St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

JY116

Jersey

CIC

Tom Voyce

1923-1924

Jersey, England, White with RFU rose motif on left breast. No number on back. Worn by Gloucester and England forward Tom Voyce: Wales v England at St Helen's, 19th January 1924.

This jersey was worn by Gloucester and England No8 Tommy Voyce when they beat Wales at St Helens by 17 - 9 on 19th January 1924 in front of a crowd of 35,000. It was the first time England had beaten Wales at Swansea for 29 years and their first win in Wales since 1913. A versatile player, Tommy had played on the wing and at outside-half earlier in his career and made one of his 27 appearances for England on the wing. Known in his home club's town as "The King of Gloucester", he scored 54 tries in his career at Kingsholm. Voyce played in every match of England's 1921, 1923 and 1924 Grand Slam campaigns, an even more notable achievement as he had sustained a serious eye injury during World War One. Tommy Voyce was selected for the 1924 British Isles tour to Argentina and South Africa, playing 12 matches including 2 tests where he scored a try in the second test, one of six he accumulated on the tour. His outstanding play in the open caused Springbok captain Pieter Albertyn to nickname him the "second-best wing in the 'Lions' team. Voyce was a modern wing forward who always moved the ball quickly away from the pack and was known as “the scourge of the Welsh” for his tough playing style. His great nephew, also called Tom Voyce, played 9 times for England 2001-2009. During the 1924 Wales v England match at St Helen's, Tom Voyce played most of the second half with a broken rib and was inspirational in his team overcoming Wales. Swansea’s Joe Rees captained Wales in this his last Welsh appearance. Swansea’s Albert Owen won his only cap at outside-half and Ivor Morris his first of 2 caps in the Welsh pack.

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