An early South African rugby shirt being a Pirates R.F.C., Kimberley, shirt originally worn by the player F.T. ''Larry'' Cooper circa 1904, navy blue
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An early South African rugby shirt being a Pirates R.F.C., Kimberley, shirt originally worn by the player F.T. ''Larry'' Cooper circa 1904, navy blue with red collar, embroidered diamond-shaped cloth Pirates Club badge, manufacturer's label inscribed MADE IN ENGLAND FOR E R GUNNING, KIMBERLEY; sold together with a mounted photograph of the Pirates team in 1904 titled 'Winners of Challenge Cup', featuring Cooper middle-row, far right, 12 by 15in.; plus a studio photograph and miscellaneous ephemera (a qty.) The Pirates Club was founded in 1884 by George Danford (1855-1902) an acclaimed local sportsman and engineer at the Kimberley Waterworks. The club encompassed sections for a wide variety of sports but notably rugby, football, cricket, gymnastics and tennis. The club's name is said to have been chosen as at that time in Kimberley a popular amateur production of ''The Pirates of Penzance'' was being performed.