Rogers Jones - The Birkett Sporting Archive

The Birkett Sporting Archive

Selections & Collections • Rogers Jones & Co

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Rogers Jones & Co • Selections & Collections AN IMPORTANT POCKET JOURNAL FROM 1870/71 RELATING TO CLAPHAM ROVERS, THE HISTORIC LONDON SPORTS CLUB, WITH HANDWRITTEN ENTRIES BY THE REMARKABLE REG BIRKETT (1849-1898) Birkett was one of only three sportsmen to represent England at Association Football and Rugby Union. He was also an FA Cup Winner, scorer of the first International Rugby Union try and a Committee Member of the inaugural Rugby Union In the journal, Reg Birkett documents matches played in the season 1870/1871 by the famous Clapham Rovers club, revealing the somewhat chaotic nature of Victorian sport as a pool of players juggle between football played in the Rugby school tradition and Association football. The 1870/71 season was crucial to the future of both sports, rugby union especially The journal with black leather hardcover and lined paper, 15.5 x 10.5cms. is in excellent condition considering the age. All entries are in handwritten ink, except newspaper cuttings reporting on matches neatly stuck in. To accompany the journal is a facsimile copy of the Rugby Football Union First General Meeting, 1871 Clapham Cricket Club Journal Content: The first page within the journal inscribed ‘Clapham Cricket Club Matches, 1867’ and the following 20 or so pages are represented by an opposing cricket club to be played against that season by Clapham, together with their selected or available players for the fixture, and with location of venue From page 24-34 these fixtures are repeated in much the same way, except with comments as to the outcome of the match eg. Clapham won by innings and # runs….

There also some changes to the previously selected players. We do not believe this part of the journal involved Reg Birkett Clapham Rovers Journal Content: The entries relating to Clapham Rovers begin on page 38, which read as follows; ‘Clapham Rovers / foot-ball club / Captain – R H Birkett / Committee – A Nash, J Field, A W French, E Field, E C Lygath (?), W R Bryden, A Luzzer (?) / Secretary & Treasurer W E Rawlinson / Season 1870-71’ The next pages with entries, lists the ‘Addresses of secretaries not on the foot-ball association’ with addresses for the following representatives / Sydenham – R W Abbott / Hornsey – E N Alfie (?) / Lausanne – F H Moore (?) / Mohicans – Geo Ellis (?) / Harlequins – E Ellice Clark /Brighton - Walter Foster (?) /Barnes – Walter Powell’ The next entries are ‘Members Playing Rugby Rules’ with R, P & L (Reg, Percival and Louis) Birkett at the top of this list Then following this is a list of ‘Association Rules’ with R & P Birkett as the second entries on the list The next entry reads ‘A good Association team to play against first rate club like Charterhouse & Wanderers’ with Reg Birkett at top of this page suggesting he would be the first on the team-sheet if all players were available Evidently Reg, on been given the responsibility of club-captain receives the journal and the remaining pages are handwritten by the 21-year-old. In each page Reg has included a match fixture, the venue, Rovers’ selected players, and the outcome of the match with comments, usually together with a cut-out newspaper report on each match. The matches are divided between matches played using ‘rugby’ rules and matches played using ‘association rules’

In all there were 42 fixtures entered into the book with 22 for the Rugby fashion and the remainder for Association code. Note that some of these entries were not played.

Reg Birkett was in the team for 27 matches, mostly as captain (top of the team-list).

