Bob Weighill
Encyclopedia
Bob Weighill was a rugby union international who represented England
from 1947 to 1948. He also captained his country and later became Secretary of the Rugby Football Union
. Weighill served in the Royal Air Force
and rose to the rank of Air Commodore
.
. He was educated at Wirral Grammar School for Boys
and was the freestyle swimming champion of Cheshire
in 1935-36. Weighill served with Cheshire Constabulary
between 1937 and 1941 and joined the RAF as a pilot. In 1944 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
and he eventually rose to the rank of Air Commodore and commanded the RAF No. 1 School of Technical Training
at RAF Halton
. He was honoured as a Commander of the British Empire
in 1970.
, Harlequins
and Leicester
while at representative level he captained the RAF rugby team from 1945 to 1952 and captained the Combined Services side and the Notts, Lincs and Derbys county team. He made his international debut on Mar 15, 1947 at Twickenham
in the England
vs Scotland
match.
Of the 4 matches he played for his national side he was on the winning side on 2 occasions.
He played his final match for England on Mar 29, 1948 at Colombes in the France
vs England
match, in which he captained the national team.
As a rugby union administrator, Weighill was an England selector from 1959 and 1964 and Secretary of the RFU between 1974 and 1986. From 1986 to 1995 he was the Honorary Secretary of the Five Nations and Home Unions Committee.
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...
from 1947 to 1948. He also captained his country and later became Secretary of the 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...
. Weighill served in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and rose to the rank of Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
.
Life
Bob Weighill was born on September 9, 1920 in Kings NortonKings Norton
Kings Norton is an area of Birmingham, England. It is also a Birmingham City Council ward within the formal district of Northfield.-History:...
. He was educated at Wirral Grammar School for Boys
Wirral Grammar School for Boys
Wirral Grammar School for Boys, founded in 1931, is situated on Cross Lane, Bebington, on the Wirral Peninsula in England.-Admissions:It is a foundation school, located within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and requires all potential pupils to take, and pass, the eleven plus exam exam prior to...
and was the freestyle swimming champion of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
in 1935-36. Weighill served with Cheshire Constabulary
Cheshire Constabulary
Cheshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the English unitary authorities of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton and Warrington. The force is responsible for policing an area of with a population of roughly 1 million.The Chief Constable of the...
between 1937 and 1941 and joined the RAF as a pilot. In 1944 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
and he eventually rose to the rank of Air Commodore and commanded the RAF No. 1 School of Technical Training
No. 1 School of Technical Training
No.1 School of Technical Training is the Royal Air Force's aircraft engineering school, based at RAF Halton from 1919 to 1993, as the Home of the Aircraft Apprentice scheme...
at RAF Halton
RAF Halton
RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...
. He was honoured as a Commander of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1970.
Rugby union career
Weighill played club rugby for Birkenhead Park, Waterloo R.F.C.Waterloo R.F.C.
Waterloo Football Club is an English Rugby Union team based at St Anthonys Road, Blundellsands, Merseyside. It celebrated its 125th season in 2007/08, having been founded in 1882 by brothers Sidney and Harry Hall and George Abercrombie. From 1882 until 1884 the club was known as Serpentine after...
, 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 Leicester
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
while at representative level he captained the RAF rugby team from 1945 to 1952 and captained the Combined Services side and the Notts, Lincs and Derbys county team. He made his international debut on Mar 15, 1947 at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
in the 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...
vs 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...
match.
Of the 4 matches he played for his national side he was on the winning side on 2 occasions.
He played his final match for England on Mar 29, 1948 at Colombes in the France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
vs 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...
match, in which he captained the national team.
As a rugby union administrator, Weighill was an England selector from 1959 and 1964 and Secretary of the RFU between 1974 and 1986. From 1986 to 1995 he was the Honorary Secretary of the Five Nations and Home Unions Committee.