| Full name | Laurence Pierce Brooke Merriam | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (1894-01-28)28 January 1894 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Islington, London, England | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 27 July 1966(1966-07-27) (aged 72) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | London, England | ||||||||||||||||
| School | St Paul's School, London | ||||||||||||||||
| University | University College, Oxford | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Plastics manufacturer | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
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Sir Laurence Pierce Brooke Merriam (28 January 1894 – 27 July 1966) was a British Army officer, plastics manufacturer and international rugby union player of the 1920s.
Born in Islington, Merriam was educated at St Paul's School, London, and University College, Oxford, where he gained blues for rugby in the 1913 Varsity Match. He was also a varsity swimmer and water polo player.
Merriam enlisted at the outbreak of World War I in 1914 and was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade. In 1916, Merriam was awarded the Military Cross for his actions during the Battle of Flers. He became an Acting Major while attached to the 7th Battalion, Tank Corps, and was wounded twice over the course of the war.
Returning to rugby after the war, Merriam gained two England caps in the 1920 Five Nations, as a second row forward against Wales at Swansea and France at Twickenham, then in 1922 ascended to the captaincy of his club Blackheath.
Merriam, who was knighted in 1949, was involved in the family business of plastics manufacturing, serving as Chairman of British Xylonite and BX Plastics. He also chaired the Furniture Development Council and was deputy lieutenant for Essex County Council. His wife, Marjory, was the daughter of Scottish peer Archibald Kennedy, 3rd Marquess of Ailsa.
See also
References
- "Another Oxford Rugby Blue". Birmingham Evening Mail. 31 July 1915.
- "Life story: Laurence Pierce Brooke Merriam". Lives of the First World War.
- "Death of former England rugby player". The Birmingham Post. 28 July 1966.
- "Sir Laurence Merriam". The Daily Telegraph. 28 July 1966.
External links
- Laurence Merriam at ESPNscrum
- 1894 births
- 1966 deaths
- English rugby union players
- England international rugby union players
- Rugby union players from London
- Rugby union forwards
- Oxford University RFC players
- Blackheath F.C. players
- Rifle Brigade officers
- Royal Tank Regiment officers
- British Army personnel of World War I
- People educated at St Paul's School, London
- Alumni of University College, Oxford
- Recipients of the Military Cross
- Knights Bachelor
- Members of Essex County Council