From The Vaults

17 July 2017

The Plight of the Northern Amateur

This work is based on cuttings in a scrapbook given to me in my capacity as archivist of Ashbrooke Sports Club in Sunderland, home of Sunderland RFC (founded 1873).

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17 July 2017

The Plight of the Northern Amateur

This work is based on cuttings in a scrapbook given to me in my capacity as archivist of Ashbrooke Sports Club in Sunderland, home of Sunderland RFC (founded 1873).

10 July 2017

Goals From A Mark, 1871 - 1914

On January 2nd 1886 towards the end of the first half of their match against Wales when they were leading by two tries to nil, the English forward CH (Charles) Elliot caught a miscued kick for touch by the Welsh full back DH (Harry) Bowen on the full and claimed a mark.

03 July 2017

Remembering Drewy Stoddart - ‘the most famous sportsman in Queen Victoria’s empire’

The man dubbed 'the most famous sportsman in Queen Victoria's empire' was born in County Durham in 1860. His sporting proficiency was quickly recognised and he became only the second man in history to captain England at both cricket and rugby.

26 June 2017

Remembering George Nepia

The New Zealand full-back was nineteen years old, and he was the only man in the side who played every match of the tour [NZ to UK, 1925].

17 June 2017

Lest We Forget – George Eric Burroughs Dobbs (England) 17/06/1917

George Eric Burroughs Dobbs was born in Co Kilkenny, near Castlecomer where his father Joseph owned a coal mine. Joseph had married Mary Augusta Harte in Dublin in 1878 and they had seven children, George being the 2nd of four boys.

11 June 2017

Lest We Forget – John Edward Raphael (England) 11/06/1917

John Edward Raphael was born in Belgium and died in Belgium, though this did not prevent him becoming one of England's most accomplished sportsmen of his day, exemplified by the fact that at Oxford he won 14 Blues across four sports.

07 June 2017

All Blacks at Messines Ridge, 1917

In the attack leading to the capture of the Messines ridge in West Flanders, Belgium, by the Allies between June 7th and 14th 1917, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force were to the fore.

29 May 2017

How the 1950 British and Irish Lions prepared for their trip to New Zealand

A Lions tour involves vast amounts of preparation and a numerous tactical discussions. Ahead of this year's tour in New Zealand, let's take a look at how things were done nearly seventy years ago.

22 May 2017

A Rugby Pioneer: Lloyd McDermott

This week we celebrate the 55th anniversary of Lloyd McDermott's international debut for the Wallabies, where he became one of the earliest Indigenous Australian to represent his country at international rugby

15 May 2017

Lest We Forget - Lt. John George Will (Scotland), 25 March 1917

On 25th March 2017 The Old Merchant Taylor Society and Old Merchant Taylor Football Club gathered in the Memorial Garden at the School to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of John G.

08 May 2017

The Life and Times of Herbert Fallas

Herbert Fallas was born in Wakefield in November 1861. James Henry was his elder brother, whom he would later play alongside at Belle Vue. On the 1881 census, Herbert was described as an accountant clerk and three years later he was referred to as an accountant in newspaper reports.

30 April 2017

Remembering the first British and Irish Lions Tour

In 1888 a British touring team was sent to the antipodean colonies to play rugby; an event that subsequently became a key moment in rugby history, setting a precedent for years to come and beginning one of the great traditions of the sport.

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