William Wavell Wakefield, Baron Wakefield biography

 William Wavell Wakefield, Baron Wakefield biography

 William Wavell Wakefield, Baron Wakefield, additionally referred to as (1944–63) Sir Wavell Wakefield, (born March 10, 1898, Beckenham, Kent, Eng.—died Aug. 12, 1983, Kendal, Cumbria, Eng.), one in every of England’s most interesting rugby union gamers, identified for his quickness and skillful dribbling as a ahead. He led the English nationwide group in its glory days of the Twenties.

Wakefield, affectionately generally known as “Wakers,” was educated at Sedbergh School and the University of Cambridge, the place he captained the rugby group in 1922–23. He performed 31 Test (worldwide) matches between 1920 and 1927 as a flanker, captaining England 13 instances. He was an instrumental determine within the institution of the Middlesex Sevens rugby event for charity in 1926 and performed for the London-based Harlequins, who gained the inaugural event. A gifted all-around sportsman, he performed cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club, was an completed skier (changing into president of the Ski Club of Great Britain), and was the Royal Air Force 440-yard-dash champion.

Wakefield served within the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force from 1916 to 1921. After leaving the air pressure, he labored as a pharmaceutical chemist. Following his enjoying profession, Wakefield was lively in rugby administration, changing into president of the Rugby Football Union in 1950–51. He was additionally a long-serving member of the International Rugby Board and one of the crucial famous writers on rugby. Wakefield served on the nationwide committees of the Young Men’s Christian Association and the National Playing Fields Association.

Wakefield was a Conservative Party member of Parliament for Swindon from 1935 to 1945. In 1942 he was director of the Air Training Corps. He was knighted in 1944 and later, in 1963, was elevated to the peerage as Baron Wakefield of Kendal.