Past Players - Fred Applebee - Founder Member 1907
F.J.Applebee - Founder Member 1907
Secretary 1907/28
Treasurer 1926/34
The club was founded in the year 1907 by a number of school teachers, none of whom was a native of Liverpool, and membership was restricted to members of the teaching profession. In 1910 the Club became open. Mr F.J Applebee was in the main the guiding light in the club's development, a man of exceptional character who lived for sport. I consider myself fortunate in having met him, although at the time he was well into retirement.
At the turn of the century London and Liverpool paid higher rates of pay for school teachers than other parts of the country. As a result many teachers came to Liverpool from other towns. One of these teachers was Mr F.J Applebee, born in 1882 at Hollins Farm, a hill farm outside the village of Slaithwaite in the West Riding of Yorkshire. His father was a church worker for the Church of England. He was a true cockney, having been born in London within the sound of bow bells.
As a boy "Freddie", as he was later known, took a keen interest in cricket and rugby, and was eventually awarded a place at St Johns College, Battersea, London. He gained blues in both cricket and rugby, being captain of the rugby team playing at stand-off half more often than not.
When Freddie graduated in about 1905 he became a teacher and decided to come to Liverpool. He joined New Brighton RUFC and played for them for about two years. Numerous young teachers from out of town used to congregate at public houses in the city before they left to play for various clubs in the district.
It seemed that one Saturday Freddie raised the question "Why don't we form a club of our own ?" So the first steps were taken to register a club with the "Rugby Football Union" and organise fixtures. As the club had no formal identity and as the early members came from outside Liverpool it was decided to call it the "Aliens F.C."
Secretary 1907/28
Treasurer 1926/34
The club was founded in the year 1907 by a number of school teachers, none of whom was a native of Liverpool, and membership was restricted to members of the teaching profession. In 1910 the Club became open. Mr F.J Applebee was in the main the guiding light in the club's development, a man of exceptional character who lived for sport. I consider myself fortunate in having met him, although at the time he was well into retirement.
At the turn of the century London and Liverpool paid higher rates of pay for school teachers than other parts of the country. As a result many teachers came to Liverpool from other towns. One of these teachers was Mr F.J Applebee, born in 1882 at Hollins Farm, a hill farm outside the village of Slaithwaite in the West Riding of Yorkshire. His father was a church worker for the Church of England. He was a true cockney, having been born in London within the sound of bow bells.
As a boy "Freddie", as he was later known, took a keen interest in cricket and rugby, and was eventually awarded a place at St Johns College, Battersea, London. He gained blues in both cricket and rugby, being captain of the rugby team playing at stand-off half more often than not.
When Freddie graduated in about 1905 he became a teacher and decided to come to Liverpool. He joined New Brighton RUFC and played for them for about two years. Numerous young teachers from out of town used to congregate at public houses in the city before they left to play for various clubs in the district.
It seemed that one Saturday Freddie raised the question "Why don't we form a club of our own ?" So the first steps were taken to register a club with the "Rugby Football Union" and organise fixtures. As the club had no formal identity and as the early members came from outside Liverpool it was decided to call it the "Aliens F.C."
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