John Dobson (rugby union, born 1886)

John Dobson (6 September 1886 – 16 July 1936) was a Scotland international rugby union player. He played at the Hooker position.[1]

John Dobson
Birth nameJohn Dobson
Date of birth(1886-09-06)6 September 1886
Place of birthGlasgow, Scotland
Date of death16 July 1936(1936-07-16) (aged 49)
Place of deathGlasgow, Scotland
Notable relative(s)Jimmy Dobson, brother
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
- Glasgow Academicals ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1910
1910
1911
1912		 Cities District
Glasgow District
Whites Trial
Blues Trial		 ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1911-12 Scotland 6 (0)

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

After studying at Glasgow Academy, Dobson then played for Glasgow Academicals.[2] He captained the side for two years.[3]

Provincial career

He played for the Cities District in 8 January 1910.[4]

He was capped by Glasgow District in 1910.

He played for the Whites Trial side against the Blues Trial side on 21 January 1911, while still with Glasgow Academicals.[5]

He was lined up to play again for the Whites Trial side against the Blues Trial side on 21 December 1912 but an injury to G. Donald from Oxford University created a berth for him instead in the Blues.[6] The Blues won the match 27- 8.[7] Days later Donald announced his retirement from rugby union. He never received a Scotland cap.[8]

International career

Dobson was capped by Scotland for 6 matches from 1911-12.[9]

Military career

He served in the First World War.[10] He was a captain with the 3/5th Scottish Rifles (Cameronians); and then the 17th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps. Severely wounded he was awarded the Military Cross.[11]

Business career

Dobson was a woollen merchant and manufacturer; Dobson and his brothers were partners in the firm David Black and Company.[11] On Dobson's death in 1936 it was stated that this woollen business was founded 150 years before.[3]

Dobson became a director of Wylie and Lochhead Ltd; a governor of the Glasgow Academicals War Memorial Trust; a member of Merchants House; a member of the Glasgow Liberal Club; and treasurer of Kelvinside Parish Church.[3]

Family

One of his brothers, Jimmy Dobson, was also a Scotland international rugby union player. Another brother, Edward Dobson, died in Flanders in 1917 in the First World War. A remaining brother William Sharp Dobson worked in the woollen business in the warehouse. He also had a sister Charlotte Sharp Dobson. All of the brothers played for Glasgow District in the inter-city match against Edinburgh District.[3]

Dobson married Florence Marie Williamson in September 1920. They had two daughters.

Death

Dobson died suddenly in July 1936. Newspaper reports state the death was on Friday 17 July; the National Probate Index of Scotland states 16 July. The National Probate Index of Scotland date of death is taken here.[12]

He is buried in Cathcart Cemetery.[10] He left a sizeable estate of £50,493, 16 shillings and 8 pence. Both of his surviving brothers and his wife were executors of his estate.[12]

The Belfast Telegraph stated that he was one of the finest forwards in the immediate pre-war years of Scottish rugby.[13]

References
  1. "John Dobson". ESPN scrum.
  2. The Essential History of Rugby Union: Scotland. Nick Oswald and John Griffiths.
  3. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  4. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  5. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  6. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  7. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  8. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  9. "Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - John Dobson - Test matches". ESPN scrum.
  10. "John Dobson (1887-1936) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com.
  11. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  12. "Photocopy". www.ancestry.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  13. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
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