THE OLD CREIGHTONIANS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB 1948 – 1988

by Rodney Mason

INTRODUCTION

In April 1948 the first general meeting of the Kilburn Grammar School Old Boys’ Association, Rugby Football Section was held.  Two months later, in June, Alan Lyford, the Hon. General Secretary sent a letter to all those former pupils of the school who he thought might be interested in founding an old boys’ rugby club.  From that initial enquiry grew an organisation that flourished as a regular playing club for twenty five years, and as an occasional veterans team for a further fifteen.

Starting as a wandering, one side club, at its peak it was able to boast its own ground, 4/5 Saturday XV’s plus an occasional Sunday XV and run one of the most popular seven a-side events on the junior circuit.  The club built a reputation for being competitive on the pitch and friendly off it.  All this was achieved by the dedication and hard work of its members.

Unfortunately with the arrival of the comprehensive education system Kilburn Grammar School became Kilburn Senior High School and after a few seasons ceased to play rugby.  Starved of this supply of new players the club went open in 1971 in an attempt to attract more members.  This policy met with partial success but having several already established open clubs as close neighbours, it could not be sustained.  Consequently in 1974 after 26 seasons and 703 first team matches, the club voted to amalgamate with Borderers R.F.C. of Uxbridge.

The amalgamated club played for a few seasons under the name of Creighton-Borderers before deciding, in 1977, that it should become associated with the area in which it played.  Thus Uxbridge Rugby Club was formed.

A hard core of die hard Old Creightonians kept its rugby name afloat by arranging a series of veterans matches against former opponents.  In 1988 it was accepted that Father Time had also become an opponent as the O.C.’s were ageing faster than their opposition. It was decided to cease playing at the end of 1987/88 season, the fortieth anniversary of the foundation of the club.

The next few pages are intended provide a potted history of the club.  No guarantee of accuracy is given and no doubt there are factual errors within the text.  Perhaps in the fullness of time someone may consider it appropriate and worthwhile to carry out a more comprehensive study.

THE HISTORY

At the outbreak of the second world war Kilburn Grammar School was evacuated from its north west London base to Northampton and was accommodated there at the Town and County School.  Although the schools in that location played football it was, unfortunately for the Londoners, the oval rather than the round ball variety.  As a consequence, in order to get competition, K.G.S. switched from association to rugby union football.  The school’s first opponents were fellow evacuees and soccer converts Willesden County School.  The match took place on 9th December 1939 and ended honours even at six points a piece.  On its return to London in 1943  whilst their first opponents reverted to soccer, Kilburn Grammar School persevered with rugby.  This had a knock on effect on the school’s footballing old boys, the Old Creightonians Association Football Club.

The soccer club had a fine pedigree and had, between the wars, twice won the London Old Boys Association Football Cup competition.  The combination of former players returning after the war some six year older than when they had left for it, coupled with the cessation of soccer at the school sounded the death knoll of the soccer club.  Attempts were made to revive the soccer club but to no avail.

It is noteworthy that one of the masters who was a driving force of rugby at K.G.S. and was indeed to become the rugby club’s first president, was a keen and regular member of the old boys soccer side.

Into the vacuum stepped a band of “new” rugby playing Old Creightonians.  In March 1948 the annual old boys versus the school game took place.  For the first, and last, time both institutions fielded two teams, the school being victorious in both games.  Following this event a small committee was gathered together, Alan Lyford being the secretary/chairman, and the rugby club was officially founded on 30th April 1948.

In the following October the club took the field for the first time. Although the fixture list for that season intimated that the first game would be against Selfridges, this did not take place, and it was in fact Standard Telephone and Cables “A” XV, who provided the opposition on the following Saturday, 9th October 1948.  The game resulted in a 20 pts. to 3 win for the O.C.’s.

The victorious fifteen who represented the club that day were:
J.Holland(Capt.), B.Kemp, A.Bilham, M.Jennings, D.Buckingham, P.Griffiths, J.Allen, H.Jackman, J.Flude, J.Stoppa, J.Peacock, B.Reynolds, P.Rutland, K.Chamberlain, and G.de Grey.

John Holland skippered the side through the season and could be satisfied that despite being a new team playing all its matches “away” against experienced opposition the club won more games than it lost.

The club colours were originally to be six inch red and white hoops, similar to those worn by the school.  In post war Britain however, a wide range of rugby shirts was not available.  The first club shirts were purchased with the aid of clothing coupons.  Cost of each shirt was 18/6, plus 4 coupons supplied by parents and the Middlesex County R.F.U.  The nearest that could be obtained to the intended colours were maroon and white hooped shirts.

