Allan Arthur (rugby union) explained

Allan Arthur
Birth Date:3 April 1857
Death Place:Moffat, Scotland
Ru Position:Forward
Amatyears1:
Amatteam1:Glasgow Academicals
Provinceyears1:1873–76
Provinceyears2:1876
Province1:Glasgow District
Province2:West of Scotland District
Repyears1:1875–76
Repteam1:Scotland
Repcaps1:2
Reppoints1:0

Sir Allan Arthur (1857-1923) was a Scotland international rugby football player.[1] [2] He later moved to India as a merchant, where he became a civil servant. He was knighted in 1900 for his Indian public service work.[3] He was named as one of Queen Victoria's birthday knights.[4]

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Arthur went to school at Glasgow Academy and then Merchiston College.[3]

Arthur played for Glasgow Academicals.[2]

Provincial career

Arthur was capped by Glasgow District.

He also played for the West of Scotland District on 28 February 1876.[5]

International career

He was capped twice for between 1875 and 1876.[2]

Horse-racing career

The newspaper The Sportsman noted in its obituary of Arthur that he was a noted owner of race horses. Arthur became the chairman of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club. The newspaper noted that although Arthur owned a number of horses, his colours did not merit any great success.[6]

Business and Civil Service career

Allan's father, another Arthur Allan, was a merchant in the firm of Henry Montieith and Company.[4]

At the age of 20, the younger Allan went to India. He began in the employ of the merchants Finlay, Muir and Company. He later became a director of the merchant firm Ewing and Company.[3]

As a merchant, Allan became involved in the trade of jute. He became a director of an extensive jute shipping company: R. Steel and Company Limited.; and a director of the Manipiet Jute Company. He was also a director of the Union Baling Company.[7]

He was elected four times as the president of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce. He retired in 1920.[3]

His civil service career began in parallel. He was appointed a member of the Viceroy's Leglistaive Council; and in 1890 became the Sheriff of Calcutta. For his public services he received a knighthood in 1900.[3]

Family

Arthur was unmarried.[3] He died at his home at Larch Hill in Moffat.[3] He was the brother of John Arthur who was also capped for Scotland during the first ever rugby international.[2]

Arthur's funeral was held on 11 October 1923. The funeral processed from Glasgow Central Station to the Necropolis,[8] where he is buried.[9]

References

Sources
  1. Bath, Richard (ed.) The Scotland Rugby Miscellany (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Allan Arthur. ESPN scrum.
  2. Bath, p136
  3. Web site: BNA: 0000563/19231010/092/0011. British Newspaper Archive.
  4. Web site: BNA: 0000060/19000524/024/0006. British Newspaper Archive.
  5. Web site: BNA: 0000060/18760228/032/0006.
  6. Web site: BNA: 0001055/19231011/068/0004. British Newspaper Archive.
  7. Web site: BNA: 0001876/19000525/022/0002. British Newspaper Archive.
  8. Web site: BNA: 0000540/19231011/144/0012. British Newspaper Archive.
  9. Web site: Allan Arthur (1857-1923) - Find a Grave Memorial.