John Eric Greenwood

John Eric Greenwood (known as Jenny Greenwood) (23 July 1891 – 3 July 1975) was an England rugby union international, businessman and rugby administrator. He won 13 caps for England between 1912 and 1920 and captained both Cambridge University and England. Outside rugby he spent much of his career with the Nottingham-based pharmaceutical retailer Boots Pure Drug Company, becoming a director in 1920 and later joint vice-chairman of the company. He also served as President of the Rugby Football Union in the mid-1930s and held a number of public appointments in Britain.

Early life and family

Greenwood was born on 23 July 1891 in Lewisham, Kent, the son of Thomas Greenwood, a Baptist minister, and Harriet Greenwood (née Summersell). His father was a prominent figure in the Baptist community of south London and served as pastor of the Norbury Baptist Church.

Greenwood grew up in a large family and had several siblings, including Thomas Greenwood, Herbert S. Greenwood, Harry Dealey Greenwood, Winifred P. Greenwood and Leonard Montague Greenwood. His brother Leonard Montague Greenwood later served as an officer in the Durham Light Infantry during the First World War and died in 1919 following illness contracted during military service. The family lived at White Lodge on Streatham Common in south London.

Greenwood was educated at Dulwich College, where he developed into a leading rugby player before continuing his education at King's College, Cambridge.

Rugby union career

Greenwood learnt his rugby at Dulwich College, before which he had been a keen soccer player. Whilst there he played in an unbeaten first XV in 1909 which contained five future internationals dubbed the 'Famous Five'. These five would all go on to play in the 1913 Varsity match, (and also produced the captains of both Oxford and Cambridge in 1919), and all served in the First World War. They were Eric Loudoun-Shand and Grahame Donald who both went on to play for Scotland, William David Doherty who went on to play for and captain Ireland, Greenwood himself who went on to play for and captain England and the record-breaking Cyril Lowe.

From Dulwich College, Greenwood went to Cambridge University. He was selected to play as a Centre in the 1912 varsity match, and also made his international debut on 8 April 1912 at Parc des Princes in the France vs England match. On his team were two of his former school teammates, CN Lowe and George Doherty, on the opposing side were Eric Loudoun-Shand and Graham Donald also from Dulwich. His international career was then interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War.

He did return to international rugby, and also made a return for Cambridge University in 1919. He captained the side and his opposing captain was his former school teammate Loudoun-Shand. It was due to a chance encounter with Eric Loudoun-Shand that Greenwood was allowed to captain the Cambridge side that year. It was within the prerogative of the Oxford captain to deny Cambridge the chance to field Greenwood, who had left the University just prior to the war. However, the long association proved to be to Greenwood's good fortune. Eric Loudoun-Shand played that match with a severely injured arm, an injury from the Great War. So bad was this injury that he later had to have the arm amputated.

Of the 13 matches Greenwood played for his national side he was on the winning side on 11 occasions.

Military service

During the First World War Greenwood served in the British Army. He served in the East Surrey Regiment and later held the rank of captain in the Grenadier Guards. In 1939 he was the financial director and expense controller of Boots.

In October 1951 Greenwood was appointed joint vice-chairman of Boots, remaining on the board until his retirement in 1953.

He also served as a Justice of the Peace for Nottingham from 1947 to 1953. The couple lived for many years in Nottingham, including at Lenton Mount in the Lenton district.

Greenwood later retired to Wareham, Dorset where his wife Doris, died in 1973. Greenwood died on 3 July 1975 at Wareham, Dorset, aged 84.