{{short description|Scottish rugby referee (c.1911–c.1970)}} {{for|the artist|Gene Colan}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Adam Austin | image = | caption = | birth_name = Adam Wightman Clark Austin | birth_date = c. 1911 | birth_place = Lenzie, Scotland | death_date = c. January 1970 | death_place = Lanarkshire, Scotland | height = | weight = | ru_position = | amatyears1 = - | amatteam1 = Glasgow HSFP | ru_amupdate = | repteam1 = | repyears1 = | repcaps1 = | reppoints1 = | ru_ntupdate = | years1 = | clubs1 = | apps1 = | points1 = | ru_clubupdate = | repsevensyears1 = | repsevensteam1 = | repsevenscomp1 = | ru_sevensupdate = | coachteams1 = | coachyears1 = | other = | occupation = Rugby union referee | family = | spouse = | children = | relatives = | school = | university = | refereeyears1 = 1952 - 54 | refereeyears2 = 1953 - 55 | refereecomps1 = Five Natrions Championship | refereecomps2 = Scottish Inter-District Championship | refereeapps1 = 3 | ru_refereeupdate = }}
'''Adam Austin''' (1911–1970) is a former rugby union international referee who represented the Scottish Rugby Union.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scotland/rugby/player/5531.html|title=A.W.C. Austin|website=ESPN scrum}}</ref> He was involved in many sports: rugby union, golf, curling and bowling, the most notable.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002750/19641113/140/0015 |url-access=registration |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
==Rugby union career==
===Playing career===
====Amateur career====
Austin went to Glasgow High School where he availed himself of many sports.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000566/19270605/124/0018|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
Austin played for Glasgow HSFP.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001526/19471128/020/0002|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
===Referee career===
====Professional career====
He refereed the Glasgow University Sevens tournament in 1947.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19470402/139/0007|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
He refereed the first Scottish Inter-District Championship match in 1953. It was the Edinburgh District v South match on 30 September.
He became a selector on the Glasgow and District committee.<ref name="auto1"/>
====International career====
He refereed the Ireland v England match in the Five Nations on 14 February 1953.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/match/19751.html|title=Ireland v England|website=ESPN scrum}}</ref>
==Curling career==
He was President of Bellshill Curling Club from 1967–68.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bellshillcurlingclub.com/site/history/presidents.html|title=Bellshill Curling Club presidents|website=www.bellshillcurlingclub.com|access-date=28 December 2019|archive-date=28 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228204310/http://www.bellshillcurlingclub.com/site/history/presidents.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Cricket career==
He played cricket for Greenock Cricket Club.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.greenockcricketclub.com/records/1940s/season-1947/averages/1st-xi/summary-of-results.php|title=Greenock Cricket Club|website=www.greenockcricketclub.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.greenockcricketclub.com/records/1940s/season-1947/scorecards/1st-xi/uddingston-24-may.php|title=Greenock Cricket Club|website=www.greenockcricketclub.com}}</ref>
==Golf career==
Noted as a golfer of some note,<ref name="auto1"/> Austin latterly became a golf official.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002750/19680816/130/0012|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
==Outside of sport==
Austin moved to Motherwell in 1955.<ref name="auto1"/>
Austin was employed by the Royal Bank of Scotland: in the Hamilton branch,<ref name="auto2"/> then as an accountant in the Wishaw branch; then as manager of the Motherwell branch.<ref name="auto"/>
He joined the local Motherwell and Bellshill Rotary Club in 1964,<ref name="auto1"/> becoming its secretary in 1968.<ref name="auto"/>
His death was announced to the Rotary Club members on 8 January 1970.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002750/19700116/187/0016|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
==Family==
A plane crash on a German motorway made the headlines in 1968. A British Eagle Viscount airliner crashed onto an autobahn killing 48 people. Amongst the dead were Austin's son and daughter in law, Robin and Linda Austin, who were travelling through southern Germany.<ref name="auto"/>
Another son, Douglas, joined the Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh, as an accountant.<ref name="auto"/>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Austin, Adam}} Category:Scottish rugby union referees Category:Rugby union officials Category:1910s births Category:Glasgow HSFP players Category:Scottish Inter-District Championship referees Category:1970 deaths