Club History - Club Stalwarts
Little is known about Morpeth Hockey Club's founders, but it would be fair to say that E.H.Taylor (Chairman 1929 to 1939), Geo Burn (Treasurer 1929 to 1937, 1939 & 1947 to 1948 & Club Captain 1929) were the driving force behind the Hockey Club in the early years.
As in any organisation, members come and go, but there is always a "backbone" of any organisation. This page is dedicated to those that have excelled in their committment to Morpeth Hockey Club.
Dr. Hugh Dickie Snr
Dr. Hugh Dickie Snr, was a founding member of the Hockey Club and was our early Club President.
Dr. Dickie was a Scotsman from the Isle of Arran, born in 1865. He was a surgeon living in Bridge Street, Morpeth with his wife Mary. He had a daughter named Doris and a son also called Hugh.
In the early 1900's he employed 3 servants and a coachman, so he was obviously a well to do person in those days. He was a general practitioner in Morpeth, where he married a local girl, Mary Swinney in 1891. He rose through the ranks in his chosen profession to become a surgeon.
Dr. Hugh Dickie Snr was also a member of the Masonic Lodge and became the first master of Coquetdale Masonic Lodge.
He died in 1931 at the age of 66.
Dr. Hugh Dickie Jnr
Dr. Dickie Jnr is believed to be the nephew of Dr. Dickie Snr. The first mention of Dr. Dickie Jnr is in 1934 when he took up the position of Club Secretary and he was associated with the club until at least 1959 when he became Club Chairman.
Born in Wick on the 3rd October 1903, he was educated at Glasgow University where he graduated in medicine in 1927. After hospital posts in Blackburn he accepted a temporary locum appointment in the practice of his two uncles in Morpeth because of the illness of one of them. He had intended to specialise in surgery but when his uncle died he was persuaded to accept the vacancy.- By 1930 he had been elected chairman of the Morpeth branch of the British Medical Association, an office he was to hold several times before his retirement in 1964.
Dr. Hugh was also a member of the Territorial Army and with his job as a Medic for the Northumberland Fusiliers he was sent to war in 1940. Unfortunately, he was captured by the Germans and ended up being held at Colditz from 1943 to 1945.
While imprisoned in Colditz, Dr. Hugh became the first Doctor to successfully treat Shingles by the use of an injection of Liver Extract. This course of treatment is still used today in certain cases. In his own words "he found this by accident, in a desperate measure to save a fellow prisoners life. There was no Scientific reason behind it".
On returning from the war, Dr. Hugh, again continued his association with the Hockey Club and successfully grew his reputation as a Doctor. He was specifically interested in the immunisation of Children. Chairman of Northumberland local medical committee 1957-63 and a member of the Northern Regional Health Authority, he was elected a fellow of the BMA in 1964.
He was a keen Rotarian and a founder member of the local club. He had married Norah Ashley, and after her death in 1963 he retired from practice. Subsequently he worked for several years as medical officer for the British-India Shipping Line. He remarried and settled in Sunbury-on-Thames, where he worked as a regular locum until ill health forced his retirement a year or two before his death.
Dr. H. Dickie Jnr died in 1982 at the age of 79.
C.G. Mitchell
C.G. Mitchell was a stalwart of both Morpeth Hockey Club and Morpeth Cricket Club and he was instrumental in the Hockey club's move to Stobhill.
Remarkably, C.G. Mitchell would do all of the ringing around for ALL of the teams every week, but always having a long chat with the members as he was doing so.
It is documented that one Christmas he was determined to field SIX teams of Morpeth/Ex-Morpeth players for a round-robin Christmas tournament. He managed it!
Cecil Mitchell would also organise a tour every year to Edinburgh and was in fact on tour there only six weeks before he died.
In 1972, in the Hockey Club's 50th year he donated a cup, which was to be presented to the most promising youngster (The Cecil Mitchell Trophy).
Cecil Mitchell lived at The Limes in Dacre Street, Morpeth with his wife, Willis. His wife was a very famous pianist who regularly performed for the Queen.
C.G. Mitchell died in the summer of 1972.
J. Stokoe
Jack Stokoe was born on the 30th December 1921 in Tursdale, County Durham. He joined Morpeth Hockey Club around 1949.
Jack gave many years service to the Hockey Club holding several positions including Chairman, Match and Fixture secretary. He was also active for Morpeth Cricket, Hockey and Tennis club, holding both Secretary and Chairman positions.
