Full name John Edward Raphael 1901–1902 London County 1903–1905 Oxford University Role Cricket Player | Batting style Right-handed batsman 1903–1909 Surrey Name John Raphael | |
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Born 30 April 1882 ( 1882-04-30 ) Brussels, Belgium Bowling style Right-arm slow-medium bowler Died June 11, 1917, Remy, France Education Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood | ||
John Edward Raphael (30 April 1882 – 11 June 1917) was a Belgian born English sportsman who was capped nine times for England at rugby union and played first-class cricket with Surrey.
Biography
The son of multi-millionaire financier Albert Raphael, who was part of a banking dynasty that in the 1920s rivalled the Rothschild family, John Raphael was educated at Merchant Taylors, Raphael won his first cap in 1902 when England took on Wales in the Home Nations Championship. A centre, winger or full-back, he also played in the 1905 and 1906 Championships as well as in Test matches against both France and New Zealand. The only points of his career came through a try which he scored in 1906 when playing Scotland. He captained the 1910 British Lions tour to Argentina, which included of the South American nation's inaugural Test match.
Raphael, who was Jewish, played his cricket as a specialist batsman and most of his appearances at first-class level were for either Surrey or Oxford University. He also played first-class matches for the Marylebone Cricket Club, Gentlemen of England, London County and an England XI amongst others.
Four of Raphael's five centuries were scored for Oxford University, including his career best score of 201 which he made against Yorkshire, who had the bowling of Wilfred Rhodes at their disposal. It remains the only double hundred to be made by an Oxford cricketer against Yorkshire. His only century for Surrey came in the 1904 County Championship, which he captained his county for much of, scoring 111 against Worcestershire.
A part-time bowler, his three first-class wickets were of Samuel Coe, Lord Dalmeny and Test cricketer John King.
In World War I Raphael served with the King's Royal Rifle Corps as a Lieutenant and died of wounds in 1917 at the Battle of Messines, while fighting in the country of his birth.
He is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery near Poperinge, West Flanders, Belgium. Mrs Harriette Raphael, his mother, had her ashes buried next to his grave in 1929.