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The Great Western Railway Athletic Football Club
and Castle Bar Park
The Great Western Railway Football Club is a section of the GWR (London) Athletic Association but not a founder section.
The Association was originally formed in 1900 with the object of uniting the several ‘Clubs’ which then exited and for promoting sports and recreation for the benefit of the technical, clerical and supervisory staff. It had taken some 65 years since the founding of the Great Western Railway Company in 1835 to reach this stage. The next 85 years were to witness a catalogue of almost continuous progress in providing thousands of railwaymen and their friends with a wide range of sporting and recreational activities.
The announcement of the formation of the Association was in the following terms which echo the master/servant relationship of the day:
‘The Directors of the Company have with kind liberality provided for the use of the Association a piece of ground 17 acres in extent pleasantly situated in the fields lying to the north of West Ealing Station have voted a sum of £1000 for the purpose of building a pavilion and laying out the ground and have agreed to make a grant of 100 guineas towards the expenses of the Association for the first year’.
It would appear that the 17 acres was and still is the area within the boundaries of the Castle Bar Park Ground.
At the time the GWR Company’s road transport was horse drawn and the Veterinary Department and Hospital for sick horses was on land fronting Ruislip Road East later the site of Ealing Council’s Gurnell Grove Housing Estate. Convalescent horses took their exercise in the area between the western boundary of the Sports ground and the railway embankment.
The original sections of the Cricket, Football, Boating and Swimming which no doubt had been organised from Paddington with activity venues elsewhere. The new Association provided facilities for Athletic, Hockey, Lawn Tennis, Bowls, Quoits and Angling. Together these made up a ‘Minor Sports Section’ and interesting description in the light of the subsequent national development of some of these ‘minor sports’.
The pre-eminence of the ‘major’ sections was underlined in the inaugural year of the Association by a gift from Mr H Wilkinson (General Manager) of ‘four challenge cups to be competed for by members of the Boating,
Cricket, Football and Swimming Sections. There was much pride among the staff in winning a “Wilkinson” Cup.
The first Annual Report of the Association dated 30 September 1900 mentioned that the membership was 759 and that there had been provided two cricket pitches, four lawn tennis courts, a bowling green, two quoit pitches and levelling for a portion of ground devoted to football.
The Report concluded by saying that when the various improvements had been carried out the Association would be in possession of one of the best athletic grounds in the neighbourhood of London.
This was probably not an overstatement. At the time recreational facilities were largely confined to common land and a few private clubs and later provided by a few public spirited individuals such as ‘Pa’ Toley who in Ealing and the area surrounding acquired and roughly prepared fields for letting to clubs. Indeed at the turn of the Century subsequently prestigious rugger clubs such as Wasps and London Welsh were having to make do with fairly primitive facilities provided by ‘Pa’ Toley.) His sons subsequently sold part of the family land at Sudbury to the Wasps Club to enable them to establish their own ground and was a Vice-President of that Club.)
1n 1901 the new GWR Sports Ground was provided by the Company’s Directors with a Pavilion ‘with refreshment bar and separate tea kiosk.’ It is not certain whether it was licensed but as the tea bar was separate presumably it was.
1n 1912 the building of a cottage for the Head Groundsman was authorised by the Directors.
1n 1929 the new Pavilion was built to the north of the original to provide a large hall, bar, lounge, kitchen and ladies’ changing room the original pavilion building being used for male changing rooms, shower and toilets. The new accommodation enabled Badminton and Table Tennis sections to be formed.
At about this time the Association’s Vice Presidents presumably GWR Company Directors and/or shareholders read like a page out of a combination of Debretts and Who’s Who. Included were Viscount Churchill, The Honourable JJ Astor, Lord Dulverston, he Earl of Dunraven, Lord Glanely, the Earl of Inchcape, Lord Mildmay of Flete, Viscount Tredegar and two subsequent Prime Ministers in Stanley Baldwin and
Harold McMillan. Principal and Senior Officers of the GWR were also among the Vice-Presidents.
During the War of 1939/45 part of the Ground situated alongside the Bowling Green was given over to Allotment Gardens for the use of Members of the Association.
A landmine ruined the hard tennis courts and damaged the Pavilion but this notwithstanding bowls, cricket and hockey continued throughout the War period.
The Rugger Section was not able to continue as many of its members being in the TA Supplementary Reserve and R.A.F.V.R were quickly called to the Colours some as Royal Engineers for railway operation. Records show that fixtures were fulfilled for the 1939/40 season.
After the War the GWR Company Directors agreed to ‘re-plan and refurbish the ground providing a 6 rink bowling green, 10 tennis courts, a croquet green, 2 cricket pitches, 3 hockey pitches, 2 soccer pitches and a rugby pitch. Quoits, Angling, Boating, Swimming and Athletics had disappeared from the list of Association activities.
