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Known as
Dicky Bell he was born on 1st July 1847 the eldest son of Richard
Bell snr and nephew of Samuel Alexander Bell JP of Lurgan and William Bell of
Holywood. The family were Quakers and owned Thomas Bell & Co. of Bellevue,
Lurgan where his father was in charge the foreign business of the company,
mostly in
America
. The company were linen makers, manufacturing mostly handkerchiefs.
Above his
uncle, Samuel Bell (1821-1901), who headed the company business. He was also the
Chairman of the Lurgan Weaving Co. Limited, which was set up in 1881. In its
heyday it had almost five hundred power looms in operation. The latter part of
the nineteenth century marked the peak of the linen industry which benefited
greatly from the reduction of imports of cotton at the time of the American
Civil War.
Above
a bill poster for the company business
His father moved the family to
Belfast
in 1862 and Dicky Bell was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
and the
London
International
College
Above
the Royal
Belfast
Academical Institution
He was one of
the main organisers of the Northern Football Union of Ireland.
Above
Bell
as part of the first Irish side in 1875
He became the
second captain of
Ireland
on his second and last cap against
England
on 13th December 1875 at the Leinster Cricket Ground, Rathmines,
Dublin
.
Ireland
altered their kit from the first match. In this match both
Ireland
and
England
wore White jerseys. Apparently there was no confusion. They had to seek
permission to use the shamrock from
Trinity
College
,
Dublin
to use the shamrock on their caps for the first international and for the first
time,
Ireland
wore the shamrock as their crest on their shirts. Originally there were five
sprigs of Shamrock.
England
went on to win this match by one goal and one match to nil.
The following season internationals became 15-a-side.
He played for NIFC
He umpired the
Ireland
v
Scotland
match played on 1877
On 17th December 1881, at a
general meeting of the IRFU, Dick Bell resigned. No explanation was given but it
is thought that after he lost the ballot to become President the previous year
he’d had enough.
His father
died on 3rd February 1880 at 4 Elmwood Terrace,
Belfast
.
He died of dropsy on 30thJuly
1885 at the old family home 4 Elmwood Terrace,
Belfast
aged 38.
email: patrick.casey@cliftonrfchistory.co.uk
http://sites.google.com/site/caseybooks/
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The
Rugby History Society