Gloucester's History - 1873-1900
IN THE BEGINNING……THERE WAS……
It is fascinating to delve back into the early years of Gloucester Rugby Club and see how humble beginnings of the 19th century led to what we know today, as the Kingsholm Club being widely regarded as one of the premier clubs, not only in England and Great Britain but also in European rugby. In 1900, the followers of the Club had barely a quarter of a century to reflect upon. The following report was published in the Gloucester Citizen on 6 January 1900.
The Gloucester Football Club - A Glimpse into the Past
The Club was started in 1873, a recent year in ordinary reckoning but a very long time ago in the history of football. Mr Francis Hartley, an ex-captain of the Flamingoes, one of the best London teams of that day, was mainly instrumental in starting the game, and he got up a scratch team to play against the College school which 25 years ago was in a flourishing condition.
Curiously enough that match was played on the present Kingsholm ground, though it was then a playing field for the college boys. The match was considered such a success that games were arranged with Hereford and Worcester but Mr Hartley and his colleagues were ignominiously defeated.
The devotees of the game, however, were not daunted by these severe thrashings, and steps were taken to start a club. Messrs Hartley, H.J.Boughton (now President of the County Union) W.A.Boughton, E.T.Garden (the present Clerk of the Peace for the County) and Riddiford were the moving spirits in the movement and after a couple of meetings the Club was successfully launched...
Club History 1900-1925
George Holford captained the club in that last season and resumed his responsibilities again for the 1919-1920 season. The first fixture fulfilled was a 13 points to 3 victory against Lydney at Kingsholm. That opening day win marked six consecutive victories.
The 1920-21 season saw a remarkable achievement when Fred Webb captained the club to 23 matches unbeaten at Kingsholm. The only clubs able to stop the impeccable home record were United Services and Pontypool!
The 12 points to 9 win over Newport was witnessed by an attendance in excess of 8,000 spectators. Following a tumultuous season, with an almost impeccable home record, the following season (1921-1922) brought a great deal of consternation to club officials! A total of 28 players were dismissed from the field of play, 14 for fighting, six for obscene language, one for foul play, and seven for arguing with the referee! Leicester became so concerned that they cancelled the fixtures between the clubs!
This period early in the 20th century was marked by the appearance of Tom Voyce, a player described by Wavell Wakefield the England Captain of that time, as ‘a wonderful inspiration to any side.’ He added, ‘Tom had the personality and mental competitive outlook that makes up a great player; and he was a shining example to others in that he was determined to put something back into the game for all the pleasure he had out of it’.
In fact Tom Voyce served the game of Rugby Union as a player and as an administrator for nigh on 54 years! Born in Gloucester, he attended the Old National School, played for England Schoolboys (Under 15) as a fly half. Later Tom attended the Royal Military Academy and was commissioned in the Gloucester Regiment.
He eventually became a flank forward serving in the Army and went on to win 27 England International Caps between 1920-1926. Tom toured with the British Isles team in South Africa in 1924 appearing in two internationals, a remarkable player who only had the sight of one eye. He had lost the other during action in the First World War. As an administrator Tom served on the Rugby Union Committee from 1931 to the Rugby Union Centenary year of 1971. He became President in 1960 and was awarded the OBE. for his services to sport.
Sadly, this 25 year period in the Club’s history ended in tragedy, when former Stroud and then Gloucester player, Stan Bayliss died one week after dislocating his neck in a tackle in a match against Old Blues RFC at Kingsholm .
Club History 1925-1950
This 25 year period in the Club’s history began as tragically as the previous quarter ended! For Sidney Brown became the second Gloucester Rugby Club player to die as a result of injury.
He ruptured a kidney after tackling an Aberavon player and although he returned to the field of play, he died the next day. As the Club entered into this third quarter in its history, it is interesting to note that the media of that period referred to the club as the ‘Red and Whites’.
Earlier in its initial years it was known as ‘The City’ but it should not be forgotten that rugby union was called ‘football’. The name of ‘Red and Whites’ lasted well into the 1960s.
The ‘Shed’, now famous throughout the vocabulary of rugby union, was mainly open terracing and known as ‘the popular enclosure’.