These colours together with blue shorts were worn by the club throughout its existence.  The club did make one concession to modernity in the early seventies, when in addition to dropping the word “Old” from its name, the maroon and white hooped socks were replaced with plain maroon ones.

The following season 1949/50, showed an improvement on the playing side.  Two captains were required as John Stoppa’s work commitments took him away from London.  Vice-captain Peter Griffiths took over and continued the success.  Dennis Buckingham scored over 100 points in that season (only 3 points for a try in those days!) and was, apparently, one of only three men in the south of England to do so.

It was in fact Dennis who, after the sparsely attended 1950 AGM was unable to appoint successors to the resigning secretary M.Jennings and fixture secretary A. Bilham, kept the administrative functions and training going until appointments could be made.

The club’s third season (1950/51) was marked with three notable events.  The first was the election of a President to the club, E.W. “Bunny” Rhodes, the rugby fanatical, flute playing, Kilburn Grammar School, French and German master.  Twenty years later, well into his seventies, he was still travelling by public transport, to far flung places to support the club.

The second event was the nascence of a regular 2nd XV.  Although beset with availability and injury problems, and having games cancelled through fog, frost and flood this fledgling team, under the captaincy of Chris Macey, survived.

The third event was the first ever dropped goal for the club.  It was executed by Maurice Applegate, against Old Masonians.  The following week the habit spread with all and sundry seeking to emulate him with only Mickey Bayliss succeeding.  Although Maurice was to score many drop goals in his career his best remembered came some ten years on tour against Worcester R.F.C. contributing to a never to be forgotten victory.  Of the Worcester goal some have said, rather unkindly, that he did it not so much as a tactical ploy but more in fear, to escape the imminent hostile attentions of the Worcester back row.  What ever the reason that drop goal is forever enshrined in the folklore of the club.

The club also took a great pride in entering various seven-a-side contests over the years and for their first venture, in 1949, a trial match was held.  It is rumoured that Brian Oswin actually broadcast commentary on this event, live on the British Forces Network, for whom he worked.  The O.C.’s continued, throughout its existence to enter many tournaments, including, the Chiltern, the Old Haberdashers, Old Gaytonians, Hendon and most importantly the Middlesex Sevens.

With the expansion of the club a home ground was considered essential and in 1953 Chris Macey and Des Mitchell commenced negotiations with the Acton Bolt Company to rent pitches at their sports ground, the Bees club in Ruislip.

The O.C.’s also commenced Easter tours, by entering the 1953 Lowestoft and Yarmouth Rugby Festival.  The club joined sixteen others staying in the Gorleston on Sea Holiday Camp.  The result was that some 300 rugby players and supporters were encamped there.  Whilst this may have presented some logistical problems at least the local constabulary knew from where to retrieve all road signs etc. that rugby players have been known to “liberate” on such occasions.  Other tours, to Bournemouth, Gloucester, Leicester, Malvern, Bath, Stratford upon Avon, Carlisle, Canterbury, Cardiff, Peterborough and Weymouth followed.  After a discreet time period, enough to let the locals’ memories fade, several of these places were re-visited.  The club’s final tour took place in 1988 to Winchester.

In the early years members had to be selected for tour, but by the late sixties, the club took whosoever was able to go.  This led to very weak teams on occasions.  Unfortunately the fixture secretaries did not always acknowledge this weakening and consequently there were on occasions some severe mismatches.

In 1953/54 the club was firmly established at the Bees Club, running three regular fifteens.  Expansion continued and as the club began to field four fifteens it became necessary to find additional playing facilities.  After a brief sojourn at the London Transport ground at Northolt, the club became tenants of Twickenham Rugby Club. The club’s playing record improved through these years with Tim Allen, two seasons and Dennis Buckingham, one season, both captaining the side with success.

In 1956/57, under the captaincy of John Nye, the club enjoyed the best season it was ever to have.  Only one game was lost, the first match of the season.  This was by 20pts. to 3 against Chingford R.F.C.  Prophetically the fixture card for that season had been printed with a gold star on the front cover.  This is the only season that such a star appears.  The printer obviously had a premonition!

The complete playing record was:
Played 28, Won 23, Drawn 4, Lost 1, Points for 347, Points Against 114.

Up until 1962/63 some fourteen years after its formation, the first fifteen, each season, won more games than it lost.  This feat was to be repeated only once more, in season 1964/65, under the captaincy of John French.