Many of the Clapham Rovers played against were inaugural members of the first Rugby Union, namely Richmond, Gipsies, Harlequins, Ravenscourt Park, Lausanne, Civil Service, Marlborough Nomads and Mohicans There is evidence of the difficulties and frustrations of acting as club captain during this period, with many of the fixture dates having the two codes played on the same afternoon. Adding to Reg’s problems would have been the fact that thirteen matches were called off – the winter of 1870/1871 was very cold and so ten were called off because of weather, usually noted as ‘hard frost’. Two other fixtures were called off because one of the sides could not raise the necessary playing numbers. While on February 18th with resonance to present times, a clash against Wimbledon was called off, a few days before ‘on account of vaccination’. This is likely to relate to the compulsory smallpox vaccination of the time Remainder of pocket-book blank except note of an address in 5 Doughty Street, Mecklenburgh Square (Bloomsbury) and Seymour St (Marble Arch) Auctioneer’s Note: The 1870 / 71 season was a critical season for the future of ‘foot-ball’ and especially football played in the Rugby School tradition Rugby up until 1871 had been played to a variety of rules. But in 1870 Edwin H Ash, secretary of the Richmond Football Club wrote a letter to the newspapers stating, ‘those who play the Rugby-type game should meet to form a code of practice, as various clubs play to rules which differ from others, which makes the game difficult to play.’

Consequently, 32 members of London and suburban football clubs gathered on the evening of 26th January, 1871, in the Pall Mall Restaurant, Haymarket, London, ‘to codify the rules of the game and to provide a central governing body.’ It was at this meeting, presided over by Edward Carleton Holmes (the captain of Richmond Football Club) that the Rugby Football Union was founded W E Rowlison was at the Pall Mall meeting, as representative of his Clapham Rovers club, who enrolled to the new union together with 20 other member clubs (comprising Addison, Belsize Park, Blackheath, Civil Service, Flamingoes, Gipsies, Guy’s Hospital, Harlequins, King’s College Hospital, Lausanne, Law, Marlborough Nomads, Mohicans, Queen’s House, Ravenscourt Park, Richmond, St Paul’s School, Wellington College, West Kent, and Wimbledon Hornets) The meeting was held halfway through Reg’s journal, so it is not inconceivable that the pocket-journal was present in Reg’s breast pocket as the Rugby Union was formed Each club paid a membership fee and byelaws were drafted, a secretary and a president were elected together with a committee of thirteen gentlemen. Reg Birkett was nominated as one of those committee members, and then just two months later in March 1871, Reg Birkett was playing in the world’s first International Rugby match between England and Scotland at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh - in which he scored the first ever Rugby International try. It was one of four International rugby matches that Reg played in The 1870 /1871 foot-ball season also saw the first three international matches according to Association rules, played at the Oval, London. It was therefore a seminal year for Victorian sport – while Birkett completed his journal, the Rugby Union was being born, the sport was formalised, and International matches of association foot-ball and Rugby commenced their 150 year history

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Rogers Jones & Co • Selections & Collections Reginald Halsey Birkett Reg was born in 1849, London, he was the son of a surgeon and brother to Percival, Evelyn, Arthus and Louis. Percival and Louis were also players at Clapham Rovers and are in many of the team selections noted in the journal. Louis also played rugby for England.

Reg was educated at William Jacob’s School in Calne and then Lancing College where he learned both foot-ball codes. His switching between the two codes continued at Lancing Old Boys and as documented in the pocket-journal at Clapham Rovers. He also represented Surrey FC Six years after scoring the first ever try in the first ever Rugby International, Reg Birkett was playing as goalkeeper for Clapham in the 8th FA Cup Final Round against Old Etonians at Kennington Oval (1879), which Clapham lost. A year later in 1880, Clapham Rovers were FA Cup Winners with Reg again ‘between the sticks’, as they beat Oxford University AFC, 1-0. Reg Birkett was now an FA Cup Winner The studiousness and comprehensive nature of Reg’s journal entries, enhanced by neatly cut-out newspaper reports, reveal a great deal about Reg’s character and skills. Evidently, he was very committed to the Rovers Club and to both codes of football, perhaps in the knowledge that there could be exciting times ahead, as both sports were maturing in this age of dramatic change. The pocket journal tells us of his stature as a sportsman but also his extraordinary skills as an administrator Tragically Reg died at the young age of 49, when, suffering from diphtheria he leapt from a window of his Wimbledon home, while being helped into his bed, he fell 20 feet to his death. At the inquest, a verdict of suicide whilst delirious was returned Reg Birkett left his mark on both sports as a player and administrator. He scored the first try in the first rugby international.

He was an FA Cup winner and International association player.