By this time the land to the north and west had ceased to be used as recuperation fields for the company’s horses. The northerly land was disposed of the Ealing Council for an estate of flats (Gurnell Grove.) The westerly land remained undeveloped and for a number of post war seasons was used in part to provide a second rugby pitch and again more recently by an arrangement with Ealing Council which acquired the land in the 1970’s and used part for building Gurnell Combined First and Middle School. The remaining railway owned land which continued southwards alongside the railway loop line as far as Drayton Bridge Road and was used as Allotment Gardens during the Second World War has been disposed of over the years to Ealing Council for the building of Argyle Manor Assessment Centre and Castle Bar and Compton Schools and to the GLC for part of the Copley Close Estate. At the Drayton Green Road end Barratts have a small housing estate and the Seventh Day Adventists a meeting hall.
THE RUGGER SECTION
The Early Days
No doubt encouraged by the expansion of activities at Castlebar a Rugger section was formed shortly after the First World War.
The Section is included in the RFU Records as being in membership of the Union as from 1st September 1921 and appeared in the Union’s handbook for the season 1921/22. the Secretary was Mr S Atkins of the Superindendent’s Office at Paddington. Founder Member Derrick Swain a 15 year old junior at the time recalls him:
‘I have a vivid memory of Atkins. He was in the Goods Train Running Section of the Superindendent of the Line’s Office. He was a splendid personality was very tall well over 6 feet and a formidable player. He got hold of a number of young players like myself and before we knew where we were he had got us taped to form the GWR Rugby Club.’
The Section played for much of the 1920/1 season before becoming a fully affiliated RFU Club at the start of the 1921/2 season. The first public mention of GWR RFU was in the Middlesex County Times the local Ealing newspaper on 2nd October 1920 and referred to the previous Saturday (25th September) as follows:
Ealing RFC had a trial game on Saturday against GWR AA at the latter’s splendidly equipped ground at Castle Bar Park. The GWR are endeavouring to run this season a XV in connection with their Athletic Association and invited Ealing to a practice match to determine how such a venture would shape. The GWR were two short but the attendance of the Ealing players was so good as to enable quite 40 players to take part in what was more of a preliminary canter than a serious reflection of form. The play therefore calls for little description. Ealing will meet the GWR AA again this afternoon (2nd October) at castle Bar Park and it will be of interest to note how the latter have benefited by their adoption of the Rugger Code. We wish them every support and success!
And so the first game played by GWR took place on 2nd October 1920 at Castle Bar Park against the ‘A’ team of local rivals Ealing who had already been in existence for 49 years. The Middlesex County Times of 9th October recorded the occasion as follows:
‘Ealing turned up two short at Castle Bar Park on Saturday and played without a full-back. The backs handled the greasy ball brilliantly and made some fine passing runs. Bynner converted Ealing’s first try and at half time Ealing led by 11 points to 3. Re-commencing Ealing scored again and then from a scrimmage the opposite scrum-half got over. The score was repeated a little later and four more un-converted tries were scored and Ealing finished victorious by 26 points to 11’
Local newspaper reporting of local rugger games of this period tended not to mention scorers so posterity may never know whether GWR’s first ever score was a try or a penalty goal or who scored it. GWR played Ealing again on 23rd October but there is no record of the score.
First mention of a scorer’s name was in the report of the game on 20th November in which London Irish ‘A’ beat GWR by 6 pts (2 tries) to 3 (1try).
Scorer of the GWR try was R.Baker.
On 27th November GWR gained what appears to be their first victory when they beat Guys Hospital Nomads by 3 pts ( 1 try) to nil. The report mentioned promising runs being made by J.D.Swain (stand-off half) and G.E.Rowe (right winf three quarter). On 4th December St Mark’s College Chelsea were the opponents (no report) and on 11th December Guys Hospital Nomads avenged their earlier defeat by ‘bringing on a stronger team’ and winning by 12 points (4 tries) to 3 (1 try). P.J.Jarvis was GWR’s scorer.
On December 18th GWR made the comparatively long journey to Chelmsford and were heavily defeated by 42-6 partly as a result of playing three men short during the first half. The game report concluded: ‘The visitors GWR were subsequently entertained to tea by E. Gray JP whose eldest son had played a prominent part in the afternoon’s contest and the carrying of a vote of thanks by the GWR to the promoter concluded an enjoyable afternoon.’
Games were reported regularly throughout the 1920/21 season and opponents included Richmond 2nds, St Barts Hospital, Old Dunstonians B, Old Blues 2nd, Life Guards, Siemens and Lensbury.
Regular fixtures continued into the 1921/22 season with the club now in membership of the RFU.
