Canada celebrating after their win in the 1908 Olympic Games
As part of our celebrations to mark the announcement that Sixes Lacrosse will be featured in the 2028 Olympic Games in LA, USA, we’re taking a look back at the first ever Great Britain team to compete at an Olympics in 1908.
The Games, held in London, England, were the second to feature lacrosse after its debut in 1904; at that 1904 event, held in St Louis, USA, the lacrosse tournament featured three teams, Canada, USA, and a Native Canadian team with Canada coming out on top winning the gold medal.
In 1908, Great Britain entered a team and played a single game against Canada at the White City Stadium on 24 October after South Africa dropped out just before the tournament.
England eventually claimed an Olympic silver medal after a 14-10 loss despite the scores being tied at 9-9 midway through the fourth quarter.
England goal scorers | Buckland (4), Jones (4), unknown (2)
George Alexander
Born | 1886 (exact date unknown)
Died | 14 November 1929
Town | Eccles
George Alexander was the son of a wealthy Scottish-born varnish manufacturer, and worked for the family company as a salesman. He played lacrosse for his home-town team, Eccles, and also won representative honours with Lancashire, the North of England, and was a full England international. He won a silver medal with the Great Britain team at the 1908 Olympics. The following year, Alexander was in the first Eccles team to contest the final of the Northern Senior Flags, and despite Alexander opening the scoring less than a minute after the start, their opponents South Manchester ran out 11-4 winners. Alexander’s brother James was in the same Eccles team that day, and was also one of the Great Britain reserves at the London Olympics.
George Buckland
Born | 13 April 1883
Died | 28 January 1937
Town | Didsbury
George Buckland played for Old Hulmeians, one of England’s finest lacrosse teams at the start of the 20th century. They won the Iroquois Cup four times between 1907 and 1914 as well as the league championship virtually every year in the 1950s and early 1960s. Buckland was a free-scoring forward and scored many goals for his club, and also for The North, Lancashire and England. He was on the Lancashire County Championship winning sides of 1906-07, against Kent both times, and 1913-14, against Middlesex on both occasions. Buckland was honoured with a lifetime achievement award by the Centurions in 1990.
Eric Dutton
Born | 26 July 1883
Died | 29 March 1968
Town | Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Eric Dutton started his lacrosse career as a third home (attacker), but later played at third man (defender). In addition to playing in the 1908 Olympics, he won representative honours with Lancashire, England and the North, in the annual match against the South, which was regarded a one of the leading lacrosse fixtures at the time. He also represented Lancashire against the touring Canadians in 1907. Dutton served on the executive committee of the North of England Lacrosse Association.
Sydney Hayes
Born | 19 July 1891
Died | 11 December 1944
Town | Stockport
An attack wing, Hayes made his England debut against the Duke of Argyll’s team in 1908, and then played for England against the Rest in the final trial before the London Olympics. Good performances from Hayes in both matches put him into the reckoning for a place on the Great Britain team for the Olympics, where he finished on the losing side. A member of one of England’s top teams of the day, Stockport, Hayes had another outstanding game in helping Cheshire beat Kent 14-2 to win the County Championship at Leicester in 1909. He also scored two goals in the North’s 9-4 win over the South at Lord’s that same year.
Wilfrid Johnson
Born | 15 October 1885
Died | 21 June 1960
Town | Islington
After being educated at St. Paul’s School, London, Wilfrid Johnson went to Balliol College, Oxford, where he became a two-time lacrosse Blue in 1905 and 1906 when he captained the Oxford team. He later became president of the Oxford University Lacrosse Club. As a defender, Johnson also played for the Combined Universities, and represented the South several times in the annual match against the North. An accountant by profession, Johnson was also later a lacrosse referee, and took charge of the 1911 Varsity match, and in 1937, officiated in the match between England and the United States at the White City in the first officially recognised international in Great Britain since 1908 when Johnson played in the Olympics. Between 1915 and 1918 Johnson served with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Service.
Edward Jones
Born | 12 July 1881
Died | 17 November 1951
Town | Greenwich
A second home (attacker), Edward Jones was probably the most dangerous attack player in the south of England in the early part of the 20th century. He was ambidextrous as a lacrosse player, and this gave him a big advantage, and made him a prolific goalscorer. He learnt his lacrosse during his time at Ley’s School, Cambridge, and after leaving in 1898, joined the West London Lacrosse Club, and the following year Jones played in the final of the English Club Championship for the Iroquois Cup against Stockport at Fallowfield, but was on the losing side. In 1900 he was first selected for the South in the annual match against the North, and that same year, made his international debut for England against Ireland, and also represented Kent in the County Championship. He won many further county and international honours, and continued playing until the outbreak of World War I.
