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James Davey

1880 – 1951

British rugby union player

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About James Davey

Lived 1880 – 1951 (aged 70). James Davey was a British rugby union player.

James "Maffer" Davey (25 December 1880 – 21 October 1951) was a British rugby union player who competed in the Rugby event at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

He was born on Christmas Day in Redruth, Cornwall, and played for Redruth R.F.C. as a fly-half. He then spent some years working in the gold mines of the Witwatersrand, captaining Transvaal from 1904 to 1906. On his return to Cornwall he played twice on the losing side for England, once in 1908 against Scotland and once in 1909 against Wales.

"Maffer" was capped 35 times for Cornwall and was a member of the county's famous Championship winning side of 1908 when they beat Durham in the final 17–3 at Redruth.

He was a member of the rugby team that won the silver medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics when Cornwall represented Great Britain, losing to Australia in the final. He also took part in the 1908 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia, where he scored 5 tries in 13 appearances playing in one test match against New Zealand.

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Important facts

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped James Davey's

Frequently asked questions

Who was James Davey?

British rugby union player (1880–1951)

When was James Davey born?

James Davey was born on 25 December 1880 in Redruth.

When did James Davey die?

James Davey died on 18 October 1951.

What was James Davey's occupation?

James Davey was a rugby union player.

What nationality was James Davey?

James Davey was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: James Davey

· Wikidata: Q2506103

· DBpedia: James Davey (rugby union)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Davey. https://biography.guide/james-davey-rugby-union-player/

MLA: "James Davey." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-davey-rugby-union-player/.

Chicago: "James Davey." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-davey-rugby-union-player/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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