William Webb Ellis, Dunchurch Road junction, Rugby, Warwickshire. - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

William Webb Ellis, born 24 November 1806, died 24 February 1872, was a pupil at Rugby School when he picked up the ball and ran with it, thereby assigning himself to a special place in the history book of sport.

He was born in 1806 to James Ellis, an officer in the Dragoon Guards, and Ann Webb, in Salford. On the 1851 census James himself said he was born in Manchester, but that's where he moved to in later life. After his father was killed at the Battle of Albuera in 1811, an indecisive battle during the Peninsular War, Ann Ellis moved to Rugby so that William and his older brother, Thomas, could receive an education at Rugby School. He attended the school from 1816 to 1825 and was recorded as being a good scholar and cricketer, although it was noted that he was 'rather inclined to take unfair advantage at cricket'. The incident in which Webb Ellis supposedly caught the ball in his arms during a football match (which was allowed) and ran with it (which was not) was meant to have happened in the latter half of 1823. In his honour The Webb Ellis Cup is presented to the winners of the Rugby World Cup.

For a full account of his life see: William Webb Ellis

As to the shape of a rugby ball, before Richard Lindon changed things the shape of footballs were dependant upon the shape and size of the pig's bladder used for the inner and could vary a great deal in both shape and size, from almost round to quite oval. Richard Lindon invented a rubber inner and was then able to acurately decide on the shape, footballs were round and the new rugby balls were the familiar oval shape in use today.

The statue of William in Rugby is by Graham Ibbeson, an artist and sculptor resident of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. He has created bronze sculptures in towns and cities across Britain and sculpted this one in 1997. It was unveiled by Jeremy Guscott on 26th September 1997 and stands at the junction of Lawrence Sheriff Street and Dunchurch Road, beside Rugby School and opposite the Webb Ellis Museum. It is a life-sized bronze standing on a square marble plinth and shows a young Webb Ellis running and carrying one of those 'nearly round' footballs of the day. He is dressed in the usual shirt and trousers worn by schoolboys in the C19th.

The dedication plaque reads: The Local Boy who Inspired the Game of Rugby Football on the Close at Rugby School in 1823. Sculptor - Graham Ibbeson 1997. The close is still used for playing sport.

URL of the statue: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/24/2013 Superted visited it