| Birth name | John Imrie Gillespie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 January 1879 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Edinburgh, Scotland[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 5 December 1943 (aged 64) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | chartered accountant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Imrie Gillespie (16 January 1879 – 5 December 1943[2]), known as Jimmy Gillespie, was a Scottish international rugby union player, who played for Scotland and the Lions.[3][4]
At club level he played for Edinburgh Academicals.[3][4][5]
He was capped by Edinburgh District in 1898.[5]
Gillespie was selected for the 1903 British Lions tour to South Africa[3][4] and finished the tour as the top Test scorer for the touring team. He played in 19 matches during the tour including all three test games against South Africa. He scored 13 conversions and a single try on the tour,[6] and amassed four points in the first Test, the British failing to score in the second and third tests.
He later became a successful referee, including two Wales vs England internationals, one in 1907, and the other in 1911.[4]
Gillespie was a chartered accountant.