On 11th February the Middlesex County Times reported : ‘In view of the fact that only last December GWR were beaten by Rosslyn Park ‘A’ by 40-
0 and by Richmond ‘A’ by 32-0 results of the past four weeks show a very marke improvement in the team:
14 January v Royal Naval College Greenwich L 3 – 9
21 January v Rosslyn Park A W9 – 3
28 January v Old Blues 3rds W9 – 8
4 February v Richmond A L 8 – 9
29 points for and 29 against
Mentioned as being scorers or playing well during this period were Ackerman Schneider Prescott Flaxman Morris LV Davies Jarvis Hurford and Hicks.
On 1st April 1922 the County Times reported: ‘An interesting rugby match will be played next Wednesday evening at 5.45pm between GWR and Alexandra Docks and Rail Newport. Strong teams have been selected for this return game including three Welsh internationals:
GWR…..H.Charlton (Newport) F.Webb (Gloucester) J.Ring (Aberavon) D.Hunt Davies W.J. Hopkins (Aberavon) Con Evans (Aberavon) Len Bowen (Swansea & Wales
V. Captain) forwards from: Steve Roberts (Pontypool – Capt.) W.C.Evans R Ford Ebb Williams (Newport) R.H.B. Nicholls (OldPaulines) W.Hopkins (Aberavon) J.Ackerman (GWR London) A.Hinam (Cardiff) and J.Schneider (GWR London)
AD & R.. C Davies (Pill Harriers) A.Stock (Newport) J.Clark (Pill Harriers) J.Wetter (Newport & Wales – Capt) J.Channing (Abertillery) J.Foley (Pill Harriers) S.Manship C.Channing forwards from: W.Cookham M.R. Dixon G.Collins (Newport) J.Scannell J.Lynch A.Marshall J.Casey J.Neale (Pill Harriers) V.Llewellyn (AD Police)
Referee: T.H.Vile (Newport & Wales) A collection was taken for the Railway Convalescent Homes.
The result of the match was a win for AD & R by 16 points to 9. Scorers for Ad & R were Foley (T 2C) Wetter (T) Stock (T) and for GWR Webb (T) Charlton (PG) and W.C.Evans (T)
Games continued to be reported regularly up to the end of 1922/23. Season and new opponents included Wasps, St Mary’s Hospital, old Paulines, StandardBank of South Africa, Thames Valley, Twickenham and Edgeware. The activities of the last named being reported at some length
in the County Times although their pitch was at Chandos Field Edgeware. Playing for them for the last time was C.H.Gadney who was later to make his name in rugger circles as a referee and President of the RFU. The last game reported by the County Times was that of 29th September 1923 when GWR beat Edgeware ‘A’ by 14-6. Nothing appears to have been reported from that date until March 1927.
The difficulties which may have daunted the pioneers and caused what seems to have been a break are aptly summed up by John Goddard a member at the time of the revival: ‘Early efforts to establish Rugby Football at Castle Bar were in my opinion doomed to failure. We were allocated a pitch which was not quite up to the minimum size on the outfield of the 1st X1 Cricket Pitch on the north side of the ground close by the bowling green and from the outset we were in great trouble. Practically every kick to touch on the far side had to be recovered from the hallowed Cumberland turf of the bowling green which not un-naturally aroused the collective wrath of the highly influential members of the Bowls Section. The cricketers though perhaps less influential also found ample cause for complaint as they sadly watched their outfield being relentlessly transformed into a resemblance of a World War battlefield.’ John also recalls that the original playing strip was of black and red hoops of equal width which he preferred to the strip later adopted on re-formation (black with narrow cardinal hoops.)
‘there were problems in raising sides and fixture lists were never full. But adds John ‘ the greatest difficulties were attributable to the unhappy atmosphere which prevailed in the Club and was not unconnected with the personalities of some of its members. There was a general lack of interest and no encouragement to youngsters. Castle Bar was then at its lowest ebb both socially and administratively. It was badly run badly kept and with disgraceful facilities. The pretty green and white pavilion with its red tiled roof and clock tower looked splendid from the outside. Inside however it was dirty, bare and cold with only two over-crowded dressing rooms. Washing facilities were practically non-existent. This is not to say that these factors alone brought the original Rugger Section to its untimely end. There was more to it than that but they were among several which undoubtedly contributed to its decline and with no spirit to keep it alive the Section fizzled out mostly unmourned.’
The reformation of the section which has existed to the present day was undoubtedly due to the energies of Ted (Paddy) Flaxman. Dai Jenkins one of his contemporaries recalls: ‘In 1925 he (Paddy) was Secretary to the Assiant Chief Engineer (E.C.Matheson father of Eddie – later a player.) One morning he said something like: ‘I am going to restart the GWR RFC ‘
to which I replied: ‘You cannot. You haven’t anyone who plays. You are centre forward for the hockey side and I am outside left for the soccer.’ He said that he would get some players and Bill Dunstan and Tom Taylor where mentioned. Others canvassed included John Ackerman, Jim Arlett , Ron Jones, Jim Turner and John Goddard.
