Dick Jackett

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameRichard "Dick"•Jackett
Used nameDick•Jackett
Born1 December 1880 in Falmouth, England (GBR)
Died27 July 1960 in Falmouth, England (GBR)
AffiliationsCornwall RFU, Camborne (GBR) / Falmouth RFC, Falmouth (GBR)
NOC Great Britain
Medals OG
Gold 0
Silver 1
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

Dick Jackett made his Cornwall début in 1901 and, between then and 1921, he became one of the County’s most capped players with 70 caps. He was also regarded as one of the fittest and strongest Cornish players of all time. The younger brother of the England international Edward Jackett, the pair played in the winning Cornwall County Championship team in 1908 and later that year the two of them played for the ‘Duchy’ against Australia at Camborne and also against the tourists in the Olympic Games at the White City, London. A third member of the Jackett family, Frank, was also a well known rugby player before going on to become a top rugby referee. A fisherman by trade. Dick supplemented his income as a nude model, posing for many of Cornwall’s portrait artists. He was also a fine rower.

John toured Australasia with the Anglo-Welsh team (now British Lions) in 1908 and played in all three test matches against New Zealand. During that tour, Jackett saved a man from drowning in Sydney Harbour. Upon his return he captained Cornwall to defeat by Australia in the Olympic Games at White City. Brother Dick was also in the side. John captained Cornwall to another County Championship final the following year, but this time Durham gained revenge with victory at West Hartlepool. In December 1911 he was offered the position as manager of the Dewsbury Empire and within days switched Rugby codes and joined the professional ranks with the Yorkshire club. Within four months he had helped Dewsbury beat Oldham 8-5 at Headingley to win their first Northern Union Challenge Cup, in what was their first appearance in the final. He left Dewsbury in 1932 to take over as manager of the Norwich greyhound track before a move to Middlesbrough to take up a similar position but sadly died shortly afterwards.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1908 Summer Olympics Rugby (Rugby) GBR Dick Jackett
Rugby, Men (Olympic) Cornwall 2 Silver

Olympic family relations