THIS IS YOUR LIFE - MR DAVID PERKINS
The Old Elizabethans RFC celebrated Mr Perkins (JDP) having completed 25 years as President of the Club at a dinner given in his honour at The County Ground on 4th May 2012, attended by about100 people.
Top left: JDP in famous flight
After being educated at Bristol Grammar School, JDP went on to read German at Queens’ College, Cambridge and whilst there played rugby for Cambridge, notably against Oxford, before going on to St Peter’s College, Oxford.
Here he again played for the university 1st XV and, in particular, played the reverse game against Cambridge.
Having enjoyed rugby as a boy at BGS and subsequently at Cambridge & Oxford, many of JDP’s years thereafter were spent playing for Old Bristolians RFC where he enjoyed success at Scrum Half.
Making the Bristol 1st XV must have been a highlight of his rugby career. His first team debut came on 31st December 1966, as a late replacement for Bill Redwood at Llanelli. If the records are correct, he went on to make a total of 41 appearances and the statistics show - Won: 24, Drawn: 4 and Lost 13. There is a famous photo of JDP making a diving pass at the Memorial Ground - taken in 1969 against Northampton. Bristol won 33-11 (he was made to replicate this at the dinner as the photo top left bears witness!).
There are many stories about his playing career for Bristol, but perhaps the best was on February 12th 1970 when he played in a game against Gareth Edwards. Bristol won 13-6 against Cardiff.
Latterly JDP has been involved as a Selector for Bristol Schools U18s and Glos U18s County Rugby. Then there is the Bristol Referees’ Society and in April 1983 he became approved as an RFU Senior Coach along with Honorary Life Member of England Rugby Football Schools Union.
Of course one of the other things that JDP is very well known for is his running. He joined the Westbury Harriers Running Club in April 1992 and in 2010 he became their President. Many times JDP has been seen running locally in Bristol Half Marathons and more recently has helped to marshall the course. What is probably less well known is that he has entered and completed a total of 14 London Marathons. His first London Marathon was in 1992 when he completed the course in 3hrs, 32 mins and 5 secs, a significant achievement.
Career at QEH
JDP joined the QEH as a Master in 1968 - 44 years of involvement with the school and still going strong. For eight years he was a boarding master and living in school as well as being the Head of German and House Master of Ramsey’s House. Dr Richard Gliddon, commented on what an outstanding coach he was at QEH during his 15 years as Headmaster. He was 1st XV Coach between 1976 and 1990 and in this time QEH won 200, Drew 5 and lost 65 - a win ratio of 75%. It is some 15 years since JDP retired from teaching but he still appears almost daily at Failand to coach the boys and has been hugely influential in many people's lives.
Public recognition came his way on 6th December 2007 when he was awarded the South Gloucestershire, and Airbus Community Sports Award, presented to him by BBC Radio’s Head of Sport Geoff Twentyman in recognition of 30+ years as a talented sportsman, sports teacher and sports volunteer in South Gloucestershire, acknowledging him as someone who has shown a lifetime of commitment and accomplishment in sport.
To read The Post article, Tuesday May 8 click here
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