In next to no time he had been in touch with the Rugby Union, arranged for samples of jerseys, fixed up with the athletic occasion for a pitch (with difficulty), arranged for the Engineering department at West Ealing to make some goal posts and recruited Freddie Warren the administrative head of the department to be Chairman. This appointment was a tremendous asset and opened the way to co-operation from all departments.
The big moment for me was a few days later when a brand new rugger ball was delivered to Ted at the office. I had never handled a ball like it before and in fact had never seen a rugby match until I played in one and knew nothing about the laws.
It was marvellous having some ‘passing’ in our little office and Ted guarded the windows so that my ‘passes’ would not land in Eastbourne Terrace.
Ted got together a team of sorts with 8 or 9 who hadn’t played before. I was told not to pass the ball forward and when you get a pass run like hell and with your speed you’ll be a sensation. After a pep talk from Ted I felt I was on the verge of the Welsh XV. In fact when in my first serious game I received my first pass I ran flat out past 7 or 8 opponents with ease and fell over the line as instructed. Even the opposition laughed when the skipper said: ‘Not that line – the one down there.’ It took me a long time to learn and I was beginning to think ‘ Next season I’m going back to soccer.’ However, I grew to like what I now described as this marvellous game. (Just four seasons after touching a rugby ball for the first time Dai Jenkins was in the London Welsh 1st XV and played against Cardiff and Llanelli on their Christmas and Easter Welsh tours during the 1929/30 season.)
A FRESH START
It is fairly certain that the first full season of the revived GWR RFC was 1926/27. John Goddard again takes up the story about the playing conditions: ‘There was a marked difference in atmosphere from the start and as a result we quickly laid the foundations of a strong membership. The association did not go out of its way to help us in the light of previously
strained relations. It was made clear that there was no room for us on the Ground proper and we had to be content with a pitch on the strip of land between the Pavilion and the railway (the site of the 2nd XV pitch post World War 2). It was rough going and a stern test of our enthusiasm. To make matters worse we had to share it with the horses whose presence there was very evident indeed when we fell about on Saturday afternoons. From this it might be gathered that conditions for the Rugby Football Section had not improved much. This was true but our strength of membership was such as to make some impact on the Association’s General Committee.
The first success was an improvement in the washing facilities. Nothing luxurious – galvanised iron baths in an open shed behind the Pavilion but it was a start.
Our next step was to become established in the ground proper. The soccer section which by then was in decline had three pitches and we pressed for and were eventually allocated one of these pitches on the east side of the ground south of the tennis court. The West Ealing Engineering Department made us a magnificent set of posts which at the time must have been the best in London.
We are now fielding two XVs with a full fixture lost for each and things were beginning to look good. Up to this time we still had the original black and red hooped jerseys but with a string body of opinion pressing for a change there was adopted a black jersey with narrow cardinal red hoops. These were stocked by an outfitters named SILVERS with branches in Reading and London.
A photo of the 1926/27 XV shows: FRE Davis (GWR Co Secretary) FC Warren (Administrative Head of Engineering Department) EG Matheson (Assistant Chief Civil Engineer) FS Creswell (Parliamentary Engineer) AGP Sage, MG Slade, AW Taylor, JA Taylor, JA Burdett, HS Colston, EP Culverhouse (Captain) WT Dunstan, E Flaxman, H George, HR Hammond, DL Jenkins, RH Jones, EL Pannell. The fifteenth player was John Goddard but he happended to be taking the photograph! The ‘A’ XV of the same season shows FC Warren, George Bravo (Touch Judge) Aldis, Doughty, J Goddard, HR Hammond, Hawkins Head, A Hill (Capt) DL Jenkins, RH Jones, Prior, AGP Sage, Shackelton, Shute, Snow, AW Taylor (2 unknowns)
There was already some movement between sides as might be expected in the early days.
Included in the regular fixture lists were Clubs such as: Toc H British Thomson Houston CAV and of course near neighbours Ealing now a top junior club despite or because of having to wait for almost 100 years before enjoying facilities comparable to those enjoyed by GWR RFC from the outset.
There were too a number of long distance fixtures made possible with the help of colleagues of the Train Running Section. Dai Jenkins recalls: ‘With the Chief Officers behind us Ted (Flaxman) arranged all sorts of things such as matches at Bristol and Bath with a saloon and a refreshment car at the rear of the 9.15 am ex Paddington. On one occasion coming back from Bristol the front of the engine was decorated with the words ‘Great Western Railway headquarters Rugby Team’ by the local station staff. HQ staff used to be considered in the Provinces in the late 20’s and early 30’s as ‘big noises’
John Goddard also recalls: ‘ I well remember that we had to obtain permission to leave work early on the Saturday morning normally not finishing until 1 pm. I remember playing against Bath Avon Club at Bath. Their HQ was the Old Crown Inn which overlooked the Ground and which may still be seen from the Railway at the foot of Bathampton Hill. Their pitch alongside the Avon has also now disappeared. They used to entertain us in the real ‘country’ style at The Crown and the landlord’s wife would insist on playing us a tune on the set of bells which hung from the ceiling.’
