Name William Donne Role Cricket Player | Died March 22, 1942 | |
William Stephens Donne (2 April 1875 in Wincanton, Somerset – 22 March 1942 in Castle Cary, Somerset) was an English cricket player, and former president of the Rugby Football Union, and was a member of the cricket team that won a gold medal at the 1900 Summer Olympics.
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Cricket career
Donne was one of the founding members of the Devon and Somerset Wanderers Cricket Club, and was part of the team on there first tour in 1894 of the Isle of Wight, he was also one of five players from the Castle Cary Cricket Club who represented Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics, they won the gold medal in the only match against a French side, Donne scored six runs before being run out in the first innings and didn't bat in the second innings. The Castle Cary Cricket Club, marked their 175th anniversary in 2012, with a celebration of the Castle Cary players that played in 1900, whilst the London Games took place.
Outside cricket
Donne attended King's School, Bruton and when he finished he joined the family business as rope and twine manufactures which was founded in Castle Cary in 1797, he would also become an Alderman for Somerset County Council and a governor for his former school, Donne also served as a captain in the Somerset Light Infantry during the First World War, he also had a passion for Rugby Football Union, he was honorary secretary between 1897 and 1905 before becoming president from 1905 to 1934 for Somerset Rugby Football Union, and was the Rugby Football Union president from 1924 to 1925.