   rev. william webb ellis (24 november 1806 â 24 february 1872) was an anglican (english) clergyman who is famous for allegedly being the inventor of rugby football whilst a pupil at rugby school. webb ellis's name is firmly established in rugby union folklore and the william webb ellis cup is presented to the winners of the rugby world cup. ==biography==  webb ellis was born in salford, lancashire (some sources say he was born in manchester as webb ellis himself said he was born there in the 1851 census as he later moved to the city). he was the younger of two sons of james ellis, an officer in the dragoon guards, and ann webb, whom james married in exeter in 1804. after his father was killed at the battle of albuera in 1811,according to military records, no man by the name of james ellis (or any other ellis) was killed or died of their wounds at the battle of albuera in 1811. having checked the records for all the 3rd & 4th dragoon guards, 13th light dragoons and all the infantry battalions, only the royal artillery records have not been checked. it appears unlikely that james ellis was killed at albuera. mrs ellis decided to move to rugby, warwickshire so that william and his older brother thomas could receive an education at rugby school with no cost as a local foundationer (i.e. a pupil living within a radius of 10 miles of the rugby clock tower). he attended the school from 1816 to 1825 and was recorded as being a good scholar and cricketer, although it was noted that he was "rather inclined to take unfair advantage at cricket". the incident in which webb ellis supposedly caught the ball in his arms during a football match (which was allowed) and ran with it (which was not) is supposed to have happened in the latter half of 1823. after leaving rugby in 1826, he went to brasenose college, oxford, aged 20. he played cricket for his college, and for oxford university against cambridge university in a first-class match in 1827.cricketarchive â william webb ellis. retrieved 10 april 2013. he graduated with a ba in 1829 and received his ma in 1831. he entered the church and became chaplain of st george's chapel, albemarle street, london (closed c.1909),st georgeâ
1806_births 1872_deaths Alumni_of_Brasenose_College,_Oxford English_Anglican_priests English_cricketers English_cricketers_of_1826_to_1863 English_expatriates_in_France History_of_rugby_league History_of_rugby_union IRB_Hall_of_Fame_inductees Oxford_University_cricketers People_educated_at_Rugby_School People_from_Rugby,_Warwickshire People_from_Salford,_Greater_Manchester Rugby_football