I also recall regular fixtures against Bath Harlequins and Bristol GWR who had a murderous ground at the back of the Loco sheds which had more firebox clinker than grass. We also played once at Cross Keys the most memorable feature of which was an enormous slag tip which rose almost vertically on one side of the ground providing what must have been the highest and most precipitous ‘grandstand’ in the country,’
With strong South Wales connections it was inevitable that there were ‘exchange’ games. At the Welsh end was Jack Wetter, a railwayman at Newport who had played for Newport RFC and had been capped for Wales. There were also attempts to foster Railway Internationals and John Goddard recalls playing in Dublin for and ‘England’ team comprising GWR LMS and SR players against the Irish Railways. But adds John: ‘It was all good fun but not very good rugby and after a couple of seasons or so the Internationals died a natural death.
Reporting of the GWR’s reformed Club was sporadic during the late 20’s but there were one or two occasions of note. On 5th March 1927 GWR
London played GWR Bristol at Bristol. The team which travelled on the 11.15 from Paddington was: W Dunstan, MG Slade, RH Jones, JA Burdett, D Lamb, MS Colston, EJ Hancock, PE Culverhouse, AS Addis, AR Kellham, RW Hilburn, ES Pannell, H George, AW Taylor, CS Sage. Reserves: DL Jenkins, LA Campbell, HR Hammond, JA Goddard, DW Davies.
The game which was played in a continuous downpour of rain was kicked off by Mr E.G.G. Matheson the Assistant Engineer at Paddington. Because of the conditions Burdett was moved from the three-quarters to the forwards where the strength and mobility were a great asset. Slade was injured during the match but the London side managed to win with a late dropped goal (4 pts) by Colston which overcame the try scored by Bristol. This was the first home defeat for the Bristol side for three seasons.
Games were being played against Toc H and CAV in 1927 and a report of the game on 2nd April in which GWR beat TOC H by 21-6 referred to ‘the improvement in form of Jenkins and Dunstan continues to be very marked and they play extremely well.’
A player who first joined the Club in 1927 was Eddie Jones who recalls: ‘A period of re-building was helped ironically by the general Strike of 1926 when staff were transferred to Paddington from South Wales many of them including myself being keen young rugby players – I had played for Penarth.’ (History was to repeat itself some twenty years later in the case of the Old Oak Common loco-men although their transfer was not because of a Strike.)
In my period there was a tremendous atmosphere of loyalty among players of both the 1st and 2nd teams. The 1st XV was formed mainly around the following: Gray (Capt) Jones, Colston, Artlett, Dunstan, George, Lewis, Baker, Smith, Charles, Billington and myself kept together for the whole of the 1927-30 period.
I remember that on 27th April 1929 at Castle Bar Park we played a South Wales GWR team which included Welsh Internationals Dan Jones (who scored six tries) Jack Wetter and Dai Parker. We lost by 43-3 and were obviously in a different class but the game was quite competitive.’
The may issue of the GWR Magazine reported: ‘A party travelled up with the team from South Wales luncheon being provided at the Paddington Hotel and tea afterwards at Ealing. The following among others were present: Mr HR Nicholls, Mr R Carpmael (who kicked off) Mr JF Lean, Mr FR Potter, Mr H Wheeler, Mr HR Campfield and Mr Trevor Roberts. After tea speeches were made in felicitous terms by Messrs. Nicholls, Trevor Roberts
(Pontpool Road), FC Warren (Chairman of Paddington Rugby Committee), Major Partridge (WRU Referee who officiated), Mr Jack Wetter and Mr CFT Basden who was warmly thanked as organiser of the South Wales side.’
A return match was played at Penarth. The London side were met at Cardiff Station by Mr CT Cox the Divisional Superindenent entertained to lunch and taken to the Lord Mayor’s Parlour where they signed the Visitors Book. The game itself was played in a howling gale and while the London side contained their opponents in the first half when playing with the wind the second half was a different story and says Eddie: ‘the score is best forgotten!’
RJ ARTLETT (Captain 1928/9)
In his notes of 9 November 1929 the Sports editor of the County Times reported ‘It is only by chance that RPJ Artlett the GWR forward who will play for the English Railways against the French Railways at Limoges on Monday, came to take up the game. Rugby is not played at Ealing County School where he was educated and as a youth he was a soccer player of promise becoming captain of the School and House XI’s. On his leaving school a friend introduced him to the handling code and well did he like his first experience that he decided to give it his full attention. He has never regretted the decision. A man of fine physique he has developed into a very useful forward with a nice turn of speed and a safe pair of hands. His selection is a well earned reward for his constant play.’
Artlett was a fine cricketer as well and at one time held the GWR 1st XI highest score record. He died at a relatively early age as a result of a fall from a horse.
