Appreciation by Donald Holdsworth.
Harry was born in in March 1932 in Addingham, and went to Ilkley Grammar School where he was of course an important athlete. He won all the sprinting events both there and around Yorkshire. Harry was remarkably quick if he was not an "even timer" [100 yards in 100 seconds] he was very near it.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, his father joined the Army and fought in the desert campaign. Unfortunately, he was killed in 1942 at the battle of El Alamein - not a good start for a 10-year old.
On leaving school, Harry took an apprenticeship in the dying industry where he was to work all his life eventually managing the Bousfield factory in Guiseley. Always popular, always respected.
He was in the Ilkley side before he left school, did his National Service where he played alongside the likes of Sykes, Horrocks-Taylor, Boston and Jackson. On returning from the Army, he joined Otley in 1955 where he played with great distinction for the next fifteen years. I had cause to be grateful for his contribution on the left wing. Along as we won some decent ball and gave him enough room he could always be relied on to run round his man. Good old Harry nipping in at the end to win the game.
There is no record of the number of trials he played in for Yorkshire but certainly more than any contemporary. Unfortunately, he never was never selected as throughout his heyday he was up against the likes of Frank Sykes and Peter Thompson - both played for England. It was a disappointment to us all because he deserved it.
He married Pauline in 1956, and they lived in Guiseley and then Menston and two of their sons followed the rugby path, Glyn became the league's leading try scorer [he was another past master at finishing as well], Nigel became Captain of England and a British Lion. They had a third son Lee who died aged twenty of cystic fibrosis which was a cross all the little family had to bear.
Pauline died in 2000 which would have been a tremendous blow to the whole family. Harry had been severely handicapped all his adult life by hearing loss, and Pauline's voice was the only one he could properly understand. Pauline had been his rock, unstinting, tremendous support, and we can only speculate at the difficulties that loss caused him. But he bore it with patience, stoicism and great courage - qualities which he had shown all his life.
Harry was a great guy - he will be sadly missed.
Harry's funeral will take place at Rawdon/Horsforth Crematorium on Friday 8th June at 3:40 pm followed by a post-funeral reception at Otley Rugby Club.