James Peters Trophy - The first home game of the Rugby League Conference season each year is played in honour of one of the great rugby players and social pioneer - James Peters.

This is because we feel he was a great local hero whose story deserves more recognition than it currently enjoys and we hope to bring it to ever more people in Southeast London.

The Club in association with St. Christopher's Inn (Greenwich) commissioned the trophy 2004. We were very proud that the great man's granddaughter Barbara Dunbar and grandniece Kim Tozer were able to attend and present the trophy

JAMES PETERS 1879 - 1954 - James Peters is notable as the first black man to play Rugby Union for England and was one of the first  ever cross - code rugby players, represented Knowle, Bristol and Devon in rugby union before moving to play Rugby League for Barrow and St Helens.

James Peters was born in Salford, Manchester on 7th August, 1879 of mixed parentage, his mother a local girl, married his father George who hailed from the West Indies.

Strange Beginnings - Peters early years were spent travelling the country with his parents as part of a circus troupe. During this period of his life he became an accomplished bare-back rider and gymnast, but the tragedy of his father’s untimely death when he was mauled to death by lions.

The economics circumstances of the period for a widow with a child, Peter’s mother abandoned him into the care Fegan's Orphanage, in Southwark and the Little Wanderers Home, in Greenwich.

 

During his time at the orphanages his gymnastic abilities and his determination to succeed came to the for as he developed into an outstanding athlete, winning the 100 yards, mile, long jump, high jump and walking races in 1894. He also developed as a rugby player and was given the captaincy of the orphanage rugby team.

Success In The Face Of Prejudice - On leaving the orphanage, Peters worked locally in the printing trade until he moved to Bristol 1898. At the age of 21 he joined Knowle Rugby Club and was given the Nicknamed of either  "Sunny Jim" or "Darkie" he played for the  Dings and Knowle before going on to play to Bristol. On joining Bristol a number of the clubs white members objected to the inclusion of a black man and resigned.

In 1902 Peters moved to Plymouth and found work at the Royal Naval Dockyard as a carpenter and continued his rugby career playing for Plymouth. The following year he was selected to represent England and in November 1903 Peters was awarded his first county cap for Devon. When Devon won the County Championship journalists began to campaign for Peters to play for England.

 

In 1906 Peters was selected to play for England against Scotland He also played in the following match against France, a game in which he scored a try. It was suggested that he was left out of England's next game against the touring Springbok.

 

On 17th March 1907, Peters regained his England place at stand-off against Scotland, scoring a try. The newspapers at the time made no reference to the fact that he was the first black man to be selected to play in an English international game. Although The Sportsman commented that the "dusky Plymouth man did many good things, especially in passing." The Yorkshire Post praised his performance but pointed out that "his selection is by no means popular on racial grounds." He was also selected to play against Wales. However, he was dropped for the game against Ireland on 8th February 1908.

Rugby League Star - In 1910 Peters lost three fingers in a dockyard accident. He continued to play rugby until 1912 when he was suspended after it was discovered he had been paid by Devon Rugby Club. The RFU punished 38 players and officials, including Peters, for attempting to form a breakaway professional rugby league in the South West.

As a consequence he moved to Rugby League and became legend in Rugby League circles after making a quick start to his career with Barrow, kicking nine goals in his first 10 games for the club in 1913.

 

Peters was regarded by contemporary observers as the "cleverest half-back in the kingdom bar none" and his success brought a big move to St Helens in 1914. However, he never found his true form and retired from rugby league within a year.

 

James Peters died on 26th March, 1954.