John James Holmes (1904-1931) was an Australian rugby league player who played in the 1920s and 1930s.

Career

Born at

Glebe, New South Wales Glebe is an inner-western suburb of Sydney. Glebe is located southwest of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney, in the Inner West region. Glebe is surrounded by Blackwattle Bay ...

to parents George and Ellen Holmes in 1904, Holmes was a five-eighth that came from

Western Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies (legal name: Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club Ltd) are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly r ...

in 1926 to Newtown. He spent the next five seasons at Newtown between 1927 and 1931, often as captain. Holmes represented

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

on three occasions between 1929-1930 and was then chosen from the 1929-30

Kangaroo Tour Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France, tours to New Zealand and the one-off tour to Papua New Guinea (1991). The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours to ...

, playing in 12 matches. Holmes is listed on the ''Australian Players Register'' as Kangaroo No.158. He met and married an English girl, while on tour and returned with her to live in Sydney.

Death

He had completed the

1931 NSWRFL season The 1931 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twenty-fourth season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. During the season, which lasted from April until September, eight teams from acros ...

, when he became ill with appendicitis and died during the operation to remove the infected appendix. Much grief was felt for his wife Mary and his infant daughter Angela, and a benefit match was played on 29 September 1931 at

Earl Park, Arncliffe Earl Park is the name of a former sports field in the Sydney suburb of Arncliffe. From 1925 to 1939 it was the site of New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership club, St. George's home ground and headquarters. The ground was provided by ...

between the Kangaroos and a combined Newtown-Western Suburbs team that raised in excess of £300 for the widow and child. His funeral was attended by many members of the Newtown Rugby League Football Club and other rugby league identities. Holmes died on 10 September 1931 aged 26, and was buried at the Catholic section of

Rookwood Cemetery Rookwood Cemetery (officially named Rookwood Necropolis) is a heritage-listed cemetery in Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest List of necropolises, necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere and is the world's largest ...

on 11 September 1931.Sydney Morning Herald: Funeral Notice 11/9/1931

References

1904 births 1931 deaths Australian rugby league players Australia national rugby league team players Newtown Jets players New South Wales rugby league team players Rugby league five-eighths Rugby league players from Sydney Western Suburbs Magpies players {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-1900s-stub