Sidney Nelson Crowther
Encyclopedia
Sidney Crowther was a rugby union international who represented Great Britain
on the 1904 tour to Australia and New Zealand
.
, Kent
and grew up at Holly Lodge. He was the son of Alfred H. Crowther, a solicitor, of Gray's Inn
and Mary Crowther. He had a number of siblings, including Julia (b. c1866); Nelson (b. c 1872); Keston (b. c. 1874); and Bertrand (b. c 1877). Sidney attended Warwick School
, and in fact was the first Old Warwickian to gain international honours for Great Britain, when he later went on a tour to Australia and New Zealand. In the same school rugby side as Sidney was Robert Challoner
who emigrated to Australia and represented New South Wales
and later Australia
in the second test against a touring Great Britain side in 1899
.
. He then went to Westminster Hospital that by the time of his arrival had a distinguished rugby union playing record being one of the teams competing for the United Hospitals Cup
. Whilst in London he also played for Lennox FC
, then a club that had some measure of prominence having won the inaugural Surrey Cup in 1891.
Crowther was selected for the 1904 tour
of the British Isles to Australia and New Zealand
. He played in all four Test Matches, three against Australia and the final Test against New Zealand. The British Isles were victorious over the Australians, but lost the New Zealand match. When the touring British team returned home after the 1904 campaign, Crowther, along with team-mates David Bedell-Sivright
, and Blair Swannell
decided to remain in Australia, to begin a new life, although Crowther later returned to England. All three of these players lost their lives in the First World War.
, becoming MRCSEng and LRCPLond
in 1903. Following his time at Westminster, he took up asylum work at Brookwood Hospital
and on completion of the new Surrey
asylum at Netherne transferred there as Senior Assistant and later was the Superintendent elect of the Netherne facility. He did not live long enough to become superintendent because, having enlisted as a motor cyclist dispatch rider, he was killed in action during the First World War near Armentieres
on 18 October 1914. He had been assigned to the 2nd Signal Troop of the Royal Engineers
as a Corporal.
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
on the 1904 tour to Australia and New Zealand
1904 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand
The 1904 British Isles tour to New Zealand and Australia was the sixth tour by a British Isles team and the fourth to New Zealand and Australia...
.
Early life
Sidney Crowther was born in the early part of 1875 in KestonKeston
Keston is a part suburban, part rural area of the London Borough of Bromley, England. It lies on the edge of Hayes Common, to the northwest of Greater London's border with Kent.-History:...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and grew up at Holly Lodge. He was the son of Alfred H. Crowther, a solicitor, of Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
and Mary Crowther. He had a number of siblings, including Julia (b. c1866); Nelson (b. c 1872); Keston (b. c. 1874); and Bertrand (b. c 1877). Sidney attended Warwick School
Warwick School
Warwick School is an independent school with boarding facilities for boys in Warwick, England, and is reputed to be the third-oldest surviving school in the country after King's School, Canterbury and St Peter's School, York; and the oldest boy's school in England...
, and in fact was the first Old Warwickian to gain international honours for Great Britain, when he later went on a tour to Australia and New Zealand. In the same school rugby side as Sidney was Robert Challoner
Robert Challoner
Robert Louis Challoner was a rugby union player who represented for Australia.Challoner, a number 8, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and claimed a total of 1 international rugby caps for Australia...
who emigrated to Australia and represented New South Wales
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
and later Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in the second test against a touring Great Britain side in 1899
1899 British Lions tour to Australia
The 1899 British Isles tour to Australia was the fourth rugby union tour by a British Isles team and the second to Australia; though the first tour in 1888 was a private venture, making the 1899 tour the first official undertaking of Australia...
.
Rugby union career
Crowther played rugby at Warwick School, and in fact played alongside the Australian international to be, Robert ChallonerRobert Challoner
Robert Louis Challoner was a rugby union player who represented for Australia.Challoner, a number 8, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and claimed a total of 1 international rugby caps for Australia...
. He then went to Westminster Hospital that by the time of his arrival had a distinguished rugby union playing record being one of the teams competing for the United Hospitals Cup
United Hospitals Cup
The United Hospitals Challenge Cup is contested by the six medical schools in London and is most notable for being the oldest rugby cup competition in the world.-History:...
. Whilst in London he also played for Lennox FC
Lennox Football Club
Lennox Football Club was an English 19th century rugby union football club that disbanded in the early twentieth century. It is notable for producing a number of international players and for its role in the Rugby Football Union fight against professionalism....
, then a club that had some measure of prominence having won the inaugural Surrey Cup in 1891.
Crowther was selected for the 1904 tour
1904 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand
The 1904 British Isles tour to New Zealand and Australia was the sixth tour by a British Isles team and the fourth to New Zealand and Australia...
of the British Isles to Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He played in all four Test Matches, three against Australia and the final Test against New Zealand. The British Isles were victorious over the Australians, but lost the New Zealand match. When the touring British team returned home after the 1904 campaign, Crowther, along with team-mates David Bedell-Sivright
David Bedell-Sivright
David Revell "Darkie" Bedell-Sivright was a Scottish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge and Edinburgh Universities. Bedell-Sivright was one of the true characters of the sport of rugby and was chosen to lead a British Isles team on a tour of Australia...
, and Blair Swannell
Blair Swannell
Major Blair Inskip Swannell was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northampton...
decided to remain in Australia, to begin a new life, although Crowther later returned to England. All three of these players lost their lives in the First World War.
Career
Sidney Nelson Crowther practiced as a medical doctor. He received his medical education at the Westminster HospitalWestminster Hospital
Westminster Hospital was a hospital in London, England, founded in 1719. In 1834 a medical school attached to the hospital was formally founded....
, becoming MRCSEng and LRCPLond
Conjoint
The conjoint was a basic medical qualification in the United Kingdom administered by the United Examining Board. It is now no longer awarded. The Conjoint Board was superseded in 1994 by the United Examining Board, which lost its permission to hold qualifying medical examinations after 1999.Medical...
in 1903. Following his time at Westminster, he took up asylum work at Brookwood Hospital
Brookwood Hospital
Brookwood Hospital at Woking in Surrey, was established in 1867 by Surrey Quarter Sessions as the second County Asylum, the first being Springfield Asylum in Tooting...
and on completion of the new Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
asylum at Netherne transferred there as Senior Assistant and later was the Superintendent elect of the Netherne facility. He did not live long enough to become superintendent because, having enlisted as a motor cyclist dispatch rider, he was killed in action during the First World War near Armentieres
Armentières
Armentières is a commune in the Nord department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France. It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole, and lies on the Belgian border, northwest of the city of Lille, on the right bank of the river Lys....
on 18 October 1914. He had been assigned to the 2nd Signal Troop of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
as a Corporal.