He was a committee member of the inaugural Rugby Union. He became a Rugby Union auditor, he was also appointed onto the Football Association’s special sub-committee to draw up the rules for the FA Cup competition, later becoming an England selector for Association. He was one of only three players to represent England in rugby and football Reg was instrumental in moulding the two sports which today are played across the world, giving millions of people pleasure and generating billions in the sporting economy This unique pocket-journal represents the trail-blazer Reg’s early skills as a sportsman as well as his skills as an administrator. But perhaps more importantly, it also represents the last days of a confusing colliding relationship between two of our national sports before their eternal separation into the two sports to which we are familiar Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the great-great grandsons of Reg Birkett and the great-grandsons of John Birkett (1884-1967), Reg’s son

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TWO CLAPHAM ROVERS FIXTURE CARDS FOR 1870-1871 owned by Reg Birkett, together with a page of note paper with handwritten record of goals scored and by which player in Rugby and Association. Also, a newspaper cutting of a report on an Association match, Wanderers v The World with Reg Birkett in the ‘World’ team Both pocket-size cards similarly printed and similar in nature and both in excellent condition. Single-fold card, one in pink and another in peach. Printed on the front ‘Clapham Rovers FOOT-BALL CLUB / LIST OF MATCHES FOR THE SEASON 1870-71 / W E ROWLINSON Hon. Sec. Inside left lists 17 fixtures ‘AT ASSOCIATION RULES’ the opposite side lists 19 ‘AT RUGBY RULES’. Both with contemporaneous handwritten corrections and outcomes of matches. The peach version signed on the front by Reg Birkett with his home address Note page and newspaper cutting also in excellent order.

These items were kept with Reg’s pocket-journal.

Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the great-great-grandsons of Reg Birkett and the greatgrandsons of John Birkett (1884-1967), Reg’s son

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AN IMPORTANT & IMMACULATE ENGLAND RUGBY UNION CAP AWARDED TO JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT (1884-1967) embroidered with references to every one of his record 21 England International appearances between 1906 and 1912 The peaked cap is in stunning condition considering the age. With the maroon colour of the felt as fresh as it was when awarded to John Birkett. Braiding, embroidery, and tassel equally in awesome condition. There are tears to silk lining as is usual with antique caps, but tears are not extensive The six-panel cap with two-leaf wirework England Rose emblem to front segment below F (France) 07-08, then the peak with 1905 S-1906 representing his first cap against Scotland, and then each of the five further panels embroidered with letters to represent International opposition and the season eg. W.I.S 11-12 (Wales / Ireland / Scotland in 1911 and 1912) John Birkett was the son of Reg Birkett. The 21 fixtures accounted for on the cap represent every one of J G Birkett’s total England International cap count, between 1906 and 1912, which was a record for England caps at the time During this period, Rugby was starting to become more akin to the sport we are familiar with thanks to the inventive All Blacks ‘Originals’ on their inaugural tour of Europe, and with a great deal of thanks to John Birkett’s Harlequin team-mate - Adrian Stoop Stoop saw the advantage of quick back play and releasing the wings as early as possible. Birkett was initially a half-back but when he arrived at Harlequins RFC, Adrian Stoop occupied one of the half-back positions and he saw Birkett as having the ideal skills and build to fulfil his vision of quick back play. Birkett had the natural ability to move the ball wide while being strong enough to withstand the pressure from oncoming defenders. So thanks to the foresight of Adrian Stoop, John Birkett became a legendary Harlequins and England centre, and played in the position for the remainder of his career

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John Birkett’s England caps began in 1906 against Scotland, after England had suffered a seven match losing run. He played alongside his Harlequin partner Stoop, and the Quin’s Stoop-style of play paid dividends as they won the tie with tries scored on both wings. Five days later the partnership featured against France in Paris in what was the first International between the two countries By the 1908 season John Birkett had established himself in the England side, and captained the side against Wales for the first of four occasions. He played in each of the inaugural Five Nations Championship matches in 1910, which England won. Birkett scored twice against Scotland