There was a grandstand covering part of the enclosure that was named ‘St Marks Pavilion’. It had a curved roof that in this period advertised the old Hippodrome cinema that later became the Gaumont and is now just shops! Next to it, where the club’s gymnasium now is, the building was festooned with a Winfields advert, the local florist and seed merchant.
A main grandstand was erected in 1926 opposite the ‘popular enclosure’ at a cost of £2,500. It contained 1,750 seats. Six years later it was destroyed by fire. One year later grandiose plans to increase the capacity of Kingsholm to 20,000 with seating for 7000 was considered a feasible proposition. As we are aware the proposal remained as it was – a proposal. However, the grandstand was replaced. During this 25-year period there was a personal achievement in that Alfred Wadley, who captained the club for three consecutive seasons 1932-33, 1933-34, 1934-35, was ever present in all first XV matches for two consecutive seasons in 1935-36 and 1936-37.
Once again this was a period where play was curtailed early in 1940, due to World War Two. In the 1939-40 season a total of 20 matches were played, only three of these being played away, at Oxford University, Stroud and Bristol.
In fact the Memorial Ground Club commenced the resumption of fixtures for the 1945-46 season with a visit to Kingsholm. Once again the Club recorded victories either side of the war period. They had defeated Somerset Police 22 points to 9 in their final match before the conflict and defeated Bristol 18 points to nil at the restart.
In the 1947-48 season the Kingsholm faithful were able to witness what is almost a lost art in modern day rugby union, the dropped goal! The diminutive Willie Jones scored 17.
The Club was well served by several players who were recognised for their endeavours in the colours of Gloucester RFC by representing England – Harold Boughton, Alfred Carpenter, Percy Hordern, Maurice McCanlis, Graham Parker, Leslie Saxby, Christopher Tanner, were all honoured with wearing the white shirt of England. Sadly Christopher Tanner lost his life serving his country in the Second World War.
Kingsholm was the venue for several of the wartime services internationals. Gordon Hudson, son of the revered Arthur, featured in the England versus Wales on 20 March 1943. Gordon was serving as a corporal in the Royal Air Force, and played in further services internationals against Wales and Scotland.
He was unlucky that he reached a peak in the war period, or he may have emulated his father, Arthur and gained full recognition.
Gordon Hudson once scored four tries for England in a war-time international, which was a record. Thus, emulating his father, Arthur’s proud record of scoring four tries in an England shirt. Arthur had scored his four tries in England’s 35 points to 8 victory at Parc de Princes versus France on 22 March 1906. No family can boast of such a record – father and son scoring four tries playing for England! The Hudson family still serve the club, John; the grandson of Arthur is the Club Shop manager.
This was a period where the game was strictly amateur and as Graham Parker once commented, ‘Rugger is democratic to the core’. Graham won Blues for Cambridge University in both rugby and cricket and represented England at rugby union in 1938. He represented Gloucestershire at cricket after leaving university in 1935. He later became secretary – manager of the County Cricket Club. His comment on the democracy of rugby union at Kingsholm were further explained, ‘It was sharply marked at Gloucester. With few exceptions, the backs came from the public schools, were schoolmasters, doctors or even clerics – Roy James, Don Meadows, Bob Hook, Vernon Sheppard, Maurice McCanlis, John Brooks, Francis Edwards and ‘Kit’ Tanner for instance’.
Graham referred to the forwards as ‘Rough – hewn local sons with a thirsty humour’. Coming from Tredworth, Widden, Archdeacon, Atlas and Gordon League. How I recall such as ‘Bumps’ Carpenter, George Fowke, Fred Merrett, Les Franklin, Fred Wadley, Jack Hemmings, John A’Bear and Roy ‘Digger’ Morris, he stated.
Graham was a true son of Gloucester having attended the Crypt School and played at left back for Gloucester City in the 1929-30 season. In 1931 he was appearing for Gloucester Rugby Club!
A period of 25 years, where it was split into two a pre-war decade and the post war period. The main difference between the two periods was emphasised in the quality of the back play.
Gloucester Rugby Club has always fielded a renowned pack of forwards. In the pre-war period during the 1930s the Club had six internationals and four England trialists. They could not claim a representative in the five-year period following the Second World War.
