Harry Bradshaw (rugby)

Harry Bradshaw (17 April 1868[2] – 31 December 1910[3]) was an English rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1890s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England and Yorkshire,[4] and at club level for Bramley,[5] as a forward, e.g. front row, lock, or back row, and club level rugby league (RL) for Leeds, as a forward (prior to the specialist positions of; prop, hooker, second-row, loose forward), during the era of contested scrums. Prior to Tuesday 2 June 1896, Bramley was a rugby union club.

For other people with the same name, see Henry Bradshaw (disambiguation).
For the rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s for England, Dewsbury, and Huddersfield, see Harry Bradshaw (rugby league).

Harry Bradshaw
Personal information
Full nameHarry Bradshaw
Born(1868-04-17)17 April 1868
Bramley, England
Died31 December 1910(1910-12-31) (aged 42)
Halifax, England
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionForward
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≤1892–≥94 Bramley
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Yorkshire 28
1892–94 England 7 2 0 0 5
Rugby league
PositionForward
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≥1895–≥95 Leeds
Source: [1]

Background

Harry Bradshaw was born in Bramley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, he died aged 42 in Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.[1]

Playing career

International honours

Harry Bradshaw won caps for England (RU) while at Bramley in 1892 against Scotland, in 1893 against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, and in 1894 against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.[1]

In the early years of rugby football the goal was to score goals, and a try had zero value, but it provided the opportunity to try at goal, and convert the try to a goal with an unopposed kick at the goal posts. The point values of both the try and goal have varied over time, and in the early years footballers could "score" a try, without scoring any points.

Change of Code

When Bramley converted from the rugby union code to the rugby league code on Tuesday 2 June 1896, Harry Bradshaw would have been 28 years of age. Consequently, he was both a rugby union and rugby league footballer.

Contemporaneous Quote

The first game of the 1894 Home Nations Championship for Wales was against England, and they suffered a heavy defeat, losing 24-3. In an after match interview Wales' winger Norman Biggs was asked why he had failed to tackle England's forward Harry Bradshaw, who scored the first try; Biggs responded "Tackle him? It was as much as I could do to get out of his way!".[6]

Note

ESPN states Harry Bradshaw's date of birth as being 17 April 1868, and date of death as being 31 December 1910, making him 42 at the time of his death. Whereas FreeBMD quotes Harry Bradshaw's age at death as being 41.

References
  1. "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". en.espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. "Death details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. Philip Gaunt (1969). "Yorkshire Rugby Union - Centenary 1869-1969 (Page-28)". Chadwick Studios/Frederick Duffield & Sons Ltd. ISBN n/a
  5. Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  6. Richards, Huw (2009). The Red And The White. Aurum Press Ltd. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-84513-405-1.
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