Roger Davidson (rugby union)

Roger Davidson

Birth name	Roger Stewart Davidson
Date of birth	(1869-02-17)17 February 1869
Place of birth	Kinfauns, Perth and Kinross, Scotland
Date of death	18 February 1955(1955-02-18) (aged 86)
Place of death	Perth, Scotland
University	University of Aberdeen
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1890 Perthshire () 1892-94 Aberdeen Nomads () 1893 Royal HSFP () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1892 North of Scotland District () 1893 East of Scotland District () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1893 Scotland 1 (0) Refereeing career Years Competition Apps 1896 Scottish Districts
29th President of the Scottish Rugby Union
In office 1902–1903
Preceded by	George Neilson
Succeeded by	Robert Greig

Roger Davidson was a Scotland international rugby union player.[1] His regular playing position was Forward

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Davidson started by playing for Perthshire.[2]

Davidson moved to Aberdeen to study at university. In 1892, Davidson was playing for Aberdeen Nomads.[3]

Davidson played for Royal HSFP when he was capped for Scotland.[4] He was playing for them in March 1893 but it was remarked that he was just 'helping out' the side.[5]

Provincial career

Davidson was selected for Edinburgh District to play against North of Scotland District on 12 December 1891,[6] but the match was called off due to frost.[7]

Davidson did play in the North of Scotland District match against Midlands District on 26 November 1892.[8] The Scottish Referee noted that Davidson and Trotter were conspicuous in the match for the North side, between them securing a try.[9]

In the other direction, Davidson was selected for North of Scotland District to play against Edinburgh District on 10 December 1892,[10] but the match was called off due to snow.[11] He was again selected for North of Scotland District to play against South of Scotland District on 14 January 1893[12] but again this match was also called off.

Davidson played for East of Scotland District in their match against West of Scotland District on 21 January 1893.[13][14]

International career

Davidson was capped once for Scotland in 1893.[15]

Referee career

Davidson refereed a North of Scotland District versus Edinburgh Wanderers match on 21 March 1896.[16]

Davidson was a linesman, or touch judge or assistant referee, for the Cities versus Provinces match of January 1899.[17]

Davidson was also a touch-judge in the international Scotland v Ireland match in 1903,[18] and in the Scotland v England match that same year.[19]

Administrative career

Davidson was elected a North of Scotland District representative on the board of the Scottish Rugby Union in October 1898.[20]

Davidson sent his apologies to the North of Scotland District when they organised a dinner to celebrate Mr. John M. Fyfe, their secretary, on 18 February 1899.[21]

Davidson was elected President of Perthshire in 1901.[22]

Davidson was made Honorary Vice-President of Perthshire in 1902.[23]

Davidson was the 29th President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He served the 1902–1903 term in office.[24]

Outside of rugby

Davidson became a Minister of the Church of Scotland.[25] He took over at Kinfauns Parish Church on his father's death - his father, C. S. Davidson, was also a Minister - and left Aberdeen in 1894.[26] All of Davidson's ministry was at Kinfauns with the exception of two years when he was assistant at Aberdeen St. Nicholas. He did join the Territorial Army and was a chaplain there for 25 years.[27]

Davidson announced his intention to retire as a minister at the start of February 1955. That month, he died a day after his birthday at Burghmuir Hospital in Perth, after being taken ill a few days before. He was able to talk to visiting friends who arrived for his birthday.[28]

References

1. "Roger Stewart Davidson".
2. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
3. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
4. The Essential History of Rugby Union: Scotland by Nick Oswald and John Griffiths. Headline Publishing. 2003.
5. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
8. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
9. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
10. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
11. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
12. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
13. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
14. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
15. "Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - Roger Davidson - Test matches".
16. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
17. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
18. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
19. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
20. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
21. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
22. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
23. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
24. "Scottish Rugby Record 2018/19" (PDF). Scottish Rugby.
25. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
26. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
27. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
28. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.