Reginald Martin
Born | 25 June 1887
Died | 29 January 1981
Town | Greenwich
A second home (attacker), Reginald Martin played for Catford, and did his selection for the Great Britain team no harm with a brilliant performance in a trial match against the Duke of Argyll’s team at Lord’s in April 1908, in which he scored four goals. He subsequently went to the Olympics and won a silver medal, and was involved in one of those great Olympic sporting moments when Canada’s Angus Dillon broke his stick, and was having difficulty finding a replacement. Martin generously agreed to leave the field of play until Dillon returned. In 1909 and 1910, Martin helped Catford win the Southern Flags, but was beaten in the National Club Championship at Lord’s both times. Firstly, 15-3 by South Manchester in 1909, and then resoundingly by Old Hulmeians 20-6 the following year.
Gerald Mason
Born | 12 August 1877
Died | 30 September 1951
Town | Ashton upon Mersey
Gerald Mason was the youngest of seven lacrosse-playing brothers who all played for England at one time or another. Gerald started playing for Stockport at the age of 15 in 1892 and worked his way through the ranks to the senior team, eventually becoming club captain. He started as a home and wing attack and went on to win representative honours for Cheshire, the North, England and of course, Great Britain at the 1908 Olympics. Playing in defence as a point in the latter part of his career, Mason helped Cheshire win their first County Championship in 1909. Two years earlier, Mason had the honour of captaining Stockport against the touring Canadian champions, Ottawa Capitals, in the last match of their UK tour. The Canadians had a 100% record going into the match, but that ended when Gerald and his team held on for a memorable draw.
Johnson Parker-Smith
Born | 14 January 1882
Died | 13 July 1926
Town | Chelford
The son of a wealthy Lancashire wool trader and merchant, Johnson Parker-Smith was a chartered accountant and excellent lacrosse player. A cover point, or defence point, he played for England against Ireland at Belfast when only 19 years of age. He also won representative honours in the annual North versus South match, and in 1906 scored for South Manchester against Southgate in the final of the Club Championship of England to win the Iroquois Cup. Parker-Smith was in the Great Britain squad that won the silver medal at the 1908 London Olympics. His two older brothers, Henry and Robert, also played for South Manchester.
Hubert Ramsey
Born | 3 October 1874
Died | 8 January 1968
Town | Tottenham
One of England’s most talented players, Hubert Ramsey was regarded as the best cover point in England before World War I. He could also play as defence wing, and went on to win representative honours for London, Essex, the South, England and Great Britain. He played his club lacrosse with Woodford and was, in 1903, elected vice-captain of the Essex County Lacrosse Club. Ramsey spent most of his working life on the floor of the London Stock Exchange.
Charles Scott
Born | 27 October 1883
Died | 7 November 1954
Town | Dedham
The son of a publisher, Charles Scott was a lacrosse goalkeeper of the highest quality, and at the age of just 18 was chosen to play for the Duke of Argyll’s Team against the touring Canadians in 1902. The following year he made the first of many appearances for the South in the annual contest against the North, and in 1904, his heroic goalkeeping helped Middlesex beat Surrey to win the Southern Counties Championship. Scott originally played for the West London Lacrosse Club before joining the top English side, Stockport, shortly before the 1908 Olympics. An oil merchant by profession, Scott also played cricket and rugby for the Old Leysian’s.
Sir Norman Whitley
Born | 29 June 1883
Died | 12 April 1957
Town | Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Sir Norman Whitley was born and educated in the lacrosse stronghold of Manchester, and it was obvious that, upon going to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he would play the sport and in 1903 he had the honour of taking part in the first Varsity Match, which Cambridge won 19-6. Whitley won a second Blue in 1904, when he was captain, and a third in 1905. A centre, he played regularly in the annual North versus South match, and also won representative honours with Lancashire and England. He also helped South Manchester win the English Club Championship for the Iroquois Cup.
After University Whitley was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple in 1907, and practiced on the Northern Circuit until the outbreak of World War I when he joined the Manchester Regiment as a private before receiving a commission and rose to the rank of major. He spent many years on service in the Far East,and was awarded the Military Cross for his gallant service. He left the Army in 1920, and then held several important judiciary posts in the East, before taking up the post of Chief Justice of Uganda from 1937 until his retirement in 1947. Whitley was knighted in 1941.
L Blockey
J Caldwell Alexander
V G Gilbey
F S Johnson
C J Mason
H Shorrocks
Our records on the 1908 Great Britain Olympic team are currently incomplete. If anyone has any more information about the 1908 Games and the players involved, please contact us via email on j.naylor@englandlacrosse.co.uk.