Gordon Bonner

Gordon Bonner (1907-1985) was a rugby union international who was part of the British and Irish Lions team that toured New Zealand and Australia in 1930. He never represented England, and later changed code to play Rugby league.

Gordon Bonner
Bonner in New Zealand in 1930
Birth nameWilliam Gordon MacGregor Bonner
Date of birth(1907-09-08)8 September 1907
Place of birthWakefield, England
Date of death1 June 1985(1985-06-01) (aged 77)
SchoolQueen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Wakefield
Rugby league career
Position(s) Fullback
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1932–36 Wakefield Trinity 79 (65)
1937–39 Castleford 2 (0)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Bradford ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1930 British and Irish Lions 0 (0)

Early life

William Gordon MacGregor Bonner was born in 1907 in Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire.[1] He was the son of Arthur Alexander Bonner, a cattle dealer[2] and also magistrate for Wakefield.[3] His father was also a prominent member of the Rugby League establishment, at one time being president of the Wakefield Trinity rugby league club, and also between 1936 and 1938 was chairman of the Rugby Football League Council.[4]

William went on to be educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield.[5]

Rugby career

Bonner went on to play for Bradford and for Yorkshire as fullback. He played in ten of the matches on the toured New Zealand and Australia in 1930 at fullback.[6] but he did not play in any of the tests. He scored two conversions during these games. Despite playing for the British team, he was never selected for England.

Rugby league club career

Gordon Bonner made his début for Wakefield Trinity (Heritage № 378) during September 1932, as a full-back he played 79-matches, scoring 1-try, and 31-goals, for 65-points.[7] He later played for Castleford (Heritage № 171).
He appears to have scored no drop-goals (or field-goals as they are currently known in Australasia), but prior to the 1974–75 season all goals, whether; conversions, penalties, or drop-goals, scored 2-points, consequently prior to this date drop-goals were often not explicitly documented, therefore '0' drop-goals may indicate drop-goals not recorded, rather than no drop-goals scored. In addition, prior to the 1949–50 season, the archaic field-goal was also still a valid means of scoring points.

Personal life

William Bonner married Mary (née Wood) in August 1934.[7][8]

References
  1. "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  2. Yorkshire Evening Post West Yorkshire, England, 4 March 1952
  3. Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer West Yorkshire, England, 29 July 1939
  4. Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer West Yorkshire, England, 5 March 1952
  5. QEGS Rugby. Wakefield Grammar School Foundation official website.
  6. Gordon Bonner. British and Irish Lions player archive
  7. Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer West Yorkshire, England, 29 August 1934
  8. "Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
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