Charles Lewis (rugby union)

Charles Prytherch Lewis (20 August 1853 – 27 May 1923) was a Welsh international rugby union player, who won five caps between 1882 and 1884.

Lewis was born in Llangadog, Carmarthenshire.^[1] He was educated at Llandovery College and Jesus College, Oxford, where he obtained an M.A. degree. Whilst he did not win a "Blue" for rugby, he was a triple "Blue" – he played cricket against Cambridge, won the hurdles race and threw the hammer.^[2][3] In all, he played five matches for Oxford University Cricket Club in 1876, scoring 76 runs and taking 17 wickets, his best bowling figures being 7 wickets for 35 runs.^[4]

He was a fullback and represented the Wales national rugby union team on five occasions (four times during the Home Nations Championship and one friendly). His debut for Wales was in a friendly on 28 January 1882 against Ireland, when he converted two tries.^[1] This was only the second match that Wales had played.^[5] In the following season, he played against England and Scotland, scoring a further conversion against Scotland. In the next year, he again played against England and Scotland, and converted a try against England.^[1] He was captain of Wales in his first three matches.^[2]

Lewis was the representative of Llandovery at the inaugural meeting of the Welsh Rugby Union in Neath on 12 March 1881. He was at that time a schoolmaster in Llandovery. Llandovery RFC is recognised as one of the founder-members of the WRU^[6] on account of his representation of the town at the meeting. He became the first president of Llandovery RFC in 1885. He worked as a solicitor in Llandovery.^[5] He was a member of the MCC and was once picked to play for England against Australia but failed to make the journey. He was a member of the town council in Llandovery (1889–1920), becoming an alderman in 1899 and twice serving as mayor (1894–95, 1904–05). He was appointed as a magistrate for Carmarthenshire in 1898. He died on 27 May 1923.^[3]