John Marshall Dugdale

John Marshall Dugdale (1851–1918) was a rugby union international who represented England in the first international rugby match in 1871.^[1]

John Marshall Dugdale was born at Irwell Bank, Eccles, Lancashire on 15 October 1851 and baptised at Eccles on 1 January 1852.^[3] He was the son of John Dugdale, Esq. of 9, Hyde Park Gardens, London^[4] and Llwyn, Llanfyllin, County Montgomery.^[5] He attended Rugby School,^[3] and matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1870, graduating B.A. in 1873.^[6]

Dugdale, having played rugby at school, went on to play for Ravenscourt Park FC, a stronghold of Old Rugbeians. He, along with nine other former pupils of Rugby School, was selected to play in the first international match in 1871.^[2] The match was played on 27 March 1871 at Edinburgh against Scotland, and the hosts won.^[1]

After university, Dugdale moved to London, giving him the opportunity to play for Ravenscourt Park. In London he trained as a barrister,^[3] as a student of the Inner Temple from 18 January 1871, and was called to the bar on 26 January 1875.^[5] He was a member of the Oxford and Cambridge Club.^[5]

Dugdale then moved to Montgomeryshire and became a member of the Northern circuit as a Justice of the Peace.^[5] He became active in political, military and administrative circles of the county. In 1872 he became the Cornet (Supernumerary) of the Yeomanry Cavalry of Montgomeryshire^[7] and later Major of the Yeomanry from 1889 to 1892.^[8] In February 1893, he became the Deputy Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire.^[9] and served as Mayor of Llanfyllin from 1893 to 1899.^[8] In 1896 he held the post of High Sheriff of Montgomeryshire.^[10]

In 1910 Dugdale was elected Mayor of Llanfyllin.^[11] In addition, he was on the Board of Bangor University College.^[8] He wrote a paper A History of the Parish of Llanfyllin from 1861 to 1915.^[12]

He married Isabella Hargreaves, the only daughter of John Hargreaves of Spring Bank, Lancaster, on 20 July 1876 at Tarporley, Cheshire.^[3] They had a number of children including John Percy, who attended Rugby and New College, Oxford, October from 1898 but died in 1900 in his early twenties; Maj. William Marshall Dugdale CB DSO TD (13 January 1881 – 13 November 1952), who after being in the Learning Land Agency, 1899–1901, served in the South African War of 1901–02, in the Imperial Yeomanry, leaving as a captain in 1902; and Gerald. All three sons attended Rugby School.^[13]

Dugdale died on 30 October 1918 aged 67, at Llanfyllin and was buried there 2 November 1918.^[14] His widow died on 28 August 1922.