 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Arkwright | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1902-12-03)3 December 1902 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 20 January 1990(1990-01-20) (aged 87) Knowsley, Merseyside, England[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop, Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Chris Arkwright (grandson) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John Arkwright (3 December 1902 – 20 January 1990) was an English professionalrugby league footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He played at representative level forGreat BritainEngland andLancashire, and at club level forSt. Helens andWarrington, as aprop orsecond-row.[3]
Arkwright signed forSt. Helens for a signing-on fee of £50.
Arkwright played left-second-row inSt. Helens' 9–5 victory overHuddersfield in theChampionship Final during the1931–32 season atBelle Vue,Wakefield on Saturday 7 May 1932.
Arkwright played left-second-row inSt. Helens' 9–10 defeat byWarrington in the1932 Lancashire Cup Final during the1932–33 season atCentral Park,Wigan on Saturday 19 November 1932.
Arkwright was transferred from St. Helens to Warrington for a world recordtransfer fee for a forward of £800 on 1 October 1934, (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £146,100 in 2016).[5][6]
He made his final appearance for Warrington in 1945, making him the club's oldest player at the age of 42.[7]
Arkwright, woncaps forEngland while at St Helens in 1933 againstOther Nationalities, while at Warrington in 1936 against France, and Wales, in 1937 against France, in 1938 against France, and woncaps forGreat Britain while at Warrington in 1936 against Australia (2 matches), and New Zealand, and in 1937 against Australia (3 matches). During the1936 tour Arkwright achieved the unusual distinction of being dismissed twice in one game. Playing against Northern Districts he was dismissed for violent play. The opposing captain, J Kingston, appealed to the referee for Arkwright to continue to play. The referee rescinded the sending off but towards the end of the game dismissed Arkwright again for punching an opponent.[8]
Arkwright played left-prop inLancashire's 7-5 victory overAustralia in the1937–38 Kangaroo tour match atWilderspool Stadium,Warrington on Wednesday 29 September 1937, in front of a crowd of 16,250.[9]
Jack Arkwright is an inductee in both the St Helens RFC Hall of Fame,[10] and the Warrington RLFC Hall of Fame.[11]
Jack Arkwright's son,Jack Arkwright Jr., playedrugby league forWarrington between 1959 and 1962, and his grandson,Chris Arkwright, played forSt Helens in the 1980s.[12]