Barrie Bennetts

In 1906 Barrie Bennetts played for Cornwall against the touring South Africans and in 1908, shortly before the London Olympics, played for Cornwall in that year’s County Championship final, when the Cornishmen beat Durham 17-3. A member of the Penzance rugby club, Bennetts won just two England international caps. His début was at Blackheath in January 1909 in the first ever match between England and Australia, and his second game was a week later in an 8-0 defeat by Wales at Cardiff.

In 1910 Bennetts toured Argentina with the Great Britain team, which was the forerunner of the British and Irish Lions. Britain beat Argentina 28-3 at Buenos Aires on 12 June 1910, in what was Argentina’s first ever rugby international. Bennetts was an all-round sportsman and played golf, hockey, and cricket for Cornwall. Additionally, he was a fine musician and actor. His brother William also played for Penzance RUFC.

Bennetts served in World War I after enlisting into the 1st Devon Yeomanry before being Gazetted into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 1914. He reached the rank of captain, was mentioned in dispatches, and awarded the 1914-15 Star. In World II he served with the newly-formed Home Guard.

By profession, Bennetts was a solicitor and partner in Boase & Bennetts of Penzance. He served as the Registrar of the Penzance and Helston County Courts, and for 25 years was either the deputy coroner or coroner for West Cornwall. He was a former president of the Cornwall RUFC and, after 44 years with the Penlee Branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), was appointed an honorary life governor of the RNLI in 1957, having been honoured with the MBE for his services to the Institute.