Background
Fernand Bonsor was born in 1862 in France, the son of Robert and Louise Bonsor. His father was a dye manufacturer.
rugby league player rugby union player
Fernand Bonsor was born in 1862 in France, the son of Robert and Louise Bonsor. His father was a dye manufacturer.
At club level he played for Bradford Football Club. The family moved to Shipley sometime after 1871 and Fernand soon became known as Fred. In his latter teens he studied for the Civil Service examination although his profession by his late twenties seemed to follow his father into industry, being a wholesale bottler and agent. Bonsor made his international début on Saturday 2 January 1886 at the Rectory Field, Blackheath in the England versus Wales match.
Of the six matches he played for his national side he was on the winning side on 3 occasions.
He played his final match for England on Saturday 16 February 1889 at Rectory Field, Blackheath in the England versus New Zealand Natives match. When Bradford converted from the rugby union code to the rugby league code on Thursday 29 August 1895, Fred Bonsor would have been approximately 33 years of age.
Consequently, he may have been both a rugby union and rugby league football player for Bradford.