In 1957/58 Terry Ellis took over the club captaincy.  Two new offices were created that season, Bert Jenkins became the first, and last, elected captain of an Extra “B” XV and Mr J. Applegate, Maurice’s father was appointed as “Supporters Secretary”.  History does not recall the strength of the support at that time nor indeed does it reveal the secretarial duties required of Applegate Senior.  Both posts were not refilled at the next AGM when Len Hardy took over the first XV.

Modes of travelling changed over the years.  As members got wealthier there was a swing away from public transport and specially chartered “char-a-bangs” to cars.  Members who provided transport included, Len Hardy-taxi cab, Roger Fudge-Sunbeam, Alan Bull-luxuriously appointed mini-van, Mickey Hayman-Armstrong Sidley (he usually parked it by the simple expedient of driving it until he hit something solid) and perhaps most bizarre of all, Peter Hart-fish van.

The decision to buy its own ground was taken by the club in the late fifties.  Several alternatives were considered.  Land at such far flung places as Barnet, Boreham Wood, Mill Hill and Northolt was viewed and considered unsuitable.  The possibility of hiring pitches at the Carreras ground at Canons Park was also considered.  This ground, being next to the new school playing fields, could have been a very attractive proposition but it would not have given the club the ownership it desired.

It was finally an offer from Osterly RFC who had purchased a ground far in excess of their needs that was taken up.  In 1959/60 the club made its final move to its own ground at Tentelow Lane, Southall.

Owning and developing its own ground brought with it its own problems.  Although the 11.67 acres of land provided adequate room for two rugby pitches, two hockey pitches, a cricket table and plenty of spare land to lease to a local stable, there was no club house.  Much hard work was required of the members as they sought to build a pavilion and get the ground in a fit state to stage its first games.  Regular ground fund project progress reports were issued under the name of the then Old Boys Association chairman Peter Howe.

On 17th September 1960 the “big” day dawned.  The pavilion itself was bare of luxuries (including doors and drainage).  Those in charge of operations such as Peter Hart, Des Mitchell and Alan Angold spent a sleepless Friday night.  Among those who slept in the pavilion that night were John Davies, Geoff Mitchell, Con Cohen, Alan Angold and Mick Reynolds.  On the following day it was not until 2.00 p.m. that the final cross bar was lifted into place. The bath had not yet been waterproofed and a large tarpaulin was pressed into service.  The bath was eventually emptied by the simple expedient of cutting a hole in the tarpaulin.  It was not until 7 p.m. that the final connection to the main sewer was made to a round of applause and much relief, literally, of all concerned.

The opposition that day were the Old Lutonians (now Stockwood Park RFC).  Some 850 pints of beer were drunk that day, just as well the drains had been connected.  In recognition of all the help that had been given by wives and girl friends, the only room in the building to have a door fitted was the ladies!

It was fitting that the club captain that season was Peter Griffiths who was captaining the side for his fourth and final season and the honour of scoring the first try at the ground fell to John Morgan, who was to beat Peter’s record and captain the club for five seasons.

A spin off of having its own ground meant that in 1963 the club could run its own seven a side tournament.  Aimed specifically at junior clubs, it became a very popular tournament and continued after the club ceased to exist.  The first winners of the Old Creightonians Shield were Bec Old Boys who beat the hosts in the final.  The following year the O.C.’s put their name on the trophy for the first and only time, although they reached the final again in 1970, when the tournament attracted its best ever entry of 30 sides.

Running the ground required a lot of effort from dedicated members of both hockey and rugby sections.  Each section was required to provide a ground representative.  The longest serving of these, John French, put in an amazing amount of time and effort, no doubt ably assisted by his long time sparring partner, John Bull.  The major acquisition of veteran groundsman, George Parry, did however lessen the load. George gave many years of loyal service at an age when most people would have struggled to walk round the ground let alone maintain it!

Although primarily a rugby club the members arranged many other activities.  In August 1960 the club held a car rally in the Chilterns.  The results were reported, in full, in the OBA newsletter of the time and were as follows; first in an Austin A35, Peter Griffiths and Tim Allen, second, in a Vauxhall (model unspecified) J.Hunt and Roger Fudge, and third, in a Ford Zephyr, T. and H. Ellis.

Various dinner dances were held and some fine guest speakers were obtained.  Most notable was Michael Green, journalist and author of “The Art of Course Rugby”.  Others included Cyril Gadney sometime President of the RFU and J.J.R.Trethowan. Old Boys’ rugby correspondent of the Sunday Times.

