Jimmy Peters recognised in home city Plymouth
Jimmy Peters’ rugby journey began playing for a London orphanage and from that tough beginning he proved himself an outstanding back who, in 1906, became the first black player in England’s international rugby union history.
Now in Black History Month, Jimmy’s story is being told in his home city of Plymouth. This is part of the Hidden Figures of Plymouth Project, sponsored by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which aims to “raise awareness and celebrate the contributions of People of Colour in Plymouth”.
With the help of the World Rugby Museum at Twickenham and information from their current ‘The Jimmy Peters Story’ exhibit, The Box flagship gallery in the city focuses on Jimmy Peters’ remarkable life.
Born in Salford in 1879, Jimmy’s early years were spent with Cedric's Menagerie, a travelling zoo. When his lion tamer father was mauled to death, Jimmy became a child bareback rider with another circus, until breaking his arm. In 1890 he was sent to Fegan's Orphanage in London and then the Little Wanderers Orphanage in Greenwich. Here boys learned trades and sports and, outstanding at sport, Jimmy captained the home’s cricket and rugby teams and in their 1894 sports day won the 100 yards sprint, 1 mile race, long jump, high jump and walking race.
He began playing rugby, running out for Blackheath FC, before leaving the orphanage in 1898 to work as a carpenter in Bristol. After playing for Dings in the Temple Meads area, he played for Bristol FC for the first time in 1900, representing them 35 times before moving to Plymouth, where he played for Plymouth RFC and then Devon.
In those days, before the positions of scrum half and fly half, Jimmy was described as a half-back, organising the game on the field. He was selected for England alongside Adrian Stoop, the pair playing a pivotal part in England’s first defeat of Scotland.
Before his England debut on 17 March against Scotland, the Western Times wrote on 5 February that year that sadly Jimmy Peters wasn’t selected to play earlier against Wales, having been “sacrificed” because "colour was the difficulty".
There were reports of racism and, with a touring South Africa team said to be unhappy playing against a black man when taking on Devon, Jimmy was dropped for England's match against the tourists and not included in the next England trials.
He was awarded four more caps, his last at Ashton Gate, Bristol, in 1908, against Wales. At the outbreak of World War One, he worked in Plymouth's naval dockyard, where he injured his hand.
Given a Plymouth testimonial, he was banned from rugby union as it was deemed professionalism and against the RFU's amateur regulations. Although his injuries improved, the ban saw him switch codes to rugby league, playing for Barrow, before joining St Helens in 1914.
He married and had a family in Plymouth, becoming a teetotal publican. He died in 1954 aged 74 and was buried in Plymouth Old Cemetery. In 2014 Twickenham’s World Rugby Museum learned that his grave had no headstone, making it impossible to identify. The following year a new headstone was installed paying tribute to Jimmy becoming England’s first black international rugby player.
Said Rachel Hawadi, Hidden Figures of Plymouth Project Leader: “It was very empowering to see the World Rugby Museum’s wonderfully curated museum and the work done to honour Jimmy Peters' legacy. We have a laser focus on Jimmy Peters this year and, with the Museum’s help, we are showcasing his story at our flagship gallery in the city during Black History Month.”
It was 80 years after Jimmy Peters’ last England cap that Chris Oti scored a hat trick in his England debut in a 9-6 win over Scotland in 1988. And now, 117 years after Jimmy first played for his nation, the city of Plymouth is celebrating this remarkable pioneer.
Discover more or book tickets by visiting The World Rugby Museum or The Hidden Figures project.