The dearth of players who could challenge for representative honours led to the Club becoming somewhat forward dominated in the following 25 year period.
Off the field of play the Club could rightly claim that in the fifty-year period from the turn of the century it had produced three of the finest administrators the game had produced – Arthur Hudson, Arnold Alcock and Tom Voyce
Club History 1950-1975
This was a period of innovation both on and off the field at Kingsholm. The 1950s commenced with the Club introducing the first public address system. Prior to its installation the crowd had been entertained by Cinderford town band before matches.
More off the field activity continued with the Worcester Street terraces being constructed in 1951. They were to stay in place for a further 53 years before being replaced by the Buildbase Stand in 2004.
Floodlights were installed at Kingsholm in November 1967 and Gloucester Rugby Club’s opponents when they were switched on were the Bosuns who were defeated by 34 points to eight. In this period the Club had at its disposal a Ladies Committee who resigned ‘en bloc’ in 1962.
On the field of play advanced tactical and skills training was introduced by England full back Don Rutherford who had joined the club. This was aimed at reducing the forward dominated style of play for which the club had become renowned.
Don was a member of Percy Park RFC when he was first capped by England in January 1960. He joined Gloucester in 1964, and was capped as a Gloucester player versus Wales in 1965. Don later became a technical advisor to the England Rugby Union.
The season 1969-1970 saw a record 57 fixtures fulfilled under the captaincy of Dick Smith. 33 of those were played at Kingsholm. The Club experienced their longest run of home matches without defeat in this period of 51 matches from 10 October 1970 to 23 September 1972.
Not all was plain sailing in this period, for a 45 points to nil defeat at Coventry in the 1964-1965 season meant the Club encountered it’s heaviest away defeat.
Off the field the Club incurred a trading loss of £1,000 in consecutive seasons in the 1968-1969 and 1969-1970 seasons. In the 1969-1970 season the Club played a record 57 fixtures.
In 1972 the Club rejoiced in the fact that they had won the first ever National knock-out competition defeating Moseley in the final at Twickenham by 17 points to 6.
It was a match marred by the sending off of Nigel Horton of Moseley. Gloucester had defeated Bath 12 points to 3 (away), Bristol 15 points to 4 at the Memorial Ground, and London Welsh 9 points to 4 at Old Deer Park. They then drew 6 points all at Coventry, but as the team playing away, Gloucester had been deemed the winners according to the rule book and then recorded that historic win at Twickenham, a truly magnificent achievement under the captaincy of Mike Nicholls.
Not one match at Kingsholm! Gloucester was awash with excitement. The opposite emotion in the Midlands according to the Birmingham Post of Monday 2 May 1972.
“The cost to Gloucester, if they notice and if they care, was the respect of the thousands of people who saw this ugly final on television and in the flesh. If Gloucester’s ten-man rugby ever gets them into the final again, they might as well keep it at Kingsholm for the benefit of their own supporters. No one else will want to see them. The intimidation and the filth was one thing – and after the opening salvo it was exaggerated. But the joyless, unrelenting junk that Gloucester served in the name of rugby football was unforgivable!” (Ed – remember Moseley lost!)
Sour grapes and fish and chip paper immediately came to mind, not one person in Gloucester cared one iota. Gloucester had made domestic history and not a single second of play at home, plaudits won the day here in the city.
Centenary Season
1973-74 marked the Club’s centenary season. A celebration of one hundred years! Tributes engulfed the Club.
Those who had met at the Spread Eagle in Gloucester on 15 September 1873 could not have envisaged the outcome one hundred years later. Mr J.P. Riddiford the Hon Secretary, Frank Hartley, and the 45 gentlemen who joined, set a wheel in motion. Our thanks will be everlasting.
>The Club was able to reflect upon the fact that at that stage in its Club history it had produced a total of 26 players who had represented England. During this 25-year period the following players had worn the red rose with undoubted pride.
Alan Brinn, Michael Burton, Peter Butler, Peter Ford, George Hastings, William Hook, Peter Kingston, Donald Rutherford and Kenneth Wilson.