THE THIRTIES
The 1931/2 season was sparsely reported in the Ealing Paper and the 1932/3 season not at all notwithstanding the 22 games were won including a New year’s Eve game away to Kildare and only 2 were lost each narrowly – the first game of the season to Old Windsorians and one at the end to Kingston.
Players representing the Club this season included: S.Gray (Capt), AW Taylor, W Rogers, D Gamble, R.Brice, E Flaxman, H George, R Artlett, G Smith, S Worth, F Hartnell, H Charles, W Major, I Tilbury, K Billingham.
By the mid 1930’s the section had settled well with two XV’s and regular fixtures with such Clubs as Kings College, The Royal College of Science , Staines Underground Railways (later London Transport), Old Blues, Kingston, Honor Oak Park and London Welsh Senior Side.
Although Railway Internationals were in decline representative matches between London and South Wales continued and a contemporary report of a match at Castle Bar on Saturday 7th March 1931 said: ‘The Welshman brought a particularly strong team under the captaincy of Dan Jones (Wales and Neath.) the result 6pts to nil in favour of the visitors reflects great credit on the play of the London team for which WF Rogers, AW Taylor, HM Charles and RS Lanning were particularly prominent. The game was fought out in excellent spirit and admirably controlled by Mr Wakefield.’ (In addition to Dan Jones the Welsh side included Dai Parker (Wales and Swansea) and Norman Fender (Wales and Cardiff.)
In the same season GWR (presumably London players only) defeated LMS at Castle Bar by 9 pts to nil in what was described as ‘a rather disappointing display.’
Mention earlier of Mr Wakefield was indeed of the legendary Wavers (later Lord) Wakefield popularly known as ‘Wakers’ who played for Cambridge University, RAF Harlequins, Barbarians and England. His involvement with GWR in the 1930’s came about in course of business. Once again Dai Jenkins takes up the story – ‘When he (Wakers) came down from Cambridge in about 1930 he took a position with a large firm of paint contractors. One morning he appeared in my office to see Mr Matheson the Assistant Chief Engineer who was at the time responsible for for considerable new work at Cardiff, Bristol and Paddington. As a result of his call ‘Wakers’ secured orders for his firm to supply vast quantities of paints and in return formed a friendly relationship with the GWR Rugby Club giving a talk and even arranging to bring a strong Harlequins side to Castlebar for the opening game of the 1933/4 season which the visitors won by 44-3.
A report of the game observed that ‘Hartnell Pearce and Worth made valiant efforts to stem the tide but the majority of the team were decidedly off –colour.’
New opponents that season included The Architectural Association (Elstree) Charlton Park, Frome Cosmo and Old Windsorians with RH Jones being the most consistent points scorer.
Mention is made in the 1934/5 season of games against Lensbury, Tiffinians, Paulines and Alyosians with most of the locally reported games being those of the A XV which was probably because the A Team match reporter lived in Ealing. A typical 1st XV of this period was… Wharton, Laurie, Ottway, Mummery, Diggory, Richards, Grant, Rand, Gamble, Lewis, Gadd, Read, Creswell, price and Butler.
On 23rd November 1935 (GWR London) played GWR (South Wales) at Castle Bar Park. A crowd of about 300 was present to see Sir Robert Horner kick off. Among those present were Sir W James Thomas one of the Company’s Directors who had accompanied the South Wales team Mr FRE Davis (Company Secretary) Mr R Carmael, Mr AC Cookson and Mr JF Lean. The referee was Mr WW Wakefield. The teams had been entertained to lunch at the Great Western Railway Hotel and tea was served in the Pavilion at the end of the game which South Wales won by 17 pts to nil.
On 11th January 1936 at Castle Bar Park British Railways played Irish Railways and won by 20 pts – 5 scorers for BR were Wyles (2T) Lowe (2T) Gray (T) Spence (T) and Swallow (C). For the Irish Gale scored a try and Dempsey converted.
On 24th October 1936 in a return match at Cross Keys GWR (London) lost narrowly by 5-9 to a South Wales side. For London RT Jones scored a try and J Swallow converted. Best remembered incident of the game was an unfortunate misunderstanding in the last minute between Pearce and Diggory which robbed London of almost certain victory. The teams were:
GWR (London): Richards, Diggory, Pearce, Jones , Hampshire, Swallow, Worth, Birmingham, Lake , Voyle, Stratton, Read, Stanbury, Gadd and Mannix.
GWR (South Wales): Owen (Neath), Case (Cross Keys) Wyles (crumlin, Cummins (Pontypridd), Williams (Abergavenny), Jones (Chepstow), Chatwin (Newport), Richatds (Pill Harriers), O’Brien (Penarth), Blake (Cardiff Athletic), Brown (Newport), Pritchard (Cardiff HSOB), Thomas and Davies (both Long Cross.)