Jack Stokoe gave everything to the club. He put a lot of the policies and procedures of the Hockey Club in place. He also wrote the club constitution and devised the format that runs today. He participated in everything from running Donkey Derby's to making the the goal posts - usually accompanied with detailed Mathematical Diagrams!!
Jack was also involved in Hockey outside of Morpeth, being the Chair of the Northumberland HA and Umpiring Committee.
Jack Stokoe, taught Maths at the local Morpeth Grammer School, but Hockey was never far from him, teaching and encouraging pupils to play Hockey.
Away from Hockey and Work, Jack Stokoe was the Regional Organiser for Save The Children and a member of the Round Table and 41 Club (Old Round Table).
The Stokoe family has had a long history with Morpeth Hockey Club, his wife Sylvia was a founder member of Morpeth Tennis Club and his daughter, Rosie played Hockey and has been an active member of the club for 37 years. Rosie followed in her father's footsteps by becoming MCHTC Chair.
Jack Stokoe, unfortunately died only a few weeks before the club moved to Longhirst in 1994.
G. Robson
George Robson was born in Newcastle on the 16th of June 1944, he joined Morpeth Hockey Club ready for the 1967-8 season. George has been an active member of the club since then.
In the early 1970's he was Captain of the 5th team which was known as 3C. George spent two periods of secretary of the club, from 1975 to 1989 and then again from 1994 to 2007.
George was always at the forefront of leading by example and organised squads to enter Blackpool's Festival. He first attended the Blackpool Festival as a student in 1965 and has attended every year since. He became President and Chairman of the Festival in 1994 and still holds these positions now.
Morpeth Hockey Club went through a difficult period from 1990 to 1993 and it was with members like G. Robson that held the club together in these difficult times.
Although George does not currently hold any office within the club at present, he is still a trustee of Morpeth Cricket, Hockey and Tennis Club and is very much active in ensuring that the Club's facilities are kept in a good state.
G. Robson is a retired School Teacher and many of our members can recount being taught by him.
Retirement has not slowed down George, who is very active in many other organisations such as Christian Aid (Blyth Rep), Secretary of the Blyth Literary and Scientific Society and Blyth Rotary Club (President 2008-9).
George Robson has also been a Magistrate since 1980. His other passion is playing the organ for three churches.
As in any organisation, members come and go, but there is always a "backbone" of any organisation. This page is dedicated to those that have excelled in their committment to Morpeth Hockey Club.
Dr. Hugh Dickie Snr
Dr. Hugh Dickie Snr, was a founding member of the Hockey Club and was our early Club President. Dr. Dickie was a Scotsman from the Isle of Arran, born in 1865. He was a surgeon living in Bridge Street, Morpeth with his wife Mary. He had a daughter named Doris and a son also called Hugh.
In the early 1900's he employed 3 servants and a coachman, so he was obviously a well to do person in those days. He was a general practitioner in Morpeth, where he married a local girl, Mary Swinney in 1891. He rose through the ranks in his chosen profession to become a surgeon.
Dr. Hugh Dickie Snr was also a member of the Masonic Lodge and became the first master of Coquetdale Masonic Lodge.
He died in 1931 at the age of 66.
Dr. Hugh Dickie Jnr
Dr. Dickie Jnr is believed to be the nephew of Dr. Dickie Snr. The first mention of Dr. Dickie Jnr is in 1934 when he took up the position of Club Secretary and he was associated with the club until at least 1959 when he became Club Chairman.Born in Wick on the 3rd October 1903, he was educated at Glasgow University where he graduated in medicine in 1927. After hospital posts in Blackburn he accepted a temporary locum appointment in the practice of his two uncles in Morpeth because of the illness of one of them. He had intended to specialise in surgery but when his uncle died he was persuaded to accept the vacancy.- By 1930 he had been elected chairman of the Morpeth branch of the British Medical Association, an office he was to hold several times before his retirement in 1964.
Dr. Hugh was also a member of the Territorial Army and with his job as a Medic for the Northumberland Fusiliers he was sent to war in 1940. Unfortunately, he was captured by the Germans and ended up being held at Colditz from 1943 to 1945.
While imprisoned in Colditz, Dr. Hugh became the first Doctor to successfully treat Shingles by the use of an injection of Liver Extract. This course of treatment is still used today in certain cases. In his own words "he found this by accident, in a desperate measure to save a fellow prisoners life. There was no Scientific reason behind it".