As a servant to the well being of Gloucester Rugby Football Club the name of Peter Ford will compare to many of his predecessors in the playing and administrative roles that they have contributed to the Club’s welfare.
As a player, captain, chairman of Selectors, club chairman and now president Ford has served well. More than 500 appearances for the Club, more than 50 appearances for Gloucestershire, and capped by England at the age of 32 years! Few if any have given more to the cause then Alcock, Hudson, Voyce and Peter Ford.
This period in the Club’s history produced one of the most colourful characters to have represented the Club – Michael Burton. Capped by England in January 1972, he went onto play for his country in a total of 17 Internationals. Michael became the first player to be sent off playing for England in the tour of Australia in 1975.
This period saw the disappearance from the club’s fixture list of Old Merchant Taylors and the University Athletic Union. These were statutory Yuletide fixtures when sport was played on Christmas and Boxing Day – welcome fare for all who made the annual pilgrimage to Kingsholm.
The squad members of the inaugural winners of the National Knock-Out Competition will be remembered in the Club’s history for posterity.
Alan Brinn, Mike Burton, John Bayliss, Mickey Booth, Robin Cowling, Bob Clewes, John Dix, Ron Etheridge, Jerry Herniman, Nigel Jackson, John Haines, Jim Jarrett, Richard Jardine, Roy Morris, Mike Nicholls, Dave Owen, Mike Bayliss, Mike Potter, Mike Burton, Tom Palmer, Richard Smith, Eric Stephens, John Watkins and Roy White.
Club History 1975- Present
This was a period whereby English Rugby Union was revolutionised with the amateur ethos disappearing in its entirety and the advent of professionalism was set to sweep the sport.
However, before moving on to the professional game there was still a 20-year period in which the amateur player and the ethos surrounding Gloucester Rugby Club still played a big part.
The trading loss of the Club increased in 1977 to losses in excess of £6,000. Adidas were the first club sponsors providing free kit for the players and reduced prices for boots! Match sponsors and perimeter board advertising displaying around the playing pitch was accumulating £5,000 per season for the Club.
Off the field leading up to the age of professionalism, the Club appointed Mike Coley as its first paid executive.
The tragedy of the Hillsborough disaster, at the home of Sheffield Wednesday, not only had an effect on Association Football, but had its repercussions throughout various sports.
At Kingsholm more than £200,000 had to be spent on safety measures in the wake of Lord Justice Taylor’s proposals.
Commercialism was now a major aspect of sport and the Club was more than relieved to welcome the brewers Bass as their sponsor for the 1989-90 season. The following season 14 new hospitality boxes and renewed concrete terracing were added to the ‘Tump End’ of Kingsholm.
Mike Burton (Sports Management) Ltd was brought into the Club to take charge of all commercial, sales, hospitality and sponsorship activities.
The moves toward the game moving into full professionalism were beginning to take shape. Rumours abounded for several seasons that some clubs were already in the process of rewarding players by various means. It prompted Peter Ford, the Club chairman, in the wake of players being tempted to other clubs, to re-instate the Club’s belief in the amateur ethos.
“We play by the rules, whatever anyone else does and we will stick by the rules. If they state that we cannot pay players or offer them inducements, cars or flats, then we will not do it.” A few months later, the Club appointed Barrie Corless as the Club’s first full time paid director of rugby, with a salary reputed by the media to be in the region of £40,000 per annum. In August of 1994 Mike Burton’s contract with the Club was terminated due to his growing business concern and the lack of time he was able to devote to affairs at Kingsholm.
Six months later Barrie Corless resigned in February 1995, following reports that his relationship with committee members had reached an acrimonious stage.
Another six months elapsed before the Club appointed Mike Coley as the Club’s first chief executive. This appointment was made in the knowledge of the IRB declaring the game was to become ‘open’ and thus permitted the paying of players.
Their statement read, ‘Rugby will become an open game and there will be no prohibition on payment or the provision of other material benefit to any person involved in the game.’
The advent of professional rugby was thrust upon Kingsholm and the appointment of Richard Hill as director of rugby in September 1995 emphasised the intention. The Rugby Football Union imposed a one-year moratorium of the payment of players.