On 20th February 1937 it was reported that the A XV had by that date scored 226 points which beat the previous best season’s total of 219 by the ist XV in the 1934/5 season.
The 1937/38 season proceeded with full fixture lists for both 1st and A XV’s and in defeating Windsor A on 1st January it was recorded that the 1st XV
had by then scored more than 200 points. A typical team of this period was: Wharton, Diggory, Baxter, James, Hullah, Swallow, Worth, Birmingham, Voyle, Hammett, Butler, Read, Rand, Taylor and Wilcox but there was movement between the XV’s and players such as Huddleston, Prior, Scarlett and Grant often appeared. One of the better wins during this season was an away victory against Brighton A by 11 – 9 on 30th October 1937 while on 18th December Osterley A were beaten by 47 – 8.
The 1938/9 season , the last full season before World War 2 included the annual fixture between Newport United on this occasion at Castle Bar Park with the visitors comfortable winners by 25 – 0. This was undoubtedly the strongest regular fixture enjoyed by the Club and was probably secured by the arrival at Castle Bar of JFC Swallow who had been transferred to London from Newport in his railway occupation. Jack who played for Newport 1st Xv was a considerable asset and immediately settled in as a fly half alongside Stan Worth.
Improved strength meant improved fixtures and by the outbreak of World War 11 the Club had regular fixtures with Reading, Slough, Swindon and Brighton (whose HQ was Sir Harry Preston’s Albion Hotel.)
The first phase of the GWR RFC ended with World War 11 although most of the fixtures for the 1939/40 season were honoured. Ray Thomas was general Factotem at the time and kept meticulous notes of the games. Typical entries being:
Oct 28th 1939 v Met Police H.Division
6d collected from each member for Club – the same to be done each Home game. Ref’s expenses 1/- (5p) Ref’s tea 10d (4p)
Nov 18th 1939 v Kingston (away)
Tea at Zeeta’s Café. Beer afterwards at the White Hart Hotel.
Feb 25th 1940 v Ealing
Collected 1/- each member except 2 soldiers and an Old Pauline player.
Referee IG Carson
March 16th 1940 v Kingston (away)
No lemons, No bath, No tea, Plenty of beer.
(The reference to lemons is interesting in that they used to be the accepted half-time refresher at all rugger levels. The use of oranges was considered to be effete. Wartime conditions meant the end of the import of lemons (largely from Italy) and when available oranges were substituted. Interestingly there has been no subsequent return to lemons.)
The last full game before the War was co-incidentally played against the AEC at their ground (AEC members subsequently joined GWR when their Club was discontinued when the Works closed down in 1979.)
Ray’s final entry records that on 6th April 1940 the game v Lloyds Bank was cancelled – ‘We played among ourselves with 12 men on one side and 13 on the other. The sides represented were England V. The Celts and the latter won easily. Photo taken of those who had played more than six games.
These in addition to Ray included Jock Dunsire, Jack Mummery, Jack Swallow, RH Nelson, R Prosser, Steve Carson, Doug Gamble, GH Jackson, Graham Grant, Gerry O’Hern, Denis Hullah, CW Glendinning, Doug Wilson and Jack Baxter.
The two last named who were not railwaymen had much to do with the playing success of the Club and were inseparable companions. Wilcox was a powerful forward while Baxter was a flying winger.
Thus ended temporarily the Club’s first phase of some 14 seasons during which it had become firmly established.
POST WAR RESUMPTION
The fact that the Association had carried on throughout the War meant that the basic facilities were available for a speedy resumption of rugger at Castle Bar and there was a complete fixture list for one XV in the 1946/7 season including an Autumn visit to Ireland and an Easter Tour in France.
The first match after World War 11 as with the Club’s very first match after World War 1 was against local rivals Ealing and the Middlesex County Times of 21st September 1946 reported that on 18th September ‘GWR RFC played Ealing RFC on Wednesday evening at Castle Bar Park. GWR won by 14 – 3. The GWR side which included two ex Welsh Secondary Schools Internationals and one ex Oxford Blue were superior throughout although Ealing fought back well in the second half. Cummins, Baxter and Buckner
scored tries for the GWR with Swallow converting one and kicking a penalty goal. Bevan scored for Ealing.’
A report in December referred to ‘J.Beakey a schoolboy international and Pierre Boucherat an ex skipper of King Henry V11 School Coventry.’
These and other reports of the period had about them a familiar ring of Jack Swallow who as mentioned elsewhere was quickly on the scene for GWR after the cessation of hostilities. No-one ever discovered whether Jack just liked name dropping or whether he had a genuine wish to project GWR as a Club attracting better class players.’
The 1946/7 season was severely disrupted by the appalling weather at the beginning of 1947 but before the break Swindon RFC had done GWR the honour of inviting them to open their new ground. This GWR did on 28th September and also obliged their hosts by allowing them to win by 15-8.
