Charles Clark (1857 - 1943) was a rugby union international who represented

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in 1875.Charles Clark Profile on espn.co.uk
/ref> Making his debut at just 19 years old, he scored the first international try in Ireland.

Early life

Charles William Henry Clark was born on March 19, 1857, in Walton, Lancashire (now in Liverpool). He was the oldest of at least eight children of Charles (born 1832) and Henrietta (nee Taylor) (born 1833). His mother was from

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whilst his father, a Spice and Seed Merchant, had been born in Antigua.1871 England Census, Class: RG10; Piece: 3740; Folio: 116; Page: 43; GSU roll: 842133. Charles senior, son of Mary and William Clark, had arrived in England at some before 1841 and at that time was living in Liverpool with his British Antiguan mother Mary and three older siblings, all of whom had been born in Antigua also. After Charles senior married Henrietta and Charles William Henry had been born, the family moved to Cheshire. The rest of Charles's siblings were born in

Rock Ferry Rock Ferry is an area of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Administratively it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Before local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974, it was part of the county of Cheshire. At the ...

Rugby union career

Parker played his club rugby for

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From here he was called up for his only international appearance on December 13, 1875 at

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in Dublin in the Ireland vs England match Clark's contribution was particularly notable for scoring the first try in Ireland's debut home international match and helped England on their way to victory.

Career and later life

Charles William Henry Clark continued his father's business and became a Rice and Spice Miller based in Lancashire. He married Jean Cowan Taylor (1862 - 1940) in 1890 and they had two children, Doris (born 1893 who would become a Justice of the Peace) and Eric born 1898. He died on 17 October 1943 in Thornhill, Aughton near

Ormskirk Ormskirk is a market town in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England, north of Liverpool, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston. Ormskirk is known for its gingerbread. Geography and administr ...

.England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Charles 1857 births 1943 deaths English rugby union players England international rugby union players Rugby union halfbacks Liverpool St Helens F.C. players People from Walton, Liverpool