OF the many players that have passed through the ranks of Crediton Rugby Club, John Bonamy Challen would have been one of the most interesting.
He was born in Ruthin, Wales and, although it was reported that his family were on holiday in Wales at the time of his birth, that is not true as his father was actually the Headmaster of Ruthin Grammar School in Denbighshire. The family originated from Frome in Somerset.
Challen was a very talented all round sportsman and the fact that he was born in Wales meant he was eligible to represent his birth country, but not at rugby for he was a soccer player.
The family origins in Frome also made him eligible to play cricket as a professional for Somerset.
His early education was at Honiton Grammar School before attending Marlborough College where he made a name for himself as a fine cricketer. He completed his education at Marlborough and in 1880 at the age of 17 he gained a teaching job at Thornton Heath in Surrey.
In 1882 he moved to Wellingborough School in Northamptonshire where he stayed for 10 years.
In the meantime he combined his sporting life as best he could as and when his teaching commitments would permit.
He played soccer for the famous Corinthians as an amateur and alongside many England internationals.
In 1887 he was selected on the right wing for Wales against England and in total earned four caps.
His love of cricket began much earlier and at the age of 13 years he was one of the youngest to donate half-a-guinea (10s 6d in old money or 52p in current coinage) to help establish the Somerset Cricket Club.
He began his playing career with Somerset in 1880 as an all rounder and apart from a brief spell with Northamptonshire in 1883, stayed with Somerset until 1899 when he retired from professional sport.
He played 52 matches for Somerset with a batting average of 20 and took 16 wickets and 32 catches.
What has this to do with Crediton RFC you may ask?
Well, in 1892, he was appointed as Headmaster of Queen Elizabeth’s School, and so began his rugby career with Crediton RFC which spanned the years 1892 to 1895, making his debut in the Second XV against Tiverton Seconds on October 22, 1892.
Crediton won 6-5, three tries to a goal and Challen had a hand in the first two tries.
He scored two tries against Exeter Oaks in December 1892 a feat which earned him a place in the First XV.
He continued playing for the club until September 1895 when he took up a new post at the Devon County School, West Buckland.
In addition to his rugby exploits with the club, he also played some immense innings for the Crediton Cricket Club scoring a number of centuries during the three years he was associated with the town.
He eventually moved to Eastbourne where he died in 1937 aged 74.
Paul Harris