By John Birkett’s final match against France in 1912, he was England’s record cap holder and record try scorer with ten tries. He continued playing with Harlequins and when in October 1909, the club side adopted Twickenham as their new home, John Birkett scored the first ever try at the ‘Home of English Rugby’ This feat echoed that of his father Reg, who scored the first ever International try In World War I, John Birkett was captain in the Royal Field Artillery and was mentioned in dispatches 18 times. Later he was a committee member of the RFU for 12 years Considering the sensational condition, provenance, and player history, together with the embroidered complete reference to each of John Birkett’s record England appearances, we believe the cap to be the most prestigious pre-war Rugby Union cap ever to be offered at auction Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the great-grandsons of J G G Birkett (1884-1967), and the great-great-grandsons of Reg Birkett

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ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL RUGBY UNION JERSEY WORN BY JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT (1884-1967) believed be his ‘International career jersey’ and worn on the Harlequins player’s England debut, versus Scotland in the Calcutta Cup match of 1906 The jersey in traditional all white with fine cotton collars and with felt rectangular patch stitched to chest having a finely embroidered red, maroon, and pink English rose with two tone green and brown stems with five leaves.

The sleeves are in the three-quarter length style for the England team during that period, two original buttons remain intact and there is a stitched name label to the inside of collar ‘JOHN BIRKETT’ As with the John Birkett’s England cap the jersey is in super condition without notable damage Please see John Birkett’s associated England cap with regards to John Birkett’s playing career, records, and achievements which include being the top try scorer and most England caps gained, the first try scorer at Twickenham and winner of the inaugural 5 Nations Championship in 1910 In this early period of International Rugby Union, players were expected to retain their jerseys for matches, even after players returned to International duty from a 4–5-year hiatus of military duty in World War I. The English Rose badges at the time were individually embroidered for each player with differences in detail. In his debut photograph in 1906 against Scotland, one can see through a magnifying glass that the different tones of black and grey on the stem and leaves match the emblem on the jersey, proportions seem to be correct as does the angle of the stem and rose. John Birkett did play in other jerseys which can be seen in the team photographs, but we believe this to be his debut jersey and used on several England appearances. Copy of the 1906 photograph shown with this description Auctioneer’s Note: Making his debut with Birkett in 1906 versus Scotland was James ‘Jimmy’ Peters who was the first black rugby player to represent England, and the only black player until 1988. Also playing for England was Belgian John Raphael, part of a millionaire banking family, who also played first class cricket and was killed in his home-country in 1917 during the Battle of Messines.

While Adrian Stoop, the legendary Harlequins whom which their ground ‘The Stoop’ is named after played

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at half-back. The captain was V H Cartwright who was president of the RFU in 1928/29. In the Scottish line-up was Kenneth Grant McLeod, who was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame for his all-round sporting ability, winning 9 caps for Scotland while also playing for Manchester City FC, cricket for Lancashire and was a successful golfer too. Also in the Scottish team was British Lions captain David Bedell-Sivright who was killed during the Gallipoli campaign The match was played at Inverleith, Edinburgh on the 17th March, 1906, watched by some 20,000 spectators.

Against expectations, after a terrible losing streak of six matches, England were the victors 9 points to 3 (3 tries to one). The victory was despite England’s forward Simpson not completing the match due to injury sustained

in scoring the winning try. Newspapers including ‘The Referee’ commended the English Selection Committee and bringing in John Birkett for his debut, while The Daily Mail wrote ‘Birkett, the young Harlequins centre, whose claims to international honours have been advocated throughout the season, showed himself to be possessed of rare judgment and a considerable amount of pace; he had a hand in the obtaining of all the three tries scored by his side’. The reports of Birkett’s debut being a glorious success continued in The Morning Post, The Field and other newspapers Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the great-grandsons of J G G Birkett (1884-1967), and the great-great-grandsons of Reg Birkett

