Sporting memorabilia collected by an England international rugby player is set to be auctioned off in Lichfield.
Scrum-half Jan Webster earned 11 caps for his country from 1972 to 1975.
Tributes from across the rugby world poured in following his death in February.
Following his retirement from playing, Jan amassed a collection of items relating to a variety of sports, which are now being sold off by Richard Winterton Auctioneers.
Valuer Ian Allsop said the memorabilia was “a comprehensive collection”.
“Since finishing playing, Webster collected all manner of sporting memorabilia,” Ian explained.
“Obviously there’s a big rugby collection – much of it personal and relating to his career – but the cricket, football and athletics elements are also very impressive.
“He seemed to collect anything and everything to do with sport.”
Webster, who hailed from Walsall, began and ended his rugby career with Walsall Rugby Club – an association which eventually spanned more than half a century and transcended his time as a player.
He was a key part of England’s 16-10 victory over the All Blacks in Auckland in September 1973 – the first away Test win by a home nation against New Zealand – and was also instrumental in England’s first-ever win against South Africa on their home turf.
He was captain and later president of Moseley, represented Staffordshire – winning what was then the County Championship – and was invited to play for the Barbarians numerous times.
A framed newspaper cartoon featuring Webster and marking that first county championship win is included in the auction.
Other items include:
- An athletic vest belonging to Ann Packer, who won gold for Great Britain at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games
- Colin Jackson’s signed GB Athletics track vest
- Birchfield Harriers memorabilia
- An England football signed by Graham Taylor and Paul Gascoigne
- Autographs including a signed Aston Villa team photo
- A big collection of West Bromwich Albion memorabilia
- A range of vintage tennis rackets and hockey sticks
- Signed miniature cricket bats covering county and touring internationals from the 1960s and 1970s
- A signed first edition of Roger Bannister’s First Four Minutes memoir
Ian added: “It’s been extremely interesting to catalogue – there’s an absolute wealth of material that will fascinate sports fans in particular but also so much material which will grip anyone interested in social history on a wider basis.”
The Jan Webster Sporting Memorabilia Collection goes to auction on 14th October. For more details visit www.richardwinterton.co.uk, email office@richardwinterton.co.uk or call 01543 251081.
