F.U.'s inactivity. These events lead to the formation of the Welsh Football Union, later to be named the Welsh Rugby Union, at the Castle Hotel in Neath
on 12 March 1881. The S.W.F.U. failed to attend the meeting, which lead to their dissolution as the WFU was accepted as the official representative union of the Welsh clubs.
, Swansea, Newport and Llanelli were all in favour of the new direction Mullock was taking rugby in Wales and gave their support to the formation of the WFU. Swansea in particular were impressed with Mullock and commended him for his organisation of the Welsh team, despite the heavy defeat. At the meeting, with the support of Swansea, Mullock was installed as the first secretary of the Welsh Football Union, who in turn proposed Swansea's Cyril Chambers as president. By September 1882, Mullock was not only the WFU secretary and treasurer, but was installed as one of the four regional selectors for the Welsh national team, representing the Newport area.
Mullock, although enthusiastic as a sporting organiser was a poor accountant, and a bad choice for treasurer. At the end of the 1882-3 season, the Union had received roughly £96 in receipts, but had had spent over £215, roughly a quarter of this amount spent on hotel bills attempting to impress RFU delegates. It was Mullock's poor fiscal abilities that would later remove him from his posts within the WFU. In 1891 at Llanelli's AGM, the club secretary, Gavin Henry, stated that after the 1891 Home Nations
match at Stradey Park
, where Wales faced Ireland
, Mullock had taken the gate receipts without paying Llanelli's costs. Henry wrote several letters to Mullock but did not receive a response, resulting in Henry meeting the costs himself. Henry called for Mullock to be 'deposed' from his position within the WFU.
At the 1890-1 WFU annual meeting, Swansea's William Gwynn
, challenged Mullock's position and demanded that he step down on the grounds of financial mismanagement. While Tom Williams of Neath
complained that, Mullock, the treasurer had not provided a balance sheet for members since 1884. Gwynn called for Mullock to be replaced as Secretary by Walter E. Rees
; but Rees withdrew after W.D. Phillips
and Horace Lyne
argued Mullock's case, reminding the members how Mullock financed the Union in its early years. Mullock retained his position as Secretary but stood down as Treasurer in favour of William Wilkins.
The next season saw the end of Mullock as WFU Secretary; when an incident involving a Swansea player in a game at Exeter, resulted in a request by the RFU for the player concerned to write a letter of apology. Many WFU members felt that Mullock had grovelled towards the RFU during the affair and in September 1892, Mullock was no longer Secretary.
clash between Scotland
and Wales. His opposite partner on the line at the same game was JA Gardener, secretary of the Scottish Rugby Union
and the referee was James MacLaren, President of the RFU.
In 1886 as part of the Home Nations Championship
, Mullock was selected to referee an international game between England and Ireland. This followed on from the previous year
when Horace Lyne had refereed the same fixture between the nations. England won both matches by a try
, and the fact that two members of the WFU were seen to have 'had a hand' in Irish defeats caused an already strained relationship between Wales and Ireland to worsen. In both the 1885 and 1886 Championships, Ireland refused to play Wales.
In 1902, Mullock was declared bankrupt and emigrated that year to Africa. He died in 1920.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
sporting administrator and official, who is most notable for organising the first Welsh rugby union
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
international game and was instrumental in the creation of the Welsh Football Union, which became the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
in 1934. Mullock came from an Anglo-Irish family; his family's firm in Wales, Henry Mullock & Son, was a printers based on Commercial Street in Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, South Wales.
Early sporting ambitions
Mullock had a history of connections with sports clubs around Newport and in 1874 became the secretary of the Newport Athletic Club. In 1879 the South Wales Football Club, which represented the interests of Welsh rugby union, attempted to organise a group of matches between a South Wales team and clubs representing Blackheath F.C., West of Scotland F.C., Oxford UniversityOxford 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:...
and the South of Ireland. Mullock, wishing to improve the profile of his Newport club, secured a match against Blackheath before the S.W.F.C. could finalise any arrangements, stealing their fixture. Oxford University and West of Scotland lost interest in a match with either organisation, while a team from South of Ireland played a match against Newport on 18 November 1879, a day before the match with the S.W.F.U. By 1880 the S.W.F.U. was losing face as a governing body, with teams pulling out of matches after embarrassing fixture clashes and a lack of firm commitments.
The creation of a Welsh national team
These events lead to a meeting in the Tenby Hotel in SwanseaSwansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
in 1880, organised between rugby union clubs in an attempt to produce a representative team to face the English national team
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...
. Little was gained from the meeting, but it did produce an agreed desire form the parties present to meet with the English Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
to arrange a match between Wales and 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...
. Mullock became the architect of this movement and it was through him that the RFU arranged a fixture with a Welsh team on 8 January 1881. Mullock arranged a set of trials in December 1880 to choose the team that would face England, to be captained by Cambridge University
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...
player James Bevan
James Bevan
James Bevan was a Wales international rugby union three-quarter who played club rugby for Clifton RFC and Newport...
.
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...
and Llanelli
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
. On the day of the match two of the players chosen to represent Wales failed to show for the game. The missing players later complained that there was little definite communication between Mullock and themselves.