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A SPARE ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL RUGBY UNION JERSEY BADGE CIRCA 1908 with embroidered English rose from the archive John Guy Gilberne Birkett (1884-1967) of rectangular form, 13 x 11cms and with fine cotton embroidery in seven colours. Superb condition. On the reverse there appears to be a faded red stamp with a broad-arrow and a number ‘2’ with script in a banner below within an impressed outline of a heart. We are unsure of the purpose of this ‘spare’ rose and have discussed various theories such as whether the broad-arrow on the back has military connotations or whether the heart may have a connection with the heart-shaped design on his Colvin-House School rugby jersey. Or whether simply it was sent to John as a replacement or spare badge from the RFU. We do know that during the first part of the twentieth century England badges were sent to players to stitch on themselves. However, this badge does not appear to have been stitched to a jersey. Regardless, it is a rare and splendid object, and the embroidery is of high quality Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the greatgrandsons of J G G Birkett (1884-1967), and the great-great-grandsons of Reg Birkett

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JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT’S TWO HARLEQUINS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB JERSEYS WORN DURING THE PERIOD 1905-1922 in which he made 162 appearances at centre-three quarter, scored 132 tries and amassed 400 points One with canvas collar and neck and with large, stitched repair around the shoulder (possibly from when John broke his collar bone in 1908). Allan Straker Outfitter’s label to interior together with a stitched label for John Birkett. The second with few repairs than the first, George Lewin label and stitched John Birkett label John’s rugby career for Harlequins spanned almost 15 years in which he had the distinction of scoring the first ever try at Twickenham in 1909 when Twickenham was their home-ground.

Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the great-grandsons of J G G Birkett (1884-1967), and the great-great-grandsons of Reg Birkett

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Selections & Collections • Rogers Jones & Co

A COMPREHENSIVE PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM RELATING TO THE RUGBY UNION CAREER OF JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT (1884-1967) including official England International Rugby Union team photographs, school and club photographs, 1900 through to 1912 Almost all photographs laid to traditional presentation boards, team members printed or handwritten. Also present are newspaper cuttings, telegrams and menu cards, there are 44 team photographs with 20 being official England team photographs, main items listed as follows: 1. Team photo Colvin House, Haileybury College 1900 2. Ditto (Cock-House) 1902 3. Haileybury College XV 1902 4. Unknown signed ‘Menu Card’ 5. Stade Francais v Brighton match report 6. Brighton Football Club 1903-4 7. Ditto 1904-5 8. Barbarians 1907-7 9. Ditto 1908-9 10. Harlequin RFC 1906-7 (corrected to 1905-6) 11. England v Scotland 1906 (J G G Birkett’s debut) 12. England v France (Paris) 1906 (small) 13. England v South Africa 1906 14. Rugby Football Union Dinner to the South African Team 1906 15. Harlequins FC 1906-7 (2 x) 16. England v France 1907 17. England v Wales 1907 18. England v Scotland 1907 19. Harlequins RFC 1907-8 20. England v France 1908 21. England v Wales 1908

22. England v Ireland 1908 23. England v Scotland 1908 24. Harlequins RFC 1909-10 25. RFU England v Wales 1910 26. England v Ireland 1910 27. England v Scotland 1910 28. Harlequins RFC 1910-11 29. Harlequins untitled with 6 x players 30. England v Wales 1911 (with telegram to family and cuttings) 31. England v France 1911 (with cuttings) 32. Menu card for Ireland v England 1911, six signatures 33. England v Ireland 1911 (with telegram to family) 34. England v Scotland 1911 35. Harlequins RFC 1911-12 36. England v Wales 1912 37. England v Ireland 1912 38. England v Scotland 1912 39. England v France 1912 40. Harlequins 1919-20 41. Harlequins Past v Harlequins Present (undated) 42. Old Cocks v Eton College

Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the great-grandsons of J G G Birkett (1884-1967), and the great-great-grandsons of Reg Birkett

