Lennard Stokes
Encyclopedia
Dr. Lennard Stokes was a rugby union international who represented England
from 1875 to 1881. He also captained his country on five occasions, notably in the first ever match against Wales
. Like his brother Frederick Stokes
, after captaining his country he went on to become the president of the Rugby Football Union
.
, the son of Henry Graham Stokes, Proctor to the Admiralty and solicitor, and his wife Elizabeth Sewell. He was one of at least nine children (six brothers and three sisters). Unlike his brother Frederick, who attended Rugby School
, he attended Sydney College in Bath. He then studied medicine at Guy's Hospital
, becoming M.R.C.S. in 1881 and L.R.C.P. in 1882.
. Like his brother he became captain of Blackheath and under his captaincy the club grew in reputation. Lennard was responsible for Blackheath acquiring the Rectory Field
, on which a number of international matches were played. During the five seasons from 1876-81 that Lennard Stokes captained the Club, Blackheath won 68 games and lost only 6 out of a total 83 played.
He made his international debut as a 19-year-old on 15 February 1875 at The Oval
in the England
vs Ireland
match. Of his 12 caps he was on the winning side eight times, and he captained his country on five occasions, including the first ever international against Wales on 19 February 1881 at Richardson's Field, Blackheath, when he played full back. Having changed at the Princess of Wales public house half a mile from the ground, England faced Wales for the first time and under Stokes' leadership won by 7 goals to nil, one dropped goal and six tries to nil. Stokes retired from international service at the end of the 1881 season. He played his final match for England on 19 March 1881 at Edinburgh
in the Scotland
vs England
match. His service to rugby continued, however, and he served as president of the Rugby Football Union
for three years from 1886 to 1888 aged just 30 when he began his term. In his international career he played in both the last game of the 20 a-side era in 1876 against Scotland, and the first of the 15 a-side in 1877 against Ireland.
Of his ability, Arthur Budd, president of the RFU from 1888 to 1889, said in 1892 that "I do not believe that there is a three-quarter back playing, who, if we could transplant him to the past, could cover the entire field as Lennard Stokes used to.", and Arthur Guillemard, president of the RFU from 1878 to 1882, said, also in 1892, "it is not too much to say that at this post his equal, either in science or play, has never been seen from the date of the foundation of the Union.". Steve Lewis, author of numerous books on the history of rugby union, commented that "It was with much justification that he was hailed as the greatest player of his day."
from 1877 to 1880. He made his first-class debut for Kent on 4 June 1877 in the seven-wicket victory against Hampshire
. He played two more matches during the 1877 season, but did not appear for Kent over the following two campaigns. He played for an R Page XI against Colchester Garrison in a one-day first-class match on 12 August 1879. Stokes made his final first-class appearance on 22 July 1880, scoring the winning runs in a 10-wicket win over Sussex
.
officer at Guy's, and then began general practice at Blackheath
. For a number of years he was honorary surgeon to St. John's Hospital
, Lewisham
. Approaching sixty years of age, in 1921 he went to practise in Hampshire. He died at Hurstbourne Tarrant, near Andover, Hampshire
, on 3 May 1933 having suffered with indifferent health for a number of months.
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 1875 to 1881. He also captained his country on five occasions, notably in the first ever match against Wales
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...
. Like his brother Frederick Stokes
Frederick Stokes
Frederick Stokes may refer to:*Frederick Stokes , the first captain of the England national rugby union team*Sir Frederick Wilfred Scott Stokes, KBE , inventor and civil engineer...
, after captaining his country he went on to become the president 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...
.
Early life
Lennard Stokes was born on 12 February 1856 in GreenwichGreenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, the son of Henry Graham Stokes, Proctor to the Admiralty and solicitor, and his wife Elizabeth Sewell. He was one of at least nine children (six brothers and three sisters). Unlike his brother Frederick, who attended 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:...
, he attended Sydney College in Bath. He then studied medicine at Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital is a large NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in south east London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It is a large teaching hospital and is home to the King's College London School of Medicine...
, becoming M.R.C.S. in 1881 and L.R.C.P. in 1882.
Rugby career
Lennard began to play for Blackheath Football Club when he was seventeen, following in the footsteps of his older brothers, notably the first England international captain and at the time captain of Blackheath, Frederick StokesFrederick Stokes
Frederick Stokes may refer to:*Frederick Stokes , the first captain of the England national rugby union team*Sir Frederick Wilfred Scott Stokes, KBE , inventor and civil engineer...
. Like his brother he became captain of Blackheath and under his captaincy the club grew in reputation. Lennard was responsible for Blackheath acquiring the Rectory Field
Rectory Field
Rectory Field is a playing field in Blackheath, London. It was developed in the 1880s by Blackheath Cricket, Football and Lawn Tennis Company and became the home of Kent County Cricket Club and rugby union team Blackheath F.C....
, on which a number of international matches were played. During the five seasons from 1876-81 that Lennard Stokes captained the Club, Blackheath won 68 games and lost only 6 out of a total 83 played.
He made his international debut as a 19-year-old on 15 February 1875 at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
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 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...
match. Of his 12 caps he was on the winning side eight times, and he captained his country on five occasions, including the first ever international against Wales on 19 February 1881 at Richardson's Field, Blackheath, when he played full back. Having changed at the Princess of Wales public house half a mile from the ground, England faced Wales for the first time and under Stokes' leadership won by 7 goals to nil, one dropped goal and six tries to nil. Stokes retired from international service at the end of the 1881 season. He played his final match for England on 19 March 1881 at Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in the 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...
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. His service to rugby continued, however, and he served as president 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...
for three years from 1886 to 1888 aged just 30 when he began his term. In his international career he played in both the last game of the 20 a-side era in 1876 against Scotland, and the first of the 15 a-side in 1877 against Ireland.
Of his ability, Arthur Budd, president of the RFU from 1888 to 1889, said in 1892 that "I do not believe that there is a three-quarter back playing, who, if we could transplant him to the past, could cover the entire field as Lennard Stokes used to.", and Arthur Guillemard, president of the RFU from 1878 to 1882, said, also in 1892, "it is not too much to say that at this post his equal, either in science or play, has never been seen from the date of the foundation of the Union.". Steve Lewis, author of numerous books on the history of rugby union, commented that "It was with much justification that he was hailed as the greatest player of his day."
Cricketing career
Stokes, again like his brother Frederick, played cricket for Blackheath Cricket Club and for KentKent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
from 1877 to 1880. He made his first-class debut for Kent on 4 June 1877 in the seven-wicket victory against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
. He played two more matches during the 1877 season, but did not appear for Kent over the following two campaigns. He played for an R Page XI against Colchester Garrison in a one-day first-class match on 12 August 1879. Stokes made his final first-class appearance on 22 July 1880, scoring the winning runs in a 10-wicket win over Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
.
Career and later life
After qualification as a doctor he served as housesurgeon and resident obstetricalObstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
officer at Guy's, and then began general practice at Blackheath
Blackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
. For a number of years he was honorary surgeon to St. John's Hospital
University Hospital Lewisham
University Hospital Lewisham is an acute district general hospital run by the Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust and serving the London Borough of Lewisham....
, Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
. Approaching sixty years of age, in 1921 he went to practise in Hampshire. He died at Hurstbourne Tarrant, near Andover, Hampshire
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
, on 3 May 1933 having suffered with indifferent health for a number of months.