October 2010 latest
Vera Louise Bird born 1901 daughter of Joseph Newton Bird and Nettie Lee
married Alfred Walker born 1894, their son Henry Newton Walker was a
famous rugby player and played internationally for the Springboks
Alfred is interesting. He and his brother Will were both Springbok rugby also.
Alfred played against the New Zealand All Blacks in a tour of New Zealand
in the famous "House of Pain". The All blacks won.
Newton played on the same ground against the All Blacks and they won again.
The South Africans had never beaten the All Blacks on that ground until last year
when they finally won.
Will Walker was my maternal grandfather. He played for the Springboks
against England. ...Patrick
"Harry Newton Walker, Springbok prop of the Fifties, died in Potchefstroom
on Wednesday morning, a month after his 80th birthday. His father and his uncle
also played for South Africa.
Harry's father, Alf Walker, played for South Africa from 1921 to 1924 - in six Tests altogether,
the only six Tests in those years. Uncle Henry played in three Tests in 1910,
the only three Tests that year. Harry, whose name was really Henry, played in four Tests.
He replaced Chris Koch in the front row against Australia at Kingsmead, when the
Springboks won 18-8. On the Australasian tour of 1956 he played in the second
Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane (won 9-0) and in the first Test against the
All Blacks (lost 10-6 and the fourth Test (lost 11-5). He had to compete for a place
in the front row with the great Chris Koch.
Uncle Henry and father Alf, like Harry, were forwards. The surname really is Walker.
Harry is the only one with Newton in his name and of his sons only David has Newton
in his name. His mother was a Bird whose brother had married Uncle Henry's daughter.
Uncle Henry was nine years older than father Alf.
Harry Newton Walker was born in Durban on 1 July 1928. He was educated at
Kearsney College and played for Natal Schools in 1944 and 1945. While he was at
Kearsney, his dad started a match which still exists - the Old Crocks vs Kearsney.
Father Alf played against son Harry, as son Harry would later play against two of his sons
After that Harry wandered before settling in Potchefstroom. He played his first provincial
rugby for Natal two years after leaving school when he was playing for Berea Rivers.
Then, when he was at Odendaalsrushe played 15 times for Orange Free State and
then he settled in Potchefstroom, playing for Potchefstroom Town, the oldest club
in what used to be the Transvaal, and for Western Transvaal.
Newton Walker, an accountant by profession with the firm Arthur Young, remained loyal to Potchefstroom Town RFC and to Western Transvaal (Leopards) rugby and was
a keen Rotarian and was involved in Potchefstroom Boys' High, whose 1st XV he coached
and on whose Board of Governors he served, and his church, the Anglican church
of St Mary's where his funeral will take place on Monday morning.
Henry Newton Walker died in Potchefstroom on 6 August, survived by his wife Di
and their son David. Their two younger sons died earlier - Michael in 1977
at the age of 21 of muscular dystrophy and Peter in a motor accident in 1982."
The MD Association founded by Mrs Newton Walker...
click to view
