John Luscombe
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| Full name | John Luscombe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 25 May 1848 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Norwood, Surrey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 3 April 1937 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Worth, West Sussex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position(s) | Forward | ||
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| Senior career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1871 |
 England
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1 | () |
Sir John Luscombe (25 May 1848 – 3 April 1937) was a rugby union international who represented England in the first international match in 1871. He was the brother of another rugby international, Francis Luscombe, and was a highly successful insurance broker, becoming chairman of Lloyd's of London and being knighted for his services to underwriting.
John Luscombe was born on 25 May 1848 in Forest Hill, then in Kent (subsequently subsumed into south London), England. The family were at the time living at "The Grove" Church Road, Upper Norwood, London. His father, John Henry Luscombe (1797 to 1883), was a shipowner who had married late in life at the age of fifty to Clara Bristow (1823 to 1910), twenty-six years his junior. John, known as Harry in his family (his second name was Henry), had at least three siblings, a younger brother Francis (1849–1926), a younger brother, Alfred (1851–1942) and a younger sister Clara Elizabeth "Kitty" (1854–1900). He was initially educated at Mrs Pritchard's prep school near his home in Upper Norwood and from the age of seven was sent to Mr. Cousin's school on Anerly Road in Upper Norwood. With his family he had moved by the age of 13 to Hastings and by the age of 16 had embarked on a career on the oceans by joining "The Norwood", a ship under the command of his uncle Frank.
A number of sources suggest that John and his brother Francis were the first brothers to appear together in a rugby international, in the very first international in 1871. However, this is a misconception because Francis Luscombe did not play in that very first international, though his brother did. He played his club rugby for Gipsies Football Club, a club founded in October 1868, by three Old Tonbridgians one of whom was his brother, Francis. These three men were keen on football and wanted to provide a football club in London with which Tonbridge's former pupils could affiliate, much as the Marlborough Nomads served Marlborough College. John had not attended Tonbridge, but played due to his family ties. His aptitude for the game was such that he was selected to play in the first international match, Scotland vs England in 1871. However, his career was severely limited by time spent at sea. As the eldest son in a family that owned considerable shipping interests he had certain expectations to pursue a career in that field. He subsequently became a marine underwriter.
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