Launcelot Percival

Percival was born in Clifton, Bristol in 1869 to John Percival and Louisa Holland.[https://archive.org/stream/lifeofpercival00tempuoft/lifeofpercival00tempuoft_djvu.txt Temple, William; Life of Bishop Percival Macmillan and Co Ltd, London (1921)] He was educated at Clifton College,"Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p71: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April, 1948 of which his father was headmaster. Percival followed his father later in life when he matriculated to Trinity College, Oxford,[http://www.bfronline.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=70&Itemid=9 Bertram Fletcher Robinson & Rugby (Part VI)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831234643/http://www.bfronline.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=70&Itemid=9 |date=31 August 2009 }} bfronline.biz as after leaving Clifton, John Percival had taken the role of President of Trinity College.

Percival left university with a master's degree and took Holy Orders. By 1899 he was resident chaplain to the Bishop of London, and on 28 February 1899 he was appointed an Honorary Priest in Ordinary to Queen Victoria, his first entry into the monarch's Ecclesiastical Household.{{London Gazette|issue=27057|page=1254|date=28 February 1899}} By 1905 he was also rector of St James's Church, Fulham and on 3 November he was promoted to Priest in Ordinary to the king.{{London Gazette|issue=27850|pages=7326–7327|date=3 November 1905}} In 1910 he became the rector of St Mary's, Bryanston Square in London.{{London Gazette|issue=28339|page=1124|date=15 February 1910}} On 6 January 1922 he was appointed Precentor of the Chapel Royal,{{London Gazette|issue=32569|page=152|date=6 January 1922}} and on 6 February 1923 domestic chaplain to the king.{{London Gazette|issue=32793|page=895|date=6 February 1923}} On 3 March 1924 he was appointed Chaplain of the Venerable Order of Saint John.{{London Gazette|issue=32915|page=1921|date=4 March 1924}} In 1931 Percival was made Deputy Clerk of the Closet (and sub-almoner),{{London Gazette|issue=33762 |date=13 October 1931 |page=6555 }} and on 20 July 1936 was reappointed to the post after the accession of Edward VIII{{London Gazette|issue=34306|supp=y|date=20 July 1936|pages=4663–4666}} and again on 2 March 1937 under George VI after Edward's abdication.{{London Gazette|issue=34376|date=2 March 1937|pages=1407–1408}} In the 1936 New Year Honours he was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.{{London Gazette|issue=34238|supp=y|date=31 December 1935|page=7}} In 1937 he was appointed Precentor of the Chapel Royal for the second time,{{London Gazette|issue=34376|page=1408|date=2 March 1937}} this time he held the post until his death in 1941.{{London Gazette|issue=35398|page=7377|date=30 December 1941}} He was succeeded by Revd Wallace Elliott.

The National Portrait Gallery in London holds two photographs of Percival, both taken in 1931 by one of Alexander Bassano's photographic studios.[http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait.php?LinkID=mp54225&role=sit&rNo=1 Launcelot Jefferson Percival images at the National Portrait Gallery] npg.org.uk

File:Oxford University RFC 1889.jpeg

Percival first came to note as a rugby player when he represented Oxford University whilst studying at Trinity. Although a forward, Percival had a good reputation for scoring tries, mentioned as scoring twice for an invitational priest's team in George William Erskine Russell's 1921 collection of essays Afterthoughts{{cite book |last=Russell |first=George William Erskine |title=Afterthoughts |year=1968 |publisher=Ayer Publishing |page=390 |isbn=0-8369-0843-0}} and in the 1891–92 season for Oxford scored a "remarkable try" against Blackheath when he dribbled the ball almost the entire length of the pitch before punting the ball over the opposing fullback to score.Marshall (1951), p 78.

One of Percival's most notable matches for Oxford was the 1889 encounter with the touring New Zealand Native football team. The match was played on 21 February, Oxford winning 6–0.[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TAN18890413.2.48.1&l=mi&e=-------10--1----0-all Maoris v. Oxford] paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

Percival played in two Varsity Matches against Cambridge University in 1889 and 1891 to win his sporting 'Blues'. His first Varsity game ended in victory, with Oxford winning by a goal and two tries to nil, Percival scoring one of the tries after a scrummage close to the Cambridge line.Marshall (1951), p. 75. Percival was absent from the 1890 team, after being forced to stand down after an accident,Marshall (1951), p. 77. but returned to the Oxford squad in 1891. Oxford began the 1891 game as favourites, with a very strong forward pack in tremendous form, but lost the match to late Cambridge pressure.Marshall (1951), p. 79.

In the 1890/91 season Percival was approached by William Percy Carpmael to join his newly formed invitational team, the Barbarians. In accepting, Percival became one of the founding members of the team.{{cite book |last=Starmer-Smith |first=Nigel |title=The Barbarians |year=1977 |publisher=Macdonald & Jane's Publishers|page=28 |isbn=0-86007-552-4}} The same season, Percival was first selected for the England national rugby team, brought into the squad as a replacement for Richard Budworth. His debut was against Ireland in the second England encounter of the 1891 Home Nations Championship; the game ended with a comfortable victory for the English team. Despite the win, Percival was replaced for the next game of the tournament, but was called upon again for the 1892 Championship, again against Ireland. The game ended in another win for England, and Percival scored his first and only international points when he scored a try, thanks to some good build up play from Sammy Woods and Frank Evershed.Griffiths (1982), p. 60. His third and final international game was in 1893, but having left Oxford University he was now representing Rugby at club level. Played against Scotland, Percival was on the losing side with England for the first time, though he became the first player to win a cap playing from Rugby.Griffiths (1982), p. 64.

Percival played for several seasons for Rugby and was instrumental in bringing in several talented players to the club.[http://www.rugbylions.net/2006-07/history.htm The Rugby Lions Football Club – History and records] rugbylions.net In the 1892/93 season, Percival was given the captaincy of the club for one season, replacing T. B. Sparkes.[http://www.rugbylions.net/main/records/RFC%20Captains.pdf Rugby Football Club First XV captains] rugbylions.net

Percival also played cricket at a high level. He represented both Marylebone Cricket Club and Herefordshire County Cricket Club and in 1895 while representing Herefordshire he was bowled out in both innings by J. T. Hearne.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/193/193361.html Herefordshire v Marylebone Cricket Club 1895] cricketarchive.com

• {{cite book |last=Godwin |first=Terry |title=The International Rugby Championship 1883–1983 |year=1984 |publisher=Willow Books |location=Grafton Street, London |isbn=0-00-218060-X}}
• {{cite book |last=Griffiths |first=John|title=The Book of English International Rugby 1872–1982 |year=1982 |publisher=Willow Books |location=London |isbn=0002180065}}
• {{cite book |last=Marshall |first=Howard |author2=Jordon, J.P. |title=Oxford v Cambridge, The Story of the University Rugby Match |year=1951 |publisher=Clerke & Cockeran|location=London }}

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Category:1869 births

Category:1941 deaths

Category:English rugby union players

Category:England international rugby union players

Category:Rugby union players from Bristol

Category:People educated at Clifton College

Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Oxford

Category:Rugby union forwards

Category:Barbarian F.C. players

Category:Oxford University RFC players

Category:Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order

Category:20th-century English Anglican priests