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Uncle Dobbin

1879 – 1950

South African rugby union footballer

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About Uncle Dobbin

Lived 1879 – 1950 (aged 70). Uncle Dobbin was a South African rugby union player.

Frederick James Dobbin (10 October 1879 – 5 February 1950) universally known as Uncle Dobbin was a South African rugby union player who represented South Africa on nine occasions. Dobbin played in two overseas tours and was the vice-captain to Paul Millar's 1912 team. He attended Kimberley Boys' High School in Kimberley, Northern Cape South Africa.

Rugby career Dobbin was first selected for the national rugby team in 1903, in the First Test of the 1903 British Isles tour of South Africa. South Africa had a poor international record to date, having played seven matches, all against the British Isles, and had won only one game. The 1903 tourists had a difficult campaign before meeting the South African national team, having lost seven of the 16 games against the invitational county and regional teams. Dobbin was brought into the South African team for the First Test, partnered at half-back with seasoned international Jackie Powell. The game was very tight, with both teams scoring two converted tries to leave the final score 10-10. Dobbin celebrated his first cap by scoring one of the two South African tries, converted by Fairy Heatlie.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Kimberley Boys High School
Also known as
Frederick James Dobbin

People in Uncle Dobbin's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Uncle Dobbin's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Uncle Dobbin?

South African rugby union footballer (1879–1950)

When was Uncle Dobbin born?

Uncle Dobbin was born on 10 October 1879 in Bethulie.

When did Uncle Dobbin die?

Uncle Dobbin died on 5 February 1950 in Kimberley.

What was Uncle Dobbin's occupation?

Uncle Dobbin was a rugby union player.

What nationality was Uncle Dobbin?

Uncle Dobbin was South African.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Uncle Dobbin

· Wikidata: Q7882723

· DBpedia: Uncle Dobbin

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Uncle Dobbin. https://biography.guide/uncle-dobbin/

MLA: "Uncle Dobbin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/uncle-dobbin/.

Chicago: "Uncle Dobbin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/uncle-dobbin/.

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

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