{{Short description|England international rugby union player & British Army officer}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Sir Laurence Merriam | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MC|size=100%}} | image = | caption = | full_name = {{nowrap|Laurence Pierce Brooke Merriam}} | birth_date = {{birth date|1894|01|28|df=y}} | birth_place = Islington, London, England | death_date = {{death date and age|1966|07|27|1894|01|28|df=y}} | death_place = London, England | height = | weight = | occupation = Plastics manufacturer | school = St Paul's School, London | university = University College, Oxford | relatives = | position = Forward | repyears1 = 1920 | repteam1 = {{nrut|England}} | repcaps1 = 2 | reppoints1 = 0 }} '''Sir Laurence Pierce Brooke Merriam''' (28 January 1894 – 27 July 1966) was a British Army officer, plastics manufacturer and international rugby union player of the 1920s.
Born in Islington, Merriam was educated at St Paul's School, London, and University College, Oxford, where he gained blues for rugby in the 1913 Varsity Match. He was also a varsity swimmer and water polo player.<ref>{{cite news |title=Another Oxford Rugby Blue |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/784838669 |work=Birmingham Evening Mail |date=31 July 1915}}</ref>
Merriam enlisted at the outbreak of World War I in 1914 and was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade. In 1916, Merriam was awarded the Military Cross for his actions during the Battle of Flers. He became an Acting Major while attached to the 7th Battalion, Tank Corps, and was wounded twice over the course of the war.<ref>{{cite web |title=Life story: Laurence Pierce Brooke Merriam |url=https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3013307 |website=Lives of the First World War}}</ref>
Returning to rugby after the war, Merriam gained two England caps in the 1920 Five Nations, as a second row forward against Wales at Swansea and France at Twickenham, then in 1922 ascended to the captaincy of his club Blackheath.<ref>{{cite news |title=Death of former England rugby player |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/785010491 |work=The Birmingham Post |date=28 July 1966}}</ref>
Merriam, who was knighted in 1949, was involved in the family business of plastics manufacturing, serving as Chairman of British Xylonite and BX Plastics. He also chaired the Furniture Development Council and was deputy lieutenant for Essex County Council. His wife, Marjory, was the daughter of Scottish peer Archibald Kennedy, 3rd Marquess of Ailsa.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Laurence Merriam |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/821998925 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=28 July 1966}}</ref>
==See also== *List of England national rugby union players
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{ESPNscrum|2603}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merriam, Laurence}} Category:1894 births Category:1966 deaths Category:English rugby union players Category:England international rugby union players Category:Rugby union players from London Category:Rugby union forwards Category:Oxford University RFC players Category:Blackheath F.C. players Category:Rifle Brigade officers Category:Royal Tank Regiment officers Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:People educated at St Paul's School, London Category:Alumni of University College, Oxford Category:Recipients of the Military Cross Category:Knights Bachelor Category:Members of Essex County Council Category:20th-century English sportsmen