The match itself was a one sided affair, with the English winning by seven goals, a dropped goal and six tries to nil, 82-0 by modern scoring standards. This was a terrible defeat for the Welsh and when the backlash came from the press, Mullock discovered that he was the only Welsh executive and was carrying the responsibility for the defeat. The Western Mail ran several editorials asking whether the match was an affiliated team endorsed by the S.W.F.U. or a private team organised by Mullock. The S.W.F.U. distanced themselves from the match, allowing the responsibility to fall on Mullock; though this tactic was ill conceived, as the rugby clubs appeared to prefer Mullock's positive approach rather than the S.W.F.U.'s inactivity. These events lead to the formation of the Welsh Football Union, later to be named the Welsh Rugby Union, at the Castle Hotel in Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
on 12 March 1881. The S.W.F.U. failed to attend the meeting, which lead to their dissolution as the WFU was accepted as the official representative union of the Welsh clubs.
Secretary of the Welsh Football Union
The four major Welsh clubs, CardiffCardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
, Swansea, Newport and Llanelli were all in favour of the new direction Mullock was taking rugby in Wales and gave their support to the formation of the WFU. Swansea in particular were impressed with Mullock and commended him for his organisation of the Welsh team, despite the heavy defeat. At the meeting, with the support of Swansea, Mullock was installed as the first secretary of the Welsh Football Union, who in turn proposed Swansea's Cyril Chambers as president. By September 1882, Mullock was not only the WFU secretary and treasurer, but was installed as one of the four regional selectors for the Welsh national team, representing the Newport area.
Mullock, although enthusiastic as a sporting organiser was a poor accountant, and a bad choice for treasurer. At the end of the 1882-3 season, the Union had received roughly £96 in receipts, but had had spent over £215, roughly a quarter of this amount spent on hotel bills attempting to impress RFU delegates. It was Mullock's poor fiscal abilities that would later remove him from his posts within the WFU. In 1891 at Llanelli's AGM, the club secretary, Gavin Henry, stated that after the 1891 Home Nations
1891 Home Nations Championship
The 1891 Home Nations Championship was the ninth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 3 January and 7 March...
match at Stradey Park
Stradey Park
Stradey Park was a rugby union stadium located near the centre of the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was the home of the Scarlets region and Llanelli RFC rugby teams. The stadium was a combination of seating and standing with a total capacity of 10,800...
, where Wales faced 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...
, Mullock had taken the gate receipts without paying Llanelli's costs. Henry wrote several letters to Mullock but did not receive a response, resulting in Henry meeting the costs himself. Henry called for Mullock to be 'deposed' from his position within the WFU.
At the 1890-1 WFU annual meeting, Swansea's William Gwynn
William Gwynn
William Gwynn was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea and would later become secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union. Gwynn was an all-round sportsman and as well as his success on the rugby pitch he also player cricket for Swansea, of which he became...
, challenged Mullock's position and demanded that he step down on the grounds of financial mismanagement. While Tom Williams of Neath
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem...
complained that, Mullock, the treasurer had not provided a balance sheet for members since 1884. Gwynn called for Mullock to be replaced as Secretary by Walter E. Rees
Walter E. Rees
Captain Walter Enoch Rees was a Welsh rugby union administrator who was the longest serving secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union and joint manager of the 1910 British Lions tour of South Africa.-Career as rugby administrator:...
; but Rees withdrew after W.D. Phillips
William David Phillips
William David Phillips was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff Rugby Football Club and international rugby for Wales...
and Horace Lyne
Horace Lyne
Horace Sampson Lyne MBE was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club. He won five caps for Wales and after retiring from playing rugby became the longest serving president of the Welsh Rugby Union...
argued Mullock's case, reminding the members how Mullock financed the Union in its early years. Mullock retained his position as Secretary but stood down as Treasurer in favour of William Wilkins.
The next season saw the end of Mullock as WFU Secretary; when an incident involving a Swansea player in a game at Exeter, resulted in a request by the RFU for the player concerned to write a letter of apology. Many WFU members felt that Mullock had grovelled towards the RFU during the affair and in September 1892, Mullock was no longer Secretary.
As rugby referee
Mullock also officiated for rugby union matches, and was umpire in several international matches, including the 1884 Home Nations Championship1884 Home Nations Championship
The 1884 Home Nations Championship was the second series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 12 April 1884...
clash between 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 Wales. His opposite partner on the line at the same game was JA Gardener, secretary 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:...
and the referee was James MacLaren, President of the RFU.
In 1886 as part of the Home Nations Championship
1886 Home Nations Championship
The 1886 Home Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 2 January and 13 March 1886. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales...
, Mullock was selected to referee an international game between England and Ireland. This followed on from the previous year
1886 Home Nations Championship
The 1886 Home Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 2 January and 13 March 1886. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales...
when Horace Lyne had refereed the same fixture between the nations. England won both matches by a 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...
, and the fact that two members of the WFU were seen to have 'had a hand' in Irish defeats caused an already strained relationship between Wales and Ireland to worsen. In both the 1885 and 1886 Championships, Ireland refused to play Wales.
Personal history
Mullock was born in 1851 in Newport, South Wales to Henry Mullock and Henrietta Oliver. The family ran a printing company and published the local paper, The Newport Advertiser. Mullock was one of at least four siblings, including younger brother William and sisters Julia and Helen. Mullock married and had six children, though apart from a daughter, Dorothy, there is little information on his family.In 1902, Mullock was declared bankrupt and emigrated that year to Africa. He died in 1920.