Mary Jackson
Full names: Dirk Cloete van Alphen
Date of birth: 21 Apr 1885
Place of birth: Constantia
School: Diocesan College (Bishops)
Springbok no: 97
Debut test province: Western Province
Physical: 1.75m, 73.9kg
Date of death: 9 Dec 1976 (Age 91)

Test summary: Tests: 3 Tries: 0
First Test: 24 Nov 1906 Age:21 Halfback against Ireland at Ravenhill Grounds, Belfast
Last Test: 8 Dec 1906 Age:21 Halfback against England at Crystal Palace, London
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
24 Nov 190621HalfbackIrelandWin: 15-12 Ravenhill Grounds, BelfastWP
01 Dec 190621HalfbackWalesWin: 11-0 St. Helens, SwanseaWP
08 Dec 190621HalfbackEnglandDraw: 3-3 Crystal Palace, LondonWP

Mary Jackson : Doc Craven

I looked up "Mary" Jackson in Pretoria many years after his playing career had ended. He was then a practising attorney.

Now, if Billy Millar says that "Mary" Jackson outclassed those two famous halfbacks, Percy Bush and Dicky Owen then that is praise indeed.

Note: I had the opportunity of a long chat with a Mr Tertius Spies of Pretoria who was, as a young man, articled to "Mary" Jackson. He recalled the following: "I once asked Mr Jackson how the name Mary had come to be given to him. He replied that his mother had been of Scottish descent and on the Scottish national day and other high-days she would insist that I wore a kilt."

"This led to much amusement among my schoolmates and other friends. They insisted that if my mother made me wear a 'girl's dress' I should be nicknamed Mary. It has stuck to this day."