Henry Braddon

Sir Henry Braddon
KBE

Braddon's All Black photo
Full name	Henry Yule Braddon
Date of birth	27 April 1863
Place of birth	Calcutta, India
Date of death	8 September 1955 (aged 92)
Place of death	Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia
School	Dulwich College Launceston Church Grammar School
Notable relative(s)	Edward Braddon (father)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Fullback, wing
New Zealand No.	2
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
1882–84	Invercargill
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1883–84 1888–92	Otago New South Wales
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1884	New Zealand	7 (0 tests)	(0)

Sir Henry Yule Braddon KBE (27 April 1863 – 8 September 1955) was an Australian diplomat, businessman and rugby union player who played for Otago, New South Wales and New Zealand. The position he generally played in was fullback. He is listed as the second All Black in playing order.^[1]

The son of a premier of Tasmania, Sir Edward Braddon, Henry Braddon was born in Calcutta, India, and moved to Invercargill in 1882 on transfer with the Bank of Australasia. He played his club rugby for Invercargill Rugby Club but his provincial rugby for Otago as the Invercargill-centred Southland Rugby Football Union did not split away from Otago until 1887. He was selected for the first New Zealand international team, and played in seven of the eight games in Australia in 1884 and is recognised as an Otago's first All Black despite playing in Invercargill at the time of his selection. Braddon later played for New South Wales from 1888 until 1892.^[1]

He had a commercial and political career in Australia, working for Dalgetys and representing Australia as Commonwealth Commissioner in the United States. He was appointed a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1917 and was an elected member of that body from 1934 to 1940.^[2] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1920,^[3] and died in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra in 1955.^[2]

Following the death of Henry Roberts in 1949, Braddon held the distinction of being the oldest living All Black.

References

1. Luxford, Bob. "Henry Braddon". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
2. "Braddon, Sir Henry Yule (1863–1955)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 1979. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
3. The London Gazette: no. 32090. p. 10095. 19 October 1920. Retrieved 16 September 2014.

External links

• "Braddon, Sir Henry Yule (1863–1955)". Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
• McConnell, Lynn (12 September 2014). "A look at rugby's first knight". The Southland Times. Retrieved 29 July 2015.