|
Edward Innes Pocock
was
born on 3rd December 1855 at 5 Worcester Terrace,
Clifton
,
Bristol
and was educated at
Clifton
College
from
1872 to 1875. He began playing for Clifton RFC in 1873, and his three brothers
Herbert, Reginald and Walter also played for the club.
After
moving to
Edinburgh
and joining Edinburgh Wanderers
he
played twice for
Scotland
in 1877, for which the Scottish Rugby Union needed special permission from the
RFU. There are good accounts of his first
international, but in the second he had such a bad game that he was moved from
the backs to the forwards.
 The
Scotland XV that played
Ireland
in
Belfast
on 19th February 1877. Image courtesy of the SRU. (L-R) Back Row: D.
Lang (Paisley), H.H. Johnston (
Edinburgh
University
). Middle Row: J.R.H. Gordon (
Edinburgh
Academicals), J. Junor (
Glasgow
Academicals), J.R. Reid (
Edinburgh
Wanderers), J.H.S. Graham (
Edinburgh
Academicals), C. Villars (
Edinburgh
Wanderers). Seated: D.H. Watson (
Glasgow
Academicals), M. Cross (
Glasgow
Academicals), R.W. Irvine [Captain] (
Edinburgh
Academicals), R.C. MacKenzie (
Glasgow
Academicals). On the ground: S.H. Smith (Glasgow Academicals), E.I. Pocock
(Edinburgh Wanderers), H.M. Napier (West of Scotland).
Above:
Programme from the match
Scotland
v
England
on 5th March 1877. Edward Pocock’s second and last game for
Scotland
. There are good accounts of his first international but in the second he had
such a bad game he was moved from the backs to the forwards.
Above
Scotland
team that played
England
in
Edinburgh
, 5th March 1877 with ex
Clifton
College
and Clifton RFC Edward Innes Pocock. Image courtesy of SRU. Back Row (L-R):
H.M.Napier (West of
Scotland
), C.Villars (
Edinburgh
Wanderers), J.R.H.Gordon (
Edinburgh
Academicals), J.H.S.Graham (
Edinburgh
Academicals). Sitting (L-R) H.H.Johnston (
Edinburgh
University
), J.R.Reid (
Edinburgh
Wanderers), R.W.Irvine (Captain) (
Edinburgh
Academicals), A.G.Petrie (RHSFP), T.J.Torrie (
Edinburgh
Academicals), J.S.Carrick (
Glasgow
Academicals). On Ground (L-R): D.H.Watson (
Glasgow
Academicals), M.Cross (
Glasgow
Academicals), J.Junor (
Glasgow
Academicals), R.C.MacKenzie (
Glasgow
Academicals), E.I.Pocock (
Edinburgh
Wanderers).
On
18th April 1890 Captain Edward Pocock was recruited by Cecil John Rhodes
to
be part of C Troop of the Pioneer Column, organised by Rhodes and his British
South Africa Company that year and used in his efforts to annex the
territory
of
Mashonaland
, later part of Southern Rhodesia and now
Zimbabwe
. The column consisted of a Pioneer Corps of 180 men, accompanied by a
paramilitary police force (later christened the British South Africa Police) of
300 men.
On
16th August 1890 Pocock captained one of the teams participating in the first
ever cricket match held in
Zimbabwe
, staged at
Providential
Pass
near
Fort
Victoria
(now known as Masvingo). Captain Henry Francis Hoste was one of the officers in
the column and commanded B Troop. A few years before his death in 1936 he
compiled an account of Forty Years Ago:
Rhodesia
in 1890. One paragraph mentions Pocock. It said
"Fry,
who was our official photographer, got his camera going, to the great alarm of
the natives, who watched him in fear and trembling, expecting an explosion every
moment. We in the meantime wandered about the place. We camped there that night,
and the next morning after an early breakfast saddled up and returned to the
laager, where we arrived in the forenoon. In the afternoon the first cricket
match in the country was played. The sides were 'A' Troop (Pioneers) v. 'B' and
'C' Troops (Pioneers). I forget who won; it was probably 'A' Troop as they had
several outstanding cricketers, notably Monty Bowden, the celebrated
Surrey
wicket-keeper. He had come out to the
Cape
in an English team, Read's I think, and hearing of the Pioneer expedition, had
joined as a trooper. L. Vintcent and B. Wimble, both noted South African
cricketers, were also in 'A' Troop. Our side was captained by Trooper E. I.
Pocock, an ex-military officer, and a most useful cricketer."
Above
the Pioneer Corp hoisting the flag at
Fort
Salisbury
on 13th September 1890. It subsequently changed its name to
Salisbury
and finally changed its name to
Harare
on April 18th 1982, the second anniversary of Zimbabwean independence, taking
its name from the Shona chieftain Neharawa.
Above
the Pioneer Corp Camp at
Fort
Salisbury
in 1890.
The
Pioneer Corps was officially disbanded on 1st October 1890 and each
member was granted land on which to farm, with mining concessions. Some of the
men sold their farm right for £100 and their claim right for the same sum. By
1899 over 15.7 million acres had been granted, with only some four million left
for the native Ndebele.
Pocock
was appointed Gwelo District Mines Inspector in February 1896. He admitted he
knew very little about mining. In one of his letters he wrote that the Chief
Inspector of Mines had been coming to his district, so in order to avoid
having his knowledge tested he had mounted his horse and left the area until the
Chief Inspector returned to
Salisbury
. In another letter to his mother, he mentioned that he had had a promotion and,
as a result, had been given an ox cart and span of oxen, the equivalent of
today's company car. He was appointed Mining Commissioner for the
Lomagundi District in November 1897 but resigned from the Civil Service in 1901
and joined United Excelsior Mines Ltd. to take charge of the Alliance Mine in
Abercorn District, 68 miles south of Salisbury. He continued to live on the
property after mining operations ceased in June 1903.
Edward
Pocock died of pneumonia on 14th January 1905 in
Salisbury
Hospital
, aged 49. He is buried in the
Pioneer
Cemetery
in
Salisbury
(now
Harare
).
email: patrick.casey@cliftonrfchistory.co.uk
http://sites.google.com/site/caseybooks/
|
The
Rugby History Society