Edward Vernon Pegge (5 June 1864 − 21 March 1915) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

international

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 ...

forward who played club rugby for Neath Rugby Football Club, international rugby 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 ...

and later became a vice-president of the

Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; ) is the governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running of rugby in Wales, overseeing 320 member clu ...

. Pegge had an eccentric personality that made him a stand-out character of early Welsh rugby.

Personal life

Pegge was born in

Briton Ferry Briton Ferry () is a town and Community (Wales), community in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. The Welsh name may indicate that the church, ''llan'', is protected from the wind, ''awel''. Alternatively, ''Sawel'' may be a deri ...

in 1864, to Charles and Catherine Pegge. His father was originally from

Wokingham Wokingham ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It is the main administrative centre of the wider Borough of Wokingham. At the 2021 census the parish had a population of 38,284 and the wider built-up area had a populati ...

in England, but moved to Wales where he ran and lived at Vernon House, the last privately owned

asylum Asylum may refer to: Types of asylum * Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome * Benevolent asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute * Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea * ...

in Wales.Richards (1980), pg 36. Pegge followed his father, also becoming a doctor. One of seven children, Pegge's younger sister,

Maud Cunnington Maud Edith Cunnington ( Pegge; 24 September 1869 – 28 February 1951) was a Welsh archaeologist, best known for her pioneering work on some of the most important prehistoric sites of Salisbury Plain. Early life, education, and marriage Maud ...

was a notable archaeologist.

Rugby career

Pegge played club rugby for

London Welsh London Welsh Rugby Football Club () was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, after gaining promotion from ...

Edward Pegge player profile
Ospreysrugby.com and Neath, and it was while representing the later that he won his one and only international cap, in the opening game of the

1891 Home Nations Championship The 1891 Home Nations Championship was the ninth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 3 January and 7 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The 1891 Championship was won ...

, against England. Played at

Rodney Parade Rodney Parade is a stadium in the city of Newport, South Wales. It is located on the east bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre. The ground is on Rodney Road, a short walk from the city's central bus and railway stations via Newport Bri ...

in Newport, Pegge was one of three new caps brought into the pack, along with Percy Bennett and

Harry Packer Harry Packer (9 September 1868 – 25 May 1946) was an England, English-born international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Newport RFC, Newport and was capped seven times for Wales national rugby union team, Wales. Packer had a long ...

to face England. Wales lost the game by a goal, and Pegge was not selected for future internationals. Apart from his single cap, several stories about Pegge allude to his individualistic nature. During the 1887 season Neath RFC embarked on their first tour of the South West of England which would later become an annual fixture. When Pegge missed the departure of his team-mates on their journey to Devon, he chartered a special train to catch up with them.Smith (1980), pg 24. He also caused a sensation when he decided to play rugby at club level with bare arms and legs, as he disapproved of the standard shin-length knickerbockers.Richards (1980), pg 37. As well as becoming captain of the Neath first team, he was also vocal in rugby issues at club and country level. During an early meeting held by the club officials he demanded "that baths be provided forthwith and that the secretary be instructed to obtain prices for the same." Pegge's motion was carried. In 1892 Pegge was present at the meeting of the Welsh Rugby Union when

Richard Mullock Richard Mullock (3 May 1851 – 1920) was a Welsh sporting administrator and official, who is most notable for organising the first Welsh rugby union international game and was instrumental in the creation of the Welsh Football Union, which bec ...

was removed as Secretary. During the meeting Pegge was elected as one of four vice-presidents, along with

Horace Lyne Horace Sampson Lyne MBE (31 December 1860 – 1 May 1949) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club. He won five caps for Wales. After retiring from play, he became the longest serving ...

William David Phillips William David Phillips (16 August 1855 – 15 October 1918) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff Rugby Football Club and international rugby for Wales. He won five caps for Wales and would later become ...

and Gavin Henry; Pegge representing the interests of teams from the South Western district of Wales.Smith (1980), pg 78.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 470. * 1891

Bibliography

* *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pegge, Edward 1864 births 1915 deaths 19th-century Welsh medical doctors 20th-century Welsh medical doctors Alumni of King's College London Heidelberg University alumni London Welsh RFC players Neath RFC players Rugby union forwards Rugby union players from Briton Ferry Wales international rugby union players Wales Rugby Union officials Welsh rugby union players