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Selections & Collections • Rogers Jones & Co A SURREY COUNTY RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION XV CAP AWARDED TO JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT (1884-1967) IN SEASON 1905-6 The cap in deep purple felt and of traditional six panel form with wire braiding and tassel, 1905-1906 to peak, Surrey XV and castle to front panel In excellent condition, colour has not faded, all parts of cap are complete, a few minor loose stitches only 1905 was John Birkett’s debut season for the County, his first match was versus East Midlands and he played against the visiting All Blacks ‘Originals’ in November 1905 Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the great-grandsons of J G G Birkett (1884-1967), and the great-great-grandsons of Reg Birkett

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Rogers Jones & Co • Selections & Collections A HARLEQUIN RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB CAP AWARDED TO JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT (1884-1967) The cap in deep blue felt and of traditional six panel form with wire braiding and tassel, 1905-1906 to peak, Harlequin crest with multi-coloured harlequin holding a scimitar aloft In stunning condition as cherished by the family, colour has not faded, all parts of cap are complete. Extremely fine John Birkett arrived at The Harlequin Club in the 1905-6 season as indicated on the cap. On 2nd October 1909, the club played the first ever match at their new Twickenham ground, versus Richmond. The Harlequins won the match 14-9 with John Birkett scoring the first try and so entering the history books as the first ever try scorer at Twickenham, now coined the home of rugby or HQ He joined The Harlequin club under the impression that he would be a scrum-half but was quickly corrected and was converted into a three-quarter. His appearances for the club were interrupted by World War 1 when he served as a Captain in the Royal Artillery, his last season was 1922 John’s son John Brian Birkett (born in 1915), continued the family association with the club, playing for them in the 1930s Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the great-grandsons of J G G Birkett (1884-1967), and the grandsons of John Brian Birkett

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Rogers Jones & Co • Selections & Collections JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT (1884-1967) RELATED SCRAPBOOK of many newspaper cuttings, Post Office Telegraphs, 13 dinner menucards, some with autographs, and other mementos relating mainly to International Rugby Union matches played by the England International, Surrey and Harlequins player The contents mostly in chronological order but with the first few pages containing newspaper stories from the 1920s reviewing earlier years, a summary of notable contents as follows: 1. 1905 - mainly Birkett’s appearances for Surrey including NZ 2. 1906 – cuttings relating to England v South Africa with dinner menu card 3. 1906 – cuttings relating to England v Scotland with PO Telegraph from John Birkett to his family ‘England 9 points Scotland 3 hurrah hurrah hurrah John’ and Scottish Football Union menu card ‘To the English Fifteen’ 4. 1906 – cuttings relating to England v France with menu card from ‘Union Societes Francaises de Sports Athletiques’ autographed by French players 5. 1905-06 Harlequins match reports 6. 906-7 PO 2 x Telegraph reporting Harlequin results to family 7. Cambridge University v Harlequin dinner menu card 8. Surrey v South Africa dinner menu card 9. 1907 – England v France dinner menu card autographed by French players 10. 1907 – England v Wales dinner menu card autographed by Welsh players 11. 1907 – England v Scotland dinner menu card autographed by Scottish players 12. 1907-8 – PO Telegram to family from Bristol reporting on an England defeat to Wales 13. 1907-8 – dinner menu card for above match signed by various players 14. 1907-8 – dinner menu card for England v Ireland 15. 1907-8 – dinner menu card for Scotland v England 16. 1909-10 – newspaper cutting relating to ‘First Match at Twickenham’ 17. 1909-10 – dinner menu card for England v Wales 18. 1909-10 – dinner menu card for England v Ireland 19. 1909-10 – 3 x PO Telegrams relating to the 1910 Calcutta Cup match including one to Harlequins ‘may you each score a try’ from ‘Birkett Captain England Fifteen Edinburgh’ 20. 1909-10 - Congratulatory letter to England captain John Birkett from R Dodds, Berwick upon Tweed 21. 1909-10 – dinner menu card for Scotland v England, signed including

by J W Dallas (who was not the publicised referee) 22. 1914 – dinner menu card for Shanghai RFC v South Wales Borderers RFC at Astor House, Shanghai 23. 1914 - Christmas card with handwritten message from John Birkett in Hong Kong with his regiment, contains two rugby photographs Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the great-grandsons of J G G Birkett (1884-1967), and the grandsons of John Brian Birkett

