Edgar Robert Mobbs

Edgar Robert Mobbs

Edgar Robert Mobbs was born in Northampton on 29 June 1882 and educated at Bedford Modern School. Originally a hockey player he took up an invitation to play rugby for Northampton at the age of 23. Equally at home at centre or on the wing, he made 234 appearances and scored 179 tries for the Saints and twice scored six tries in a match. He was also club captain from 1907 to 1913. In December 1908 he captained the Midlands & East Midlands XV that defeated Australia 16-5 at Leicester. On 9 January 1909, again against Australia at Blackheath, he gained the first of his seven England caps. In that game and three further internationals that season he scored a try. He captained England in his final international against France in Paris in 1910. His eleven games for the Barbarians, included six as captain and the historic match against Wales in Cardiff in 1915. Having enlisted in World War One at the age of 32, he formed the 'D' Company 7th Northants Regiment which became known as 'The Sportsmans Battalion'. Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Mobbs was killed on the first day of the third Battle of Ypres on 31 July 1917. Within weeks a Mobbs Fund was established and a 20-foot statue commissioned for its siting in the Market Square in Northampton. On 10 February 1921 the first Mobbs Memorial Match between East Midlands and the Barbarians was played at Northampton.