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Rugby- Pre 1957

 

Greeting from New Zealand,
Attached is a photo of  what we believe is a Burton Grammar School Rugby Team taken circa 1905 to 1910. What we do know is the lad who is second from the left in the middle row is Horace Johnson who went on to be  a major in the army during both WWI & WWII, and a shopkeeper in Fulham. We also believe the chap to his right was a mate called Tommy Frost. The jersies appear to be soccer shirts rather than Rugby but the ball is rugby shaped albeit distorted. We would be most grateful for your  educated opinion on this photo.
Regards Peter 'n Judy..... Added June 2005

 bigbear@ihug.co.nz

 
Rugby 1900-crop-1500.jpg (190663 bytes) 1st XV 1900?
1st XV 1912-13

1st XV 1935-6
Back Row: D Barker, ?, ?, Cheshire, J Ward, ?
Middle Row: ?, E Sparrow, Silcox, P.C.H. Davies, M Clements, D Aitken, ?
Front Row: ?, ?
P.C.H. Davies was a fine sportsman, captaining the school at cricket, rugby and athletics. He set many school records, some were still held by him when the school ceased. From Ted Warren
1st XV 1936-37
Back Row: Archer, N Dent, T Thorley, Neville, ?, Vaughan, ?, ?
Front Row: K Shilton, N Carfoot, Cheshire, P.C.H. Davies, ?, Stephens, Fletcher

Norman Dent became an English cross country runner.
Oscar Deville became a C.B.E. before being knighted for his services to industry.  He is a very gifted man.
John Dent was knighted for services to aviation & travel.
On a sad note – N Carfoot, Tom Thorley & Peter Berry all died due to war service.
From Ted Warren

 
1939 1st XV
(from Ted Warren)
1940 1st XV
(from Ted Warren)

 
1941 1st XV
(from Ted Warren)
Juniors 1943
 ???  DV Morton  Gates?   B Fretwell    N Tomkins  ??? N Duro  MA Thompson
JG Morris  M Upton  RG Price  JA Clubb  F Bates
 I Bond                               B Tilley
 From John Clubb johnaclubb@hotmail.com
Junior XV 1944/45
Back Row: Hilton, Bates, Finch, ?, Mainprize, Haines.
Middle Row: Allen, Rose C., Fretwell B., Tompkins N. (Capt), Payne D.R., Oakley, Davies.
Front Row: Winston, Brealey.
From Don Payne.
1st XV 1944
 ? Young ???  ???  MA Waite  N Duro  B Fretwell
RG Price  JA Clubb PR Ellis  N Dent JG Morris N Franklin N Sylvester
I Bond                                                F Bates
 From John Clubb
Top left is AE Young.  Sitting on floor right is RG Wigley, not FC Bates.
 
Rugby 2nd 44-5-crop-1500.jpg (230743 bytes) 2nd XV 1944
Bates F., Oakley, Elks, Davis, Twamley, King D.,
Allen, Rose M., Smith P., Tomplins P., Payne D.R., Rose C., Haynes,
Wheway                          Winson.
 

 
First XV 1945
 
                                   BGS 1st XV 1946 - 47
Back: PH Berker, DV Finch, DJ Thompson, N Dance, DJ Davies, ?? Richards**
Middle: FC Bates, CH Rose, JA Clubb, CG Morris (capt), GH Mainprize, KH Winson, D Woodcock.
Front:     D Brearley                            K Meakin 
** BN? or RC? Half our games were cancelled due to three months of snow. John Clubb
 
                               BGS 1st XV 1955/56
A relative sent me a page from Burton Mail 28th Feb 2005 which carried an article on Mick Croft (BGS 1951-57) in their 'Mail Remembers' feature showing, among others, photos of 1st XV 55/56, 2nd XV 56/57 and Mick winning the 100 yards(in those days) in the 1956 School Sports. Also in the latter shot, were Tony Gibbs and 'Chick' Lester. We already have the 2nd XV pic on the website so I'm sending the 55/56 shot with most names. You may want to contact someone in Burton to see about the article and photos if they are not already in the archives.  Names on 1st XV 1955-56 photo:-

Back Row: ?, John Harvey, Mick Croft, Ben (Barry) Rees, ?, Tony Grief, Ken Crocker, John Cox.
Seated: Chris Powell, Bob George, Dave Bowen, John Hunt, Bob Johnson.
Front: Tony Milton, Joey Bridges.

From Les Simpson,April 2005

 
1956 Rugby 1956-7 1st 1500.jpg (279026 bytes) The 1956 1st XV
From Burton Archives D36/4/6. 

 
1956-7 Rugby 2nd XV-1500.jpg (285953 bytes) The 1956 2nd XV
From  Les Simpson
wpeE.jpg (19381 bytes) The 1957 1st XV
From Radford
1957 Rugby 1957-8 1st 1500.jpg (258061 bytes) The 1957 1st XV
Burton Archives D36/4/6

I have attached a photograph that I recently discovered in an old album. I think it is of a Drake House rugby team, but it has only 14 players. The date must be between 1955 and 1957 as it was taken at the old school playing field. I’ve sent a copy to Les and he is not sure that it is of Drake House. Maybe someone will come up with the answer. I have added names of those who I remember; others are familiar but their names escape both myself and Les.    Regards, Bob Fletcher

Reference the above submitted by Bob Fletcher which he thinks is of Drake House I can add two more names as follows:-   Third from the left on the back row is Dennis Litherland and extreme right on the front row is John Birch . R L Knight (second right on the front row) was actually in Wellington House - I don't know how he got on this photo of Drake House rugby players!!! Regards , Dave Pointon (BGS 1956 - 1962)

Hi, Bob and I have conferred with regards to those on the photo, I am not too sure that I remember all of them being in Drake House (Bob's and my House), so I'm wondering if it could be an Inter-House Sevens. A couple of names to add, Back Row second from the right is I think Williams. Front Row far right is Ian Birch. Regards, Les (Simpson).

Referring to Bob Fletcher's photo (June 2007) I can add two of the names and a missing christian name. The person between and just behind T. Docksey and T. Bentley is Dennis Litherland, who I believe sadly died some time ago. The missing christian name is Robin (Savage). The person on the extreme right at the front is Johnny Birch. I was at the school between 1953 and 1958 in the "B" stream and all three were in the same class as myself.  Keith Sandars, Medbourne, Leicestershire