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Robert Neilson

1878 – 1946

Scottish rugby union player

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About Robert Neilson

Lived 1878 – 1946 (aged 67). Robert Neilson was a British rugby union player.

Robert Neilson (17 November 1874 – 16 July 1945 ) was a Scotland international rugby union player.

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

He also played for West of Scotland FC.

Provincial career

He was capped for Glasgow District in 1898.

Administrative career

He was President of the Scottish Rugby Union for the period 1923 to 1924.

Family

His father was James Neilson, an Ironmaster and second cousin of Walter Montgomerie Neilson and his mother was Jane Thomson, daughter of George Thomson, the famous Glasgow shipbuilder. He attended Merchiston Castle School. An engineer by profession he was a director of the Summerlee Iron Company Ltd. One of the four Neilson brothers played in each of the twenty five matches between Willie and George's debut in 1891, until 1899, when Robert had to withdraw from the Calcutta Cup line-up after breaking his nose. Robert played another match in 1900.

Along with his brothers, Willie and George, he was a president of the Scottish Rugby Union. At the time of his death, he was Scotland's sole representative on the International Board of Rugby.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Merchiston Castle School

People in Robert Neilson's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Robert Neilson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Robert Neilson?

Scottish rugby union player (1878–1946)

When was Robert Neilson born?

Robert Neilson was born on 17 November 1878 in Bothwell.

When did Robert Neilson die?

Robert Neilson died on 16 July 1946 in Prestwick.

What was Robert Neilson's occupation?

Robert Neilson was a rugby union player.

What nationality was Robert Neilson?

Robert Neilson was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Robert Neilson

· Wikidata: Q7347989

· DBpedia: Robert Neilson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Robert Neilson. https://biography.guide/robert-neilson/

MLA: "Robert Neilson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/robert-neilson/.

Chicago: "Robert Neilson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/robert-neilson/.

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

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