Alfred Augustus Mathews (7 February 1864 – 12 August 1946) was a Welsh

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

who was notable as a

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player in his youth; representing Lampeter at club level and playing a single international match for

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

Biography

Mathews was born on 7 February 1864. He was educated at

Llandovery College Llandovery College () is a coeducational independent boarding and day school in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The college consists of Gollop Preparatory, Senior School and Sixth Form. It was previously known as "Welsh College, Llandovery" ...

before matriculating to

St David's College, Lampeter University of Wales, Lampeter () was a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822, and incorporated by royal charter in 1828, it was the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales, with limited degree awarding powers since 1852. It was a ...

. A clergyman by profession, after ordination he was curate, and then vicar of Holy Trinity,

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

from 1887 to 1897. He became vicar of

Blaenavon Blaenavon () is a town and community (Wales), community in Torfaen county borough, Wales, high on a hillside on the source of the Afon Lwyd. It is within the boundaries of the historic county of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshire and the Pr ...

in 1897 and remained in Monmouthsire until his death. He married Ethel Frances, and they had five children, the youngest, Barbara Muriel Mathews was to become

Barbara Brooke, Baroness Brooke of Ystradfellte Barbara may refer to: People * Barbara (given name) * Barbara (painter) (1915–2002), pseudonym of Olga Biglieri, Italian futurist painter * Barbara (singer) (1930–1997), French singer * Barbara Popović (born 2000), also known mononymously ...

, a British life peer.Baroness Brooke, Resolute Tory fighting her committee room corner
Guardian.co.uk He died on 12 August 1946.

Rugby career

Mathews began playing rugby at a young age, taking up the sport as a schoolboy at Llandovery College. He continued playing the sport when he matriculated to St David's. Mathews played only a single game for Wales, when he faced Scotland in the second and final Welsh match of the

1886 Home Nations Championship The 1886 Home Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 2 January and 13 March 1886. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The 1886 Championship ...

. Played at the

Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park (), also known as The Arms Park, is primarily a rugby union stadium, and also has a bowling green. It is situated in Cardiff, Wales, next to the Millennium Stadium. The Arms Park was host to the 1958 British Empire and Common ...

, Mathews was brought into the team at halfback, replacing captain

Charlie Newman Charlie Henry Newman (28 February 1857 – 28 September 1922) was a Welsh international three-quarter who played club rugby for Newport. He was awarded ten caps for Wales and captained the team on six occasions. An original member of the Newp ...

, and partnered with

William Stadden William James Wood "Buller" Stadden (1861 –30 December 1906) was a Wales, Welsh international rugby union Half-back (rugby union), half back who played club rugby for Canton, Cardiff, Canton, Cardiff RFC, Cardiff and Dewsbury Rams, Dewsbur ...

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

. The game was an important match in the history of rugby, as it was the first international to see the use of the four three-quarter system, brought in by

Frank Hancock Francis Escott Hancock (7 February 1859 – 29 October 1943) was an English-born rugby union centre who played club rugby for Somerset and Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. Hancock is best known as being the sport's first fourth three-q ...

. The game did not go well for Wales and the three-quarter system was abandoned mid-match, which caused further confusion, resulting in a simple Scottish victory. Newman was re-selected to his position for the next season, and Mathews did not represent Wales at rugby again. Despite an end to his international career, Mathews later joined first-class Welsh team Swansea RFC, and was part of the team that faced the touring New Zealand Natives in 1888.

International games played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 469. * 1886

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mathews, Alfred 1864 births 1946 deaths 19th-century Welsh Anglican priests 20th-century Welsh Anglican priests Alumni of the University of Wales, Lampeter People educated at Llandovery College Rugby union players from Rhymney Swansea RFC players Wales international rugby union players Welsh rugby union players Rugby union halfbacks