Carpenter, Alfred Denzel "Bumps"

A. D. Carpenter ("Bumps"), pictured second from left, back row, helping to build the A48 trunk road to Gloucester.
Old Photos of Cinderford & District: Ivor Evans
Alfred Denzel "Bumps" Carpenter

Alfred Denzel “Bumps” Carpenter was born at Abenhall in the Forest of Dean in 1900, the son of an agricultural labourer. Bumps became a rugby player at aged 15, and a miner at Lightmoor Colliery, with whom he won the Dinky Cup for colliery teams.

Bumps played for Cinderford for several seasons, made his debut for Gloucestershire against Devon at Kingsholm on 28th January 1926, and won five more caps in 1926-27. So, he came to Gloucester as an experienced player, making his debut against Oxford University at Kingsholm on 1 November 1928, and scoring his first try against Cardiff on 16th March 1929. He made 26 appearances for Gloucester that season, and played in three County matches.

During the three seasons, 1929-32, Bumps made 80 appearances for Gloucester. He played right through these seasons for Gloucestershire as they won three successive County Championships, beating Lancashire 13-7 at Blundellsands in the 1930 final, Warwickshire 10-9 at Kingsholm in 1931, and Durham 9-3 at Blaydon in 1932. Against Somerset at Bristol on 14th November 1931, Bumps scored the only try of his long and distinguished County career.

In January 1931, Bumps was on the losing side for the Rest in an England trial. He played for Gloucestershire & Somerset against South Africa in October 1931, and showed up well, although losing 3-14. Playing again for the Rest in a trial in December 1931, they won 19-0, and the England selectors decided Bumps was the man to confront a South African front row which had been dominating all their opponents. On 2nd January 1932 at Twickenham, Bumps became the first international from the Forest of Dean. He started the match at hooker, but finished at prop covering for an injury, and did well in both positions, but South Africa won 7-0.

Wilfred Wooler, the England captain, described Bumps as “a remarkable player, a typical West Country forward, and a true Gloucester Club forward”. By the end of his career it was reckoned that he had been selected for trials and as a reserve more than twenty times. It was said that he used to be asked to attend England trials and coaching sessions in order to show the England hooker how to hook! However, a miner from the Forest could hardly have been further from the London- and Oxbridge- centric England selections of that era, and he never won another cap.

In 1932-33, Bumps made 32 appearances for Gloucester and won three more county caps. Now well into his thirties, his performances continued to impress – “in the scrum, Bumps was an exceptional hooker, and expected to win three or four strikes against the head in every game. To achieve this he would swing on the shoulders of his props and use both his legs to hook the ball back.”

For three more seasons, 1933-36, Bumps was an ever-present with 99 appearances for Gloucester and 13 caps for the County. He revelled in his role as the enforcer of the team, respected by other teams as a formidable opponent, who would exact a painful price for any liberties taken with his teammates. In October 1935, he played for Gloucestershire and Somerset against New Zealand – the tourists won 23-3. At the end of that season it was noted that “his consistent form has been amazing for one of his age, and as a specialist in hooking Carpenter still stands supreme”.

His extraordinarily long career continued for three more seasons, 1936-39, with no diminution in his fitness or enthusiasm, and another 80 Club appearances and 15 County caps. In 1936-37 he played in every match as Gloucestershire won the County Championship by defeating East Midlands 5-0 in the final, having lost to the same opponents in the 1934 final. The media picked out Bumps for particular praise, reporting that he “obtained the ball in the scrummages with such frequency that the likelier looking East outsides were left short of powder and shot,” and “at the end of a grim, exacting struggle, he was as fresh as anybody, and on his stern fighting face there was a smile of satisfaction that his men had won”.

He joined the Barbarians for their annual Welsh tour in 1937, an invitation he treasured. Indeed he said that this was the greatest honour bestowed on him, although this also reflected his becoming heartily sick of seeing players, who were widely judged to be inferior to him, selected for England.

When Gloucestershire lost a play-off against Somerset on 31st December 1938, it was to be his last County cap. He finished with 61 caps earned over 13 seasons, scoring one try and appearing in five County Championship finals, winning four of them.

In the summer of 1939, Bumps became Club captain, but the outbreak of war led to a reduced fixture list. Bumps scored his last try for the Club in victory over the Officer Cadet Training Unit on 15th February 1941, and made his final appearance in beating RAF Innsworth on 19th April 1941, the last match played by the Club for four years. Bumps finished a fine career with 354 appearances, having played for 13 seasons and scored eight tries.

Bumps was a hard man with huge hands, noted for his fitness, stamina and strength, who liked a fight. He was reputed to work a shift down the pit on the morning before walking from the Forest to play at Kingsholm – he was held in awe by players and supporters alike. An appreciation of his career in the Citizen said “his work as hooker and scrummager contributed hugely to the amount of ball which gave scoring opportunities to the backs. He had few equals in terms of consistent effort and fitness – he was able to play flat out for 80 minutes without turning a hair. During one holiday period, he played in five matches on successive days, and loved it. Remarkably he kept his consistent form right up to retirement – his rampant enthusiasm for the game undoubtedly helped, and being a “real tough ‘un”.”

Although of an age which placed him under no obligation to sign up for military service, Bumps was not a man to shirk a fight, joined the RAF in August 1942, and served for two years. One of his sons, Andrew, was killed in action in February 1944. After the war, Bumps returned to the Forest of Dean, and had the pleasure of packing down with two of his sons, Denzel (Cheltenham) and George (Lydney), who both won caps for Gloucestershire. Bumps worked as a miner until a serious accident in 1955 forced him to retire. He died in 1974, aged 73.

Comments about this page

  • I am rather intrigued to try and find out more about ‘Bumps’ connection to my Grandfather cousins apparently! I have got a photo of him in his England jersey. Would you happen to be able to help me trace his roots/family tree? My late Grandfather was William ‘Bill’ Alfred Sanders. Fascinated to have had an International Rugby player in the family

    By Glyn Sanders (12/08/2023)
  • Hi Shaun, and thanks – anything you can add would be great. I’ll e-mail you separately.

    By Dick Williams (31/01/2014)
  • Dick Williams, I might be able to help you with producing something for bumps carpenter, let me me know if you would like help with it. Cheers

    By Shaun carpenter (30/01/2014)
  • This is question about using the word Bumps, is it particular to Gloucester? Our family has a tenuous link with the area, it is thought that my mothers grandfather came from there? I was brought up by my grandfather who always insisted I called him bumps? (Admittedly he was a hard man, and did a bit of boxing. So bumps might have been appropriate and just a coincidence?) Their family name was Greenway, is that a name connected to the area?

    By Simon Holmes (10/09/2013)
  • Bumps is my Gramp and George my Dad- Both wonderful men, stars on and off the pitch. Both missed more than words can say x

    By Sally Meek (17/08/2013)
  • With all these descendants of Bumps who quite rightly are very proud of him – do any of you have any Glos Rugby-related memorabilia of him, photos, newspaper cuttings, etc? We’d very much like to produce something related to his great rugby career to put up in the new Former Players’ Bar at Kingsholm.

    By Dick Williams (17/08/2013)
  • he is my great great uncle , my gramps uncle, and yes im proud to be a carpenter x

    By stephanie carpenter (09/02/2013)
  • Wow, this is my Great Great Great Grandfather, as Shaun said, very proud to be called a Carpenter 🙂

    By Bradley Carpenter (29/09/2011)
  • Bumps Carpenter is my great gramp - I am very proud to have the name Carpenter.

    By shaun carpenter (05/01/2010)

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