Alfred St George Hamersley an extremely rare and important England first-ever Rugby International cap, 1871-1874 the faded red-brown velvet with rema

Alfred St George Hamersley an extremely rare and important England first-ever Rugby International cap, 1871-1874 the faded red-brown velvet with remains of gilt tassel and gilt braiding embroidered rose and inscribed 1871; 1872; 1873 and 1874, faded, worn and some tears This is believed to be the earliest Rugby International cap to come to auction. Provenance: Alfred St. George Hamersley and thence by family descent Alfred St. George Hamersley K.C. J.P. M.P. 8 October 1848 – 25 February 1929 Alfred St George Hamersley was a nineteenth-century barrister, an Oxfordshire native who attended Marlborough College, where he learned the Rugby game. Hamersley played for Marlborough Nomads in London when he was selected to play for England in the first International Rugby Test match, against Scotland at Raeburn Place on 27th March 1871. He played for England from 1871 - 1874 and went on to captain his country, England against Scotland on 23rd February 1874 at Kensington Oval, London, his last match for England and his fourth international. A few months later he immigrated to Canterbury, New Zealand and took up the position of Barrister & Solicitor in Timaru. Hamersley immediately busied himself with an array of sports including rugby. Hamersley's first effort in regard to Rugby was a match at Green's Paddock in 1874. The match was played according to the recognised RFU rules of which Hamersley was familiar, between 'Hamersley's team' and 'Rhodes' team', this was the true beginning of the Union game in South Canterbury, New Zealand. Hamersley then organised a Town v Country match in April 1875, Hamersley captained Town, and Robert Rutherford Country. It was after this event that Hamersley established the province's first Rugby Club, at the Clarendon Hotel, Church St, on April 23rd 1875. In 1889 he moved to Canada where he continued his sporting missionary work, helping to found Vancouver RFC and was the first president of the British Columbia Rugby Union. He returned to England, became an MP, and in World War One was a Lieutenant Colonel. In 2013 was inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame that recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union. In the world's first-ever Rugby International between the Scotland and England played 27th March 1871 at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, Scotland defeated England with a score of two tries and a goal to England's single try, in the return match played on 5th February at the Kennington Oval, England defeated Scotland with a score of three tries (one scored by Hamersley) and 2 goals to one goal. In the 1873 match played on 3rd March at West of Scotland F.C. the match ended in a draw and in Alfred's final match and with the honour of captaining his country played on 23rd February at The Oval his England side defeated Scotland.