Tom Danby

Thompson Danby[1] (10 August 1926 – 26 December 2022) was an English dual-code international rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England, and at club level for Harlequin F.C., as a wing, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Salford, as a wing.[2]

Tom Danby
Personal information
Full nameThompson Danby[1]
Born(1926-08-10)10 August 1926[1]
Trimdon district, County Durham, England
Died26 December 2022(2022-12-26) (aged 96)
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≤1949–49 Harlequin F.C.
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1949 England 1 0 0 0 0
Rugby league
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1949–54 Salford 174 61 2 187
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1950 England 3 0 0 0 0
1950 Great Britain 3 1 0 0 3
Source: [2][3][4]

Background

Born in Trimdon, County Durham, he signed for Salford in August 1949,[5] and in doing so, he became the first England rugby union international recruited by Salford.[6] He attended St John's College, York between 1943 and 1945.

International honours

Danby won a cap for England (RU) in the 2–0 defeat by Wales on 15 January 1949.[1]

Danby won cap s for England (RL) while at Salford in 1950 against Wales (two matches), and France,[3] and won cap s for Great Britain (RL) while at Salford in 1950 against Australia (two matches), and New Zealand.[4]

Personal life and death

Tom Danby married Audrey Winifred Spencer (better known as "Penny" Spencer) on 26 June 1948 in Brighton. They had children; Christine H. Danby was born in Brighton in 1954 and Peter was born in 1956. After retiring from rugby Danby taught at Shebbear College for over 30 years.[7]

Danby died at his home in East Sussex on 26 December 2022, at the age of 96. At the time of his death, Danby was the oldest surviving member of a Great Britain rugby league team.[8][9]

References
  1. "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk". en.espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. The Who, When, and Where of English International Rugby since 1947. ISBN 0-9532010-0-7
  6. "The Willows: Salford Reds' field of dreamsuk". menmedia.co.uk. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  7. "Shebbear College 2008 Reunion". www.shebbearvillage.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  8. "We are saddened to hear of the death of our oldest member, Lion number 180 Tom Danby, who passed away on Boxing Day at his home in East Sussex. Tom was 96". Rugby League Lions on Twitter. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  9. "Tom Danby". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
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