Thomas Sherren Whittaker
Encyclopedia
Thomas Sherren Whittaker (26 January 1868 – 8 February 1914) was an English
rugby union
forward who was a member of the British Isles XV
that toured South Africa in 1891
. Whittaker was also an original member of invitational touring team, the Barbarians
, Kent in 1868 to Thomas Earle and Francis Jane Whittaker. He was educated at Rugby School
before Matriculating to Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1887. On 12 June 1888 he began his legal career when he was admitted at the Middle Temple
, and in 1890 he was awarded his BA. He was called to the Bar in 1892. At the time of his death in 1914, he was a Barrister of Law, with a practice at Temple in London and a private residence on Callis-Court Road in Broadstairs
, Kent.
Despite Whittaker attending Rugby School, whose members filled the ranks of Cambridge University rugby club
, there is no record of Whittaker playing for the University team. On the year he graduated from University, Whittaker is recorded as representing Manchester Rugby Club
, and during the same year was invited by Percy Carpmael
to join the very first Barbarian team.
In 1891, Whittaker was approached to join Bill Maclagan
's British Isles team on their first sanctioned overseas rugby union tour, played in South Africa. Whitaker played in 17 matches of the tour including all three Tests against the South African national team
. In the First Test, at Port Elizabeth, Whittaker scored his one and only interantional try
, in the 4-0 victory over the Springboks. In total Whittaker amassed seven tries over the tour, including two tries in the 22-0 win over Port Elizabeth in the sixth game.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
forward who was a member of the British Isles XV
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
that toured South Africa in 1891
1891 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1891 British Isles tour to South Africa was the first British Isles rugby union tour of South Africa and only the second overseas tour conducted by a joint British team. Between 9 July and 7 September, the team played 20 games, including three tests against the South Africa national rugby union...
. Whittaker was also an original member of invitational touring team, the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
Personal life
Whittaker was born in BeckenhamBeckenham
Beckenham is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is located 8.4 miles south east of Charing Cross and 1.75 miles west of Bromley town...
, Kent in 1868 to Thomas Earle and Francis Jane Whittaker. He was educated at 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:...
before Matriculating to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1887. On 12 June 1888 he began his legal career when he was admitted at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, and in 1890 he was awarded his BA. He was called to the Bar in 1892. At the time of his death in 1914, he was a Barrister of Law, with a practice at Temple in London and a private residence on Callis-Court Road in Broadstairs
Broadstairs
Broadstairs is a coastal town on the Isle of Thanet in the Thanet district of east Kent, England, about south-east of London. It is part of the civil parish of Broadstairs and St Peter's, which includes St. Peter's and had a population in 2001 of about 24,000. Situated between Margate and...
, Kent.
Rugby career
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...
, there is no record of Whittaker playing for the University team. On the year he graduated from University, Whittaker is recorded as representing Manchester Rugby Club
Manchester Rugby Club
Manchester Rugby Club, formerly known as Manchester Football Club, are one of the oldest rugby union clubs in existence, having been founded in 1860, 11 years before the RFU....
, and during the same year was invited by Percy Carpmael
William Percy Carpmael
William Percy Carpmael was the founder and first president of the rugby union Barbarian Football Club. Carpmael was born the eldest of eight in Briscobel, Stretham in England.-Education and early career:...
to join the very first Barbarian team.
In 1891, Whittaker was approached to join Bill Maclagan
Bill Maclagan
William Edward "Bill" Maclagan was a Scottish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for London Scottish F.C....
's British Isles team on their first sanctioned overseas rugby union tour, played in South Africa. Whitaker played in 17 matches of the tour including all three Tests against the South African national team
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...
. In the First Test, at Port Elizabeth, Whittaker scored his one and only interantional 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...
, in the 4-0 victory over the Springboks. In total Whittaker amassed seven tries over the tour, including two tries in the 22-0 win over Port Elizabeth in the sixth game.