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Ian Metcalfe: Fenwick Allison, Playing for England against Wales and a new baby on the same day

My late father-in-law, Fenwick Allison, a Geordie by birth, made his debut at full back for England v Wales in January 1956. There were ten new caps that day, a record only equalled in 2017 when England played Argentina at the same time as the Lions tour to NZ. By then Fenwick had moved to Birmingham, and joined the great powerhouse which was Coventry, despite sharing a flat with Chick Henderson and MJK Smith in Moseley, right opposite Moseleys ground at the Reddings.

On 18th January 1958 he played once more at full back for England v Wales, again wearing his signature string mittens. This was a great England side, including the likes of Marques and Curry, PGD Robbins, Jeff Butterfield, Dickie Jeeps and Ron Jacobs, all captained by Eric Evans.  My mother-in-law Joan was heavily pregnant when he set off by bus from Sutton Coldfield on Wednesday, bound for Twickenham.

The game was drawn 3-3, England scoring a single try to a penalty from Wales, the draw preventing a repeat of the 1957 England Grand Slam, a rare feat sandwiched in between one in 1928 and Beaumonts Grand Slam of 1980. Fenwick duly attended the post-match dinner, stayed the night and set off for home by train and bus on Sunday morning.

Unbeknown to Fenwick, during the night his next-door neighbour had been called upon to take Joan into hospital. The neighbour was invited to stay, but politely declined! In these pre mobile phone days, Fenwick was none the wiser, and thought the house seemed quiet as he walked up the drive. As he did, the neighbour popped out to suggest he headed to the hospital pdq – which he duly did, to find that his first child, my wife Judy, had already been born.

Memory added on April 20, 2021

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