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A SCRAPBOOK FOR JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT (1884-1967) containing many newspaper cuttings, dinner menu-cards, some with autographs, four photographs of matches and other mementos from Harlequins Rugby Union matches played The contents mostly in chronological order, a summary of notable contents as follows: 1. 1910-11 - Harlequins newspaper reports 2. 1911 RFU dinner menu card 3. 1911-12 - Harlequins newspaper reports 4. 1912 - signed dinner menu card with illustration of a harlequin figure ‘The Outcasts Harlequinade - to congratulate Mr J W H T Douglas on Runs, Wickets, Catches and Ashes, collected while missing nothing but a football season’ (relates to John William Henry Tyler Douglas, nicknamed by the Australians as ‘Johnny Will Hit Today’ or, depending on his form, ‘Johnny Won’t Hit Today’. Signature present of J W H T Douglas) 5. 1912 - Blackheath FC Jubilee Dinner plan of tables 6. 1914 - Clapham Rovers Football Club 45th Annual Dinner menu card together with plan of table 7. 1912 - Blackheath FC Jubilee dinner program and Souvenir program 8. 1912 - four black and white photographs of play at Harlequins v Swansea 9. 1939 – signed dinner menu card for The Harlequin Rugger Ball Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the greatgrandsons of J G G Birkett (1884-1967)

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THREE HAILEYBURY COLLEGE SCHOOL CAPS FOR FORMER PUPIL JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT (1884-1967) One in black felt with six segments with orange silk borders and having an embroidered ‘heart with wings’ crest to the peak, inscribed Birkett to the interior. Another purple scholar type cap with tassel but without segments, inscribed to the interior 1902-3 H.C and another similar without tassel or inscription (faded) John Birkett was a pupil at Colvin House at the College.

Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the grandsons of Brian Birkett

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PERSONAL ARTEFACTS RELATING TO ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL RUGBY UNION PLAYER JOHN GUY GILBERNE BIRKETT (1884-1967) being a silver cigarette box, monogrammed silk-handkerchief, and his 1937-38 Rugby Football Union Rules Book, a 1937 letter from the RFU relating to International tickets and a RFU ticketallowance card (5) The silver cigarette box with engraved dedication to ‘Johnnie’ from ‘The Quins, Dec 4 1915’ Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the grandsons of Brian Birkett

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A CIRCA 1934 MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE RUGBY UNION JERSEY & ASSOCIATED CAP FOR (JOHN) BRIAN BIRKETT (1916-2013), Harlequins Rugby Union player, son of Harlequin and England’s J G Birkett and grandson of the dual code International football player Reg Birkett Brian Birkett’s long-sleeved white jersey with large deep blue mitre crest stitched to the chest, three opalescent buttons. Structurally sound but with discolouration The peaked cap in Prussian-blue felt and having the traditional six panels divided by wirework braiding, wirework finial and tassel. The cap is wonderfully preserved without fading or damage. Label to the interior for Vincent Head of Marlborough and inscribed Birkett 484-P. Please see a copy of the team photograph of Brian in his jersey and cap with the description.

Brian Birkett was a military man first and foremost, serving in World War II and rising to rank of Brigadier by his retirement. He started his rugby at Marlborough College in the early 1930s, he played for both the Harlequins and Royal Military Academy Woolwich in 1935, Brighton in 1936 and then Headingley RUFC in 1937 for two seasons. He then returned to London in 1938 to play for the Harlequins again while at about the time he was made Lieutenant, he also made appearances for various military teams Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the grandsons of Brian Birkett