Stag nights were always popular particularly when unwilling and sometimes willing members of the audience were persuaded to join in with the strippers.

In 1973 and 1974 club pantomimes were written and performed by members at Tentelow Lane.  The standard of drama was not as high as might have been expected of former grammar school boys.  In one a complete scene consisted of an ugly sister giving a monologue whilst sitting on a conveniently place w.c.  Stewart Nolan got one of the few good lines when, as Buttons, he entered the room wearing ice skates shouting “Where’s the ice, where’s the ice?  They told me it was being performed on ice!”

The catering  arrangements certainly changed over the years.  In the early days there were massive working parties slaving over huge mounds of cheese, tomato and bread and butter, trying to turn them into sandwiches.  When the club ended there was cordon bleu cooking, Mrs Rose’s infamous hamburgers.

In 1968/69 the club celebrated its twenty first birthday.  Several special events were held. The festivities commenced with a dinner dance at the Tavistock Banqueting Suite.  The climax of the evening was the enforced change of clothing of the chairman, Peter Griffiths.  He had arrived in a dinner jacket but left in his birthday suit.  A contemporaneous quote by Des Mitchell summed up the whole affair;

“Ziggy connoisseurs present all agreed that it was one of the finest demonstrations seen for many a year and was performed with great style.  The ‘corps de ballet’ performed in the climax with commendable precision.”.

Another notable event was the “Triangular Tournament”.  This required the O.C.’s hockey club, the Old Uffingtonians soccer club, and the rugby club to play each other at hockey, soccer and rugby.  The soccer team beat the hockey club but succumbed to the soccer club.  The rugby team won both of their games and the hockey team drew the Old Uffs but lost to the hockey club, whilst the Old Uffs beat the hockey club at soccer.  Although there was a technical draw for the position of overall winner between the rugby club and the Old Uffs, the rugby club was awarded outright victory by virtue of having scored most goals.

During this period the members of the club had become sufficiently mature (old?) to start an over thirties team.  Micky Hayman was a moving force in this team and remained so until he left for the United States.

At the end of the 1967/68 season E.W.”Bunny” Rhodes resigned the presidency of the club.  For a man who had, as much as anyone over the years, brought much enthusiasm to the club, the manner of his resignation was a little mysterious.  It was perhaps related to his increasing eccentricity.  Peter Griffiths was unanimously elected his successor and for the following season served both as president and chairman.  Happily “Bunny” re-entered the fold in 1973/74 when he was made a Vice-president.

John Bull became club chairman in 1969 and at the A.G.M., led the standing ovation for the outgoing chairman Peter Griffiths.  John was required to pilot the club through the period of the most significant changes in its history, a task he performed with skill and diplomacy.

In April 1970 the Old Creightonians R.F.C. played for the last time as a regular club.  Suitably the game ended in victory.  The team for that final day was:
Dennis Buckingham; R.K.Phillips, Bob Walters, Brian Jones, John Morgan, Terry Ellis, Dave Eynon, John French, Rod Mason, Dave Bennett, Rod Porter (captain), Phil Jones, Frank Usher, Alan Isichei, Dave Griffith.

Fittingly every player, except one, was a former pupil of the school. The odd man out, Walters, was also a genuine member of the OBA being a master at the school and perhaps the only one to play for the Old Boys on a regular basis. Seven of that team played in the O.C.R.F.C. final veterans game some 17 years later.

With an ever dwindling influx of players from the school, now re-named Kilburn Senior High School, it was becoming apparent that in order to survive the club would have to officially embrace non old boys and become a fully open club.  Almost since its inception, although the main supply of players came from the school, non old boys had been welcomed into the fold as associate members.  Alf Spencer, Jim Bundy, Ras Williams, Harry Thomas, Reg Clisby, Ken Banham, Eric Bucknole and Andy Smith being fine examples.

At the Annual General Meeting of the Old Creightonians Rugby Football Club on 29th May 1970 the following motion was put;

“That the Old Creightonians R.F.C. cease to play rugby after the 1969/70 season and the fixtures be taken over from the Old Creightonians R.F.C. by a new club to be formed, named Creightonians R.F.C.”

After much debate the motion was put to the vote and carried by 25 votes to 3.  The meeting closed at 10 p.m. to be immediately followed by the first AGM of the Creightonians R.F.C.  That meeting determined, unanimously, to adopt the constitution of the O.C.R.F.C.  After a three cornered election between Roger Harman, John Clare and John Morgan the latter was elected club captain. Two seasons later John was to be elected the first, and only, club coach.

