Researching John Blake

Blake, "the most influential individual in the history of the Bristol club", was a fly half, educated at St Brendan's College and Bristol University. He became captain of Bristol in 1957 and was central in the club's adoption of an adventurous and attractive style of play that became known as "rugby Bristol fashion".

Blake's approach to the game was immediately successful. During his first season in charge the club records for both points scored and wins in a season were broken. The points scored record was then broken in the two subsequent seasons.

Eschewing kicking, Blake emphasised passing and running with the ball. England selectors rejected this rugby philosophy and Blake never represented his country. He did, however play for Gloucestershire, Somerset, the Combined Services, the RAF and the Western Counties. He also played for the Barbarians.

By profession a teacher, Blake was an inspirational teacher of history at Henbury School in Bristol, as well as St Brendan's College, and was Headmaster of St Wilfrid's Catholic Comprehensive in Crawley, Sussex. He was buried in the graveyard of the Friary Church, Crawley.

Blake made his first-class debut for Hampshire against local rivals Sussex in the 1937 County Championship. Blake made just a single appearance for the county in 1937.

In 1938 Blake made his debut for Cambridge University against the Army, where Blake scored his maiden half century, making 70 runs in Cambridges' first innings, before following that up with a score of 45* in the second innings as the match was drawn.

From 1937 to 1939 Blake represented Hampshire in fourteen first-class matches, scoring 328 runs at an average of 13.66, with a high score of 48.

From 1938 to 1939 Blake represented Cambridge University in fifteen first-class matches, where he had considerable more success with the bat. Blake scored 767 runs at an average of 31.95, scoring all seven of his first-class half centuries for the club, including his highest score of 88. In 1939 Blake received his Cambridge Blue.

Blake played his final first-class match for Hampshire in 1939 against Kent and his final first-class match for Cambridge University against Oxford University. Blake's first-class career came to an end with the onset of the Second World War.

Blake fought in the war, becoming a Royal Marine Commando, where he reached the rank of Captain. On 3 June 1944 Blake was killed in a German attack on the island of Brač in German occupied Yugoslavia after leading his men through a minefield.

Born in Mallow, Cork, Blake first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty-three when he first linked up with the Cork senior team as a member of the extended panel for the 1981 championship. Blake later became a regular member of the starting fifteen over the next few years, and won three Munster medals. He won one All-Ireland medal as an unused substitute, as well as being an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions.

At club level Blake won one Munster medal and five championship medals with St. Finbarr's.

Throughout his career Blake made 9 championship appearances for Cork. He retired from inter-county hurling following the conclusion of the 1985 championship.

Blake was elected for Waterford City in 1857 and remained as member for that constituency until 1869; from 1880 to 1884 he was member for County Waterford; and in 1886 he was elected unopposed for County Carlow, in a by-election and held the seat, again unopposed, in the general election later that year.

Described as "one of the most moderate members of the Irish Nationalist party", Blake was chairman of the Fishery Harbours Commission for Ireland. He took an interest in issues of mental health, and wrote pamphlets urging improvements in the treatment of the mentally ill.

Blake received B.A. 1862 and M.A. 1865 from Caius College, Cambridge. He was ordained a deacon in 1862 and a priest in 1863. He was curate of Lenton, Nottinghamshire, from 1862 to 1864 and curate of St Mary's, Bryanston Square, London, from 1864 to 1865.

He was Professor of Natural Science at University College, Nottingham, from 1881 to 1888. In 1895 he went to India to arrange the Baroda Museum.

He married in 1866 and was survived by three sons and a daughter.

After the death of George Wilson McPhail, the position of president was vacated as the college opted to elect a faculty member to oversee the college until Andrew Dousa Hepburn was appointed in 1877. Because Blake was not an ordained minister, he was ineligible to become president according to the college's constitution. It was during his tenure that Woodrow Wilson and Robert Broadnax Glenn enrolled as students.