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Rogers Jones & Co • Selections & Collections AN INTERESTING SCRAP BOOK OF PRE-WORLD WAR II RUGBY UNION EPHEMERA relating to Army officer and Harlequins Rugby Player (John) Brian Birkett (1916-2013), including Marlborough College photographs, military rugby items, matchday programs, official team photographs, newspaper cuttings together with cloth badges etc Summary of notable entries as follows: 1. 1945 Rosslyn Park v Harlequins program 2. 1945 Harlequins v Guy’s Hospital 3. 1945 Harlequins team photograph 4. Photograph of 1933 Marlborough College rifle team in cadet uniforms and with Birkett pictured together with a successful hoard of trophies, inscribed with names verso, with associated embroidered 1933 Bisley cuff-badge (visible in the photograph) 5. Photograph of 1932 Marlborough College Pieshute Rugby XV, names verso 6. As above for 1933 7. Photograph of 1933 Malrborough 2nd XV, names verso 8. Photograph of 1934 Marlborough College Pieshute XV 9. Photograph of 1934 Marlborough College 1st XV 10. 1934 Marlborough College RFC Fixture card with signatures and results added 11. 1935 Brighton Football Club v Harlequins program 12. 1935 Royal Military Academy v Royal Air Force dinner menu card, signatures 13. 1935-6 RMA fixture booklet 14. 1935 RMA v Royal Military College program and dinner menu card, signatures 15. 1936 Brighton Football Club v Harlequins program 16. 1937 Harlequin FC dinner menu card 17. 1937 Headingley RUFC v Dublin University program 18. 1938 Headingley RUFC v Sale program 19. 1938 Lansdowne v Headingley program 20. 1938 Bradford v Headingley program 21. 1938 Bath v Headingley program 22. 1938 Bristol v Headingley program 23. 1938 Harlequins v London Scottish program 24. 1938 United Services RFC v Rest of Hants program 25. 1938 Devonport Services RFC v Aldershot Services program 26. 1946 Harlequin Football Club dinner menu card, signed Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the grandsons of Brian Birkett

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A 1935 ROYAL ARTILLERY REGIMENT RUGBY UNION CAP TO (JOHN) BRIAN BIRKETT (1916-2013) of the traditional segmented form with six alternate Prussianblue and black felt panels, gold braiding and wirework finial and tassel and gold wirework ‘Gunners’ cannon, bears interior label for J G Plumb & Son Military Outfitters inscribed J B Birkett Esq. In stunning fresh and complete condition Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the grandsons of Brian Birkett

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A CIRCA 1937-38 HARLEQUINS RUGBY FOOTBALL JERSEY WORN BY (JOHN) BRIAN BIRKETT (1916-2013) during his time with the club, together with an infant’s version of jersey also worn by Brian Birkett The playing jersey in good structural condition but with dye run to the collar and neck, label to the interior ‘Brian Birkett’. The infant jersey with old stitched repair but structurally sound and complete Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the grandsons of Brian Birkett

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A BOX FILE COMPILED BY BRIGADIER (JOHN) BRIAN BIRKETT IN HIS LATER YEARS containing correspondences with Rugby bodies, event programs, menu cards and research material relating to Rugby Union, together with various neckties etc Notable items as follows: 1. A framed J G G Birkett Harlequin Hall of Fame certificate with photograph of the Brigadier receiving his father’s induction from Jason Leonard 2. Two vintage Harlequins neck-ties 3. An RFU neck-tie 4. 1961 - dinner menu card for Harlequin FC Annual Dinner, various signatures 5. 1959 – 3 x dinner menu cards for Harlequins Jubilee Match Luncheon 6. 1966 – as above Centenary Dinner 7. Various newspaper articles about the ‘state of Rugby Union’ 8. Letter with regards to the ‘state of rugby union’ and the expected professional era 9. 1959 – Twickenham Jubilee Match program (combined four nations) 10. 1984 – similar for 75 years at Twickenham 11. 1970 – Twickenham Centenary (combined four nations) 12. 1954 – Scotland v England program 13. 1966-67 – Harlequin FC Centenary season booklet 14. 1991 – similar 125 years 15. 1971 – RFU Centenary Dinner guest lists x 3 16. 1971 – Founder Clubs Banquet guest list and program 17. 1959 – Harlequins v Richmond Jubilee Match 18. Two rugby books 19. Typed eulogy for former England player Lord Wakefield of Kendal at Westminster Abbey (1983) Provenance: the vendors of the Birkett Sporting Archive are the grandsons of Brian Birkett

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