The Rugby Football Union were duly informed that the word “Old” was to be dropped from the title.  A recruitment campaign was initiated involving John Bull and others parading through Ealing High Street, wearing sandwich boards and exhorting passers-by to join the club.  This had some notable successes.  Maria Nolan joined her husband Stewart up and has, by now no doubt, had time to live to regret it.

The school were able to raise a side to play the Old Boys on one last occasion, 22nd March 1972.  The result underlined the falling standards of the school’s rugby as a benevolent Old Boys fifteen still ran out easy winners by 62 pts. to 16.

The last six years of the clubs existence saw a gradual decline in playing strength and a different club captain elected for each season.  Eddie Astill, Rod Porter, John Morgan, Graham Watts, John Clare and finally in 1973/74 Dave Griffith all held the highest office.  No non old boy was ever to captain the club and first fifteen, although for 1972/73 Howard Hurford was elected but was unable to commence his duties and was replaced by John Clare.  Of the other sides it is thought that only the following skippers were non old boys:

“A” XV, Ken Banham (Haberdashers) and Mike Sweeney,
Extra “A” XV, Andy Smith (Marylebone G.S., brother of old boy Roger Smith),
“B” XV, Jimmy Bundy, Eric Bucknole(Canton H.S. Cardiff), and Ian Irons.

Over the years many players left the club because their employment required them to move away from London.  There were three significant losses. The first was Billy Green, that most pugnacious of second row forwards. At the end of the 1965/66 season he decided that he would no longer be able to travel back from Peterborough at weekends and he joined the local club. He went on to gain county honours with Lincs., Notts. and Derbyshire.

In November 1971, Terry Ellis, perhaps the most all complete footballer to play for the club, re-located to Southend.  His last regular appearance for the club was against High Wycombe when he got a surprise elevation to the first XV, was made captain for the day and signed off with yet another sparkling performance.

However perhaps the most prophetic loss came in 1974.  Dennis Buckingham announced that his office was transferring to the Gloucester area and this would be his last season with the club.  Dennis was one of only two of the 1948 team still playing, the other being the club president Peter Griffiths.  A special farewell game was arranged, Dennis Buckingham’s XV versus the Rest.  Several former and long retired players returned to play, some just for a few brief moments.

A be-plimsoled Tim Allen, his boots long since dispatched to the dustbin, gave cause for concern, when, within minutes, he had collided with a sickening thud, with the Australian born second row forward Bob Little.  Tim showed that he had lost none of his cunning and venom as Bob Little had to leave the field of play with two cracked ribs.  At the end of the game “Bunny” Rhodes presented Dennis with an appropriately worded and signed certificate.  Little was it realised that not only was it Dennis’s farewell to the club but everybody else’s.

At the end of the season, at the AGM, a long debate on the future of the club took place.  At the conclusion of the debate the following motion, proposed by Graham Watts and seconded by John Morgan, was put to the meeting:

“That Creightonians R.F.C. amalgamate with Borderers R.F.C.”

By 17 votes to 4 the club voted to amalgamate with Borderers and was no more.

Not quite true.  For a further fourteen years one or two veterans games were arranged each season.  This is in some ways surprising and indeed should not have happened.  At its last AGM the O.C.R.F.C. had voted “to cease playing rugby after the 1969/70 season”.  Happily nobody, remembered or if they did, sought to enforce that decision.  On 14th May 1976, following the sale of the ground, a further and final annual general meeting of the technically still extant Old Creightonians Rugby Football Club was held.  The prime reason for the meeting was to discuss and vote on the following proposition;

“The Old Creightonians RFC make application to the Kilburn Grammar School Old Boys’ Association for a provisional donation of £2500 and that from this money a sum of £1900 be given to Creighton-Borderers RFC to equal the capital put in by Borderers RFC when that club amalgamated with Creightonians RFC and the remainder of the funds be used to support gatherings of the Old Creightonians RFC to be arranged.”.

After much discussion the motion was put and carried by 15 votes to 10.  Also at that meeting officers of the O.C.R.F.C. were elected.  The following appointments were agreed.

Life President:- Peter Griffiths
Chairman:- John Robinson
Secretary:- Dick Godwin
Treasurer:- Ken Banham
Social Secretary:- Peter Hart
Club Captain:- Adrian Jones

The office holders had little to do accept turn up at the veterans games and enjoy spending the £600.  Adrian Jones did in fact carry out his duty as captain until 1977.  He then stopped playing but as far as is known did not resign the captaincy.  This great honour seemed to rotate between various persons, often pressed men, John French, John Morgan, Rod Mason and Dennis Buckingham being among them.

