# Gordon Bonner

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British Lions international rugby union & rugby league footballer

Rugby player

Gordon Bonner Bonner in New Zealand in 1930 Born William Gordon MacGregor Bonner (1907-09-08)8 September 1907 Wakefield, England Died 1 June 1985(1985-06-01) (aged 77) School Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Wakefield Rugby union career Position Fullback Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Bradford International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1930 British and Irish Lions 0 (0) Rugby league career Playing information Position Fullback Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1932–36 Wakefield Trinity 79 65 1937–39 Castleford 2 0 Total 81 0 0 0 65

**Gordon Bonner** (1907-1985) was a [rugby union](/source/Rugby_union) international who was part of the [British and Irish Lions](/source/British_and_Irish_Lions) team that [toured New Zealand and Australia in 1930](/source/1930_British_Lions_tour_to_New_Zealand_and_Australia). He never represented England, and later changed code to play [Rugby league](/source/Rugby_league).

## Early life

William Gordon MacGregor Bonner was born in 1907 in [Wakefield](/source/Wakefield), [West Riding of Yorkshire](/source/West_Riding_of_Yorkshire). He was the son of Arthur Alexander Bonner, a cattle dealer[1] and also magistrate for Wakefield.[2] His father was also a prominent member of the Rugby League establishment, at one time being president of the [Wakefield Trinity](/source/Wakefield_Trinity) rugby league club, and also between 1936 and 1938 was chairman of the [Rugby Football League](/source/Rugby_Football_League) Council.[3]

William went on to be educated at [Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield](/source/Queen_Elizabeth_Grammar_School%2C_Wakefield).[4]

## Rugby career

Bonner went on to play for Bradford and for Yorkshire as fullback. He played in ten of the matches on the [toured New Zealand and Australia in 1930](/source/1930_British_Lions_tour_to_New_Zealand_and_Australia) at [fullback](/source/Fullback_(rugby_union)).[5] but he did not play in any of the tests. He scored two conversions during these games. Despite playing for the British team, he was never selected for [England](/source/England_national_rugby_union_team).

### Rugby league club career

Gordon Bonner made his début for [Wakefield Trinity](/source/Wakefield_Trinity) during September 1932, as a full-back he played 79-matches, scoring 1-try, and 31-goals, for 65-points.[6] He later played for [Castleford](/source/Castleford_Tigers).

## Personal life

William Bonner married Mary ([née](/source/Given_name#name_at_birth) Wood) in August 1934.[6]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Yorkshire Evening Post West Yorkshire, England, 4 March 1952

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer West Yorkshire, England, 29 July 1939

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer West Yorkshire, England, 5 March 1952

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [QEGS Rugby](http://www.wgsf.org.uk/assets/wgsf/cms/library/documents/f3872733001e11dd4375c68585f390b6.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20161021104754/http://www.wgsf.org.uk/assets/wgsf/cms/library/documents/f3872733001e11dd4375c68585f390b6.pdf) 21 October 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). Wakefield Grammar School Foundation official website.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Gordon Bonner](https://web.archive.org/web/20160810124843/http://www.lionsrugby.com/12862.php?player=74942&includeref=dynamic). British and Irish Lions player archive

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1934_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1934_6-1) Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer West Yorkshire, England, 29 August 1934

v t e British Lions – 1930 New Zealand and Australia tour Forwards Doug Prentice (Leicester and England) (captain) Henry Rew (Blackheath and England) Dai Parker (Swansea and Wales) WB Welsh (Hawick and Scotland) Brian Black (Oxford U. and England) Mike Dunne (Lansdowne and Ireland) George Beamish (Leicester and Ireland) Jimmy Farrell (Bective Rangers and Ireland) John Hodgson (Northern) Henry O'Hara O'Neill (Queens and Ireland) Ivor Jones (Llanelli and Wales) Harry Wilkinson (Halifax and England) Sam Martindale (Kendal and England) Douglas Kendrew (Leicester and England) Harold Jones (Manchester and England) Backs Jack Bassett (Penarth and Wales) Gordon Bonner (Bradford) Carl Aarvold (Cambridge U. and England) Jim Reeve (Harlequins and England) Jack Morley (Newport and Wales) Tony Novis (Blackheath and England) Roy Jennings (Redruth) Harry Bowcott (Cambridge U. and Wales) Tommy Jones-Davies (London Welsh and Wales) Paul Murray (Wanderers and Ireland) Roger Spong (Old Millhillians and England) Wilf Sobey (Old Millhillians and England) Tom Knowles (Birkenhead Park) Howard Poole (Cardiff) Coach James Baxter

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