Bill Bisset
Full names: William Molteno
Date of birth: 11 Sep 1867
Place of birth: Kenilworth
School: Diocesan College (Bishops)
Springbok no: 8
Debut test province: Western Province
Date of death: 23 Feb 1958 (Age 90)

Test summary: Tests: 2 Tries: 0
First Test: 30 Jul 1891 Age:23 Forward against Britain at Crusaders (St George's Park), Port Elizabeth
Last Test: 5 Sep 1891 Age:23 Forward against Britain at Newlands, Cape Town
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
30 Jul 189123ForwardBritainLose: 0-4 Crusaders (St George's Park), Port ElizabethWP
05 Sep 189123ForwardBritainLose: 0-4 Newlands, Cape TownWP

Bill Bisset : Doc Craven

He died peacefully at his son, Eldred's home. He was the last surviving of the six Bisset brothers, James, Edgar, Bazett, Murray (later Sir Murray) and Arthur. An attorney by profession and head of the firm of Bisset, Boehmke & McBlain, he had retired some years previously. When he joined the firm in 1888, it was Tredgold and Hull. It then became Tredgold, McIntyre and Bisset, later Bisset and Hofmeyr, and later still Bisset, Hofmeyr and Boehmke. He was President of the Cape Law Society in the middle 1920s and was President of the South African Association.

Bill Bisset was a prominent sportsman. In 1889 he represented Western Province at the first Rugby Currie Cup Tournament. In 1891 he played for South Africa against the first British rugby side to tour this country and was in his own words, "the first loose forward to play for South Africa".

Ivor Difford's "History of South African Rugby" says of him: "No less a judge than Barry Heatlie states that Bisset was one of the best forwards he ever played with."

For many years a stalwart of the Villagers Rugby Football Club he was also a good oarsman and billiard player and was in fact still making breaks of 30 and 40 in his 90th year. He married Henrietta Catherine Tait, second daughter of the late Murdoch Tait, M.L.A. for Rondebosch and father of the late Murdoch and Robert Tait.

Bill Bisset had six children, two sons Eldred and Murray, and four daughters; Mrs Jervis Molteno, of Perth Scotland; Mrs Vyvyan Watson, of Cape Town; Mrs Brian Monsergh and Mr; Betty Hudson, of Suffolk, England, al of whom survived him. His wife died in 1933, after which he lived at and became a familiar figure at Kelvin Grove, where he was held in affectionate regard.