Jumbo Milton

John Griffith "Jumbo" Milton (1 May 1885 – 15 June 1915) was an international rugby union player for England.

J.G “Jumbo” Milton

Birth name	John Griffith Milton
Date of birth	1 May 1885
Place of birth	Wynberg, Cape Province
Date of death	15 June 1915 (aged 30)
Place of death	Boksburg, Transvaal Province
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) ?–1904 1904–? 1902-03 1904-07 Bedford School Camborne School of Mines Barbarian F.C. Cornwall () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1904–07 England 5 (0)

Jumbo Milton

Personal information
Full name	John Griffith Milton
Born	1 May 1885 Wynberg, Cape Province, South Africa
Died	15 June 1915 (aged 30) Boksburg, Transvaal, South Africa
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1913	PW Sherwell's XI
1914	Transvaal XI
First class debut	22 November 1913 PW Sherwell's XI v Transvaal
Last First class	14 January 1914 Transvaal v MCC
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 2 Runs scored 23 Batting average 7.66 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 13 Balls bowled 162 Wickets 1 Bowling average 121.00 5 wickets in innings 0 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 1-43 Catches/stumpings 0/0
Source: CricketArchive

Milton, who was born in South Africa, was the son of sportsman and politician William Henry Milton, originally an Englishman. After spending his early childhood in South Africa, he lived in Mashonaland briefly and was then sent to Bedford in England, to complete his schooling.[1]

He played both cricket and rugby union for Bedford School, the two sports his father had excelled in.

While still a schoolboy, Milton was called into the England team for the 1904 Home Nations Championship, aged just 18. He played in all three Tests, against Wales, Ireland and Scotland. Milton made another appearance Home Nations, now representing the Camborne School of Mines,[2] the following year against Scotland. His older brother Cecil was awarded a single cap against Ireland in 1906, in a match that Jumbo did not play in. Jumbo played his fifth and final Test at Dublin in the 1907 series.[3] He also played for invitational tourists the Barbarians during his time in Britain.[4] as well as being capped by Cornwall 18 times he was a member of the County Championship winning side of 1908.

Having returned to South Africa, Milton was selected in PW Sherwell's XI, which played a first-class cricket match against Transvaal in 1913/14. He opened the bowling for his team and from 17 overs finished with 0/78.[5] It was not until his second and final appearance, during the same summer, that he took a first-class wicket. On this occasion he was playing for a Transvaal XI, against the Marylebone Cricket Club. His only wicket was that of England Test batsman Jack Hearne, who missed a century when Milton bowled him for 96.[6]

References

1. Bedford School and Old Bedfordian Rugby Football. Bedford School.
2. Griffiths, John (1982). The Book of English International Rugby 1872–1982. London: Willow Books. p. 101. ISBN 0002180065.
3. "Jumbo Milton". ESPN Scrum.
4. Starmer-Smith, Nigel (1977). The Barbarians. Macdonald & Jane's Publishers. p. 227. ISBN 0-86007-552-4.
5. "Transvaal v PW Sherwell's XI". CricketArchive.
6. "Transvaal XI v Marylebone Cricket Club". CricketArchive.