On returning from the war, Dr. Hugh, again continued his association with the Hockey Club and successfully grew his reputation as a Doctor. He was specifically interested in the immunisation of Children. Chairman of Northumberland local medical committee 1957-63 and a member of the Northern Regional Health Authority, he was elected a fellow of the BMA in 1964.
He was a keen Rotarian and a founder member of the local club. He had married Norah Ashley, and after her death in 1963 he retired from practice. Subsequently he worked for several years as medical officer for the British-India Shipping Line. He remarried and settled in Sunbury-on-Thames, where he worked as a regular locum until ill health forced his retirement a year or two before his death.
Dr. H. Dickie Jnr died in 1982 at the age of 79.
C.G. Mitchell
C.G. Mitchell was a stalwart of both Morpeth Hockey Club and Morpeth Cricket Club and he was instrumental in the Hockey club's move to Stobhill.
Remarkably, C.G. Mitchell would do all of the ringing around for ALL of the teams every week, but always having a long chat with the members as he was doing so.
It is documented that one Christmas he was determined to field SIX teams of Morpeth/Ex-Morpeth players for a round-robin Christmas tournament. He managed it!
Cecil Mitchell would also organise a tour every year to Edinburgh and was in fact on tour there only six weeks before he died.
In 1972, in the Hockey Club's 50th year he donated a cup, which was to be presented to the most promising youngster (The Cecil Mitchell Trophy).
Cecil Mitchell lived at The Limes in Dacre Street, Morpeth with his wife, Willis. His wife was a very famous pianist who regularly performed for the Queen.
C.G. Mitchell died in the summer of 1972.
J. Stokoe
Jack Stokoe was born on the 30th December 1921 in Tursdale, County Durham. He joined Morpeth Hockey Club around 1949.Jack gave many years service to the Hockey Club holding several positions including Chairman, Match and Fixture secretary. He was also active for Morpeth Cricket, Hockey and Tennis club, holding both Secretary and Chairman positions.
Jack Stokoe gave everything to the club. He put a lot of the policies and procedures of the Hockey Club in place. He also wrote the club constitution and devised the format that runs today. He participated in everything from running Donkey Derby's to making the the goal posts - usually accompanied with detailed Mathematical Diagrams!!
Jack was also involved in Hockey outside of Morpeth, being the Chair of the Northumberland HA and Umpiring Committee.
Jack Stokoe, taught Maths at the local Morpeth Grammer School, but Hockey was never far from him, teaching and encouraging pupils to play Hockey.
Away from Hockey and Work, Jack Stokoe was the Regional Organiser for Save The Children and a member of the Round Table and 41 Club (Old Round Table).
The Stokoe family has had a long history with Morpeth Hockey Club, his wife Sylvia was a founder member of Morpeth Tennis Club and his daughter, Rosie played Hockey and has been an active member of the club for 37 years. Rosie followed in her father's footsteps by becoming MCHTC Chair.
Jack Stokoe, unfortunately died only a few weeks before the club moved to Longhirst in 1994.
G. Robson
George Robson was born in Newcastle on the 16th of June 1944, he joined Morpeth Hockey Club ready for the 1967-8 season. George has been an active member of the club since then. In the early 1970's he was Captain of the 5th team which was known as 3C. George spent two periods of secretary of the club, from 1975 to 1989 and then again from 1994 to 2007.
George was always at the forefront of leading by example and organised squads to enter Blackpool's Festival. He first attended the Blackpool Festival as a student in 1965 and has attended every year since. He became President and Chairman of the Festival in 1994 and still holds these positions now.
Morpeth Hockey Club went through a difficult period from 1990 to 1993 and it was with members like G. Robson that held the club together in these difficult times.
Although George does not currently hold any office within the club at present, he is still a trustee of Morpeth Cricket, Hockey and Tennis Club and is very much active in ensuring that the Club's facilities are kept in a good state.
G. Robson is a retired School Teacher and many of our members can recount being taught by him.
Retirement has not slowed down George, who is very active in many other organisations such as Christian Aid (Blyth Rep), Secretary of the Blyth Literary and Scientific Society and Blyth Rotary Club (President 2008-9).
George Robson has also been a Magistrate since 1980. His other passion is playing the organ for three churches.
RSS Feeds