Ronald Poulton-Palmer
Encyclopedia
Ronald William Poulton (12 September 1889 - 5 May 1915) was an English rugby union
footballer, who captained and was killed in The First World War.
Born in Headington
, he was the son of Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton
, the zoologist and his wife Emily Palmer. He was educated at Dragon School
, Rugby School
, and Balliol College
Oxford. He played for Balliol College, Oxford University RFC
, Harlequins
and Liverpool F.C.(Who later merged with St. Helens RUFC to create Liverpool St Helens F.C.
). Poulton is one of three men to score a hat-trick
of tries in the Varsity match - he scored five, still the individual record for the fixture, in 1909. He captained England during the 1913/4 unbeaten season (now what would be called a 'Grand Slam'), scoring four tries against France in 1914, in the last test match prior to the outbreak of World War I. Poulton was renowned for his elusiveness and glamorous style of play - "the very mention of swerving sends ones thoughts to the late Ronald Poulton, the swerver par excellence... swerving and Poulton are almost synonymous terms" (DR Gent in CJB Marriott's Modern Rugby Football).
Twenty six England international rugby players were killed in World War I
of a total international toll of one hundred and thirty. One of the most notable was Poulton Palmer, who was considered by many contemporary observers as perhaps the greatest-ever attacking rugby union threequarter.
He officially changed his surname to Palmer by Royal Licence as a condition of inheriting a fortune from his uncle George William Palmer
of Huntley and Palmer biscuit company in 1914. His surname was never actually 'Poulton Palmer' (or even the hyphenated version 'Poulton-Palmer), although he was often later called this.
Poulton Palmer was commissioned in to 1st/4th territorial battalion of The Royal Berkshire Regiment
and rose to the rank of Lieutenant. On the morning of 5 May 1915, whilst supervising trench work from the top of a superior officer's newly repaired dugout, Poulton Palmer was killed by a sniper's bullet - to a man his platoon wept at their and the nation's loss. He was twenty-five years of age. Ronald Poulton Palmer's grave is at the Royal Berks Cemetery, Hyde Park Corner, in Belgium.
A memorial to him was erected at Balliol College, on the west wall of the Chapel passage.
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, who captained and was killed in The First World War.
Born in Headington
Headington
Headington is a suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames Valley below. The life of the large residential area is centred upon London Road, the main road between London and Oxford.-History:...
, he was the son of Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton
Edward Bagnall Poulton
Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton, FRS was a British evolutionary biologist who was a lifelong advocate of natural selection...
, the zoologist and his wife Emily Palmer. He was educated at Dragon School
Dragon School
The Dragon School is a British coeducational, preparatory school in the city of Oxford, founded in 1877 as the Oxford Preparatory School, or OPS. It is primarily known as a boarding school, although it also takes day pupils...
, Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, and Balliol College
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
Oxford. He played for Balliol College, Oxford University RFC
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:...
, Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
and Liverpool F.C.(Who later merged with St. Helens RUFC to create Liverpool St Helens F.C.
Liverpool St Helens F.C.
Liverpool St Helens Football Club are a rugby union team formed from the merger of Liverpool Football Club and St. Helens RUFC. The club currently plays in North 1 West....
). Poulton is one of three men to score a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
of tries in the Varsity match - he scored five, still the individual record for the fixture, in 1909. He captained England during the 1913/4 unbeaten season (now what would be called a 'Grand Slam'), scoring four tries against France in 1914, in the last test match prior to the outbreak of World War I. Poulton was renowned for his elusiveness and glamorous style of play - "the very mention of swerving sends ones thoughts to the late Ronald Poulton, the swerver par excellence... swerving and Poulton are almost synonymous terms" (DR Gent in CJB Marriott's Modern Rugby Football).
Twenty six England international rugby players were killed in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
of a total international toll of one hundred and thirty. One of the most notable was Poulton Palmer, who was considered by many contemporary observers as perhaps the greatest-ever attacking rugby union threequarter.
He officially changed his surname to Palmer by Royal Licence as a condition of inheriting a fortune from his uncle George William Palmer
George William Palmer (England)
George William Palmer was a member of the Palmer family, proprietors of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit manufacturers of Reading in England....
of Huntley and Palmer biscuit company in 1914. His surname was never actually 'Poulton Palmer' (or even the hyphenated version 'Poulton-Palmer), although he was often later called this.
Poulton Palmer was commissioned in to 1st/4th territorial battalion of The Royal Berkshire Regiment
Royal Berkshire Regiment
The Royal Berkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 49th Regiment of Foot and the 66th Regiment of Foot.The regiment was originally formed as The Princess Charlotte of Wales's , taking the...
and rose to the rank of Lieutenant. On the morning of 5 May 1915, whilst supervising trench work from the top of a superior officer's newly repaired dugout, Poulton Palmer was killed by a sniper's bullet - to a man his platoon wept at their and the nation's loss. He was twenty-five years of age. Ronald Poulton Palmer's grave is at the Royal Berks Cemetery, Hyde Park Corner, in Belgium.
A memorial to him was erected at Balliol College, on the west wall of the Chapel passage.
External links
- sportnetwork article
- Ronnie Poulton-Palmer at www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk
- Commonwealth war graves database entry
- http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/3887