Eventually however as the O.C.’s got older, and with the opposition refusing/unable to age at the same rate, it became increasingly difficult to persuade players to beg, borrow or steal kit and enter the fray one more time.  As the valuables bag became, increasingly, a depository for bus passes and false teeth it was decided that the fortieth anniversary of the club would be a good time to call it a day.

A tour was arranged to Winchester and thus perhaps the most magical of weekends in the club’s history came to pass.  A mixture of players and supporters rolled back the years and gelled to form a touring party the camaraderie of which, would have been the envy of the British Lions.

A match was played and although lost was almost an irrelevance.  The tour dinner on the Sunday and the evening that followed will never be forgotten by all those who were there.  Peter Griffiths in his role of President gave a dignified speech in which he reviewed the history of the club.  He later lost his dignity, along with his teeth, in an over enthusiastic rendition of “One night in Gay Paree”.  Len Hardy produced and shared, the bottle of Dimple Haig whisky that had been presented to him on the occasion of the club’s win on tour over Worcester some twenty eight years earlier.  Peter Hart found a new friend, a plastic collecting box in the shape of Sooty and Dennis Buckingham gained a new nickname “The Prune”.

The following Sunday 24th April 1988 the O.C.’s took the field of play for the final time.  In a close fought match against Old Haberdashers the club finished as it had begun forty years earlier, with a win.

Two members of the original team were there to enjoy the occasion.  The club President Peter Griffiths stood on the touch line urging his team on, whilst the incredible Dennis Buckingham skippered the team to victory!

OFFICIALS

Where does one begin to try and tell of the officials of the OCRFC.  On the following pages are listed the names of many of the club members who have taken office and helped run the club.

President
The club only had two presidents “Bunny” Rhodes and Peter Griffiths. Both men were of great support in the founding and running of the club.  Bunny would in the early years also referee the annual school versus old boys game.

Club Captains
Sixteen first XV captains have taken the helm.  Peter Griffiths was captain on four occasions, one less than John Morgan.

The person who had the greatest time between spells of captaincy of any team was John Robinson, “A” team captain in 1955/56 and Extra “A” captain in 1968/69. Only Dennis Buckingham, John Nye and Tim Allen captained the First and the “A”, whilst John Bull was the only first XV captain to skipper the “B” XV. Even when hampered by a recurring dislocation of his shoulder John would turn out at full back.  On tour to Bournemouth John was trying to nurse his shoulder and had to resort to attempting to trip the opposition up.  When quizzed on this John thought his behaviour perfectly reasonable considering his injury.  The opposition did not share his view.

Peter Geelan captained the “A”XV the most times, whilst Geoff Mitchell and Peter Hart share the record for the Extra “A” XV. Five players captained the “B” XV for two seasons but perhaps their most legendary captain came in 1959/60 in the form of Jim Bundy.

Chairman
The club was blessed with good men in the chair and have only had three throughout its history.  Alan Lyford 1948 to 1961, Peter Griffiths 1961 to 1969 and John Bull 1969 to 1974.  Interestingly, during his period of office Alan found time to serve eight years as secretary, two years as press representative, one year as fixture secretary and also skipper the “B” XV for two seasons.

Secretary and Treasurer
Ken Banham served a record twelve years in this position.  Whilst Bob Hutchinson’s nine year stint as treasurer was also a record.

Old Creightonians Rugby Club tables and statistics

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND DEDICATION

There is nothing quite like “Old Boys” organisations, whether it be at dinners, sporting or other events. The common bond of the school somehow provides a unique kinship. This document charts the history of what, in my slightly biased opinion, was the best of the lot, the Old Creightonians Rugby Football Club.

The production of this volume has been made possible only because one of the founder members of the club, Peter Griffiths, kept full and meticulous records of nearly every event that has occurred since the club’s first game in 1948 up until its last in 1988.

This volume is dedicated to his memory and to that other great stalwart of the club, Dennis Buckingham, who played in both games!

SOURCES OF REFERENCE

The main sources of reference used have been, fixture cards, committee and AGM minutes, the 21st Anniversary Programme and various OBA newsletters. A little has come from my memory and little less from my imagination! I hope those who took part in these events will correct me, as gently as possible, so that a true record can be produced.