Towards the end of the season an All-Line Cup semi-final was lost at Gloucester by 0 – 12 in a game which according to a match report was ‘preceded by a snow storm.’
The first full post-war season ended with a tour to France and the reports show that players who were among the scorers during that season were Rand, Roseveare, Richards, Glennon, Scarlett, Futcher, Gibson and Edwards.
The 1947/8 season opened with a game against Gloucester on 20th September and a report referred to GWR ‘fielding ten Welshmen’ all to no avail apparantely as the game was lost by 3 – 9.
On 25th October 1947 Dr Claude Newnham, one of GWR’s Medical Officers who had played for St Mary’s Hospital turned out for GWR for the first time and scored a try in the 19 – 3 win over Westcombe Park. When his playing days ended after an all too brief spell with GWR ‘Doc’ Newnham served as Club Chairman for many years and did much to enhance its reputation.
On 2nd November 1947 in Dublin, Jack Swallow, Jack Cummins and WA Wells represented British Railways against Irish Railways.
The 1947/8 fixture list still included some of the better pre-war fixtures such as Slough and Newbury and on 11th November there was recorded ‘a fine victory’ at Newbury where GWR took the home side’s ground record with Welshman Gary Jones scoring the winning try in a 6 – 3 victory.
On Sunday 23rd November 1947 GWR beat Bristol GWR in the second round of the All Line Cup. The remainder of the season was significant for the arrival at Castle Bar Park of Morgan (Mog) Watkins, a Railway Policeman who had been a leading amateur Heavy-weight boxing champion. Considerable beef was added to the pack and even more so when he was shortly followed by Herbert (Penzance) Richards, a seventeen tone Cornish footplate-man who in his first game against Old Mitchamians on 13th March 1948 was reported as having ‘scored a magnificent try by plunging over the line with several of the opposition hanging on to him.’
The season closed with a record win against Stones (Charlton) by 69 – 0 and an Easter Tour of France.
The 1948/9 season which opened with a tour to Angouleme and Riberac saw the arrival of the Close twins, Ted and Sid, who were described in the local paper as ’15 stone ex-Welsh Guardsman.’ At the time both were railway policemen and came from Stow-on-the-Wold. Sid returned to Stow after a short spell but Ted continued to play for the club for many seasons and was a distinguished Captain, not to mention his role as MC at countless Club suppers. With eh close twins, Mog Watkins and ‘Penzance’ Richards the GWR pack assumed giant proportions and was the foundation of many wins during the season and a final points tally of 430 not to mention a good All Line Cup run during which there were wins over Bristol 47 – 3, Newport by 14 – 3, and Aberbeeg 6 – 0 before succumbing in the Final to Dyffryn Yard by 8 – 14.
On 15th January 1949 London Transport’s ground record was taken and the winning try was the first to be scored against them that season.
On 5th February Howard Rees, Doug Davies and Glyn Lewis were chosen to play for british Railways against Metropolitan Police. In a current report Gwyn Lewis was described as being ‘of Wasps’ with whom he had a brief flirtation as had Doug Davies and the Close twins with Harlequins earlier in the Season.
On the week-end of February 12/13th there was a tour to Dublin and the French from CA Riberac were at Castle Bar Park over Easter.
The season also saw what seems to have been the end of Doug Gamble’s playing career and a current report reveals that ‘he was persuaded to turn out at the age of 40 plus and acquitted himself well in a 14 – 6 win over South West Essex Technical College.’
By the end of the 1948/9 season there was a regular fixture list for the A XV.
A PURPLE PATCH
The 1949/50 season commenced with the loss of ‘Mog’ Watkins who had been persuaded to join Borderers, a Hillingdon based Club which had been founded that season. Naturally the new club was accommodated by GWR for most of its early games and it is interesting to note that in the Middlesex County Times of 14th January 1950 a disclaimer appeared in the following terms: ‘ In our last issue there was report of a friendly game between GWR and Borderers RFC’s. This should have read ‘between JFC Swallows XV and G Evan’s XV as clubs are not permitted to play on Sundays.‘ Word had obviously filtered through to the County Union or even to the RFU itself! GWR won that first encounter by 6 – 0 but lost the return match at castle bar a fortnight later by 5 – 6.
A number of Sunday fixtures were arranged during the season all subsequently under the guise of someone or other’s XV!
A game against Brigands on 1st April and a game on the Sunday following were occasions for collections for the South Wales Air Disaster Fund to help the dependants of those killed in the charter aircraft which crashed bringing supporters back from the Ireland v Wales International in Dublin.
The season’s results were statistically the best ever when under the joint captaincy of George Elliott and Denis Hullah the 1st XV scored 470 points points in 23 games losing only to the A XV’s of the Ist class clubs: Wasps, Saracens, London Welsh and Newport. The match against Newport United (the Newport 2nd XV) at Newport on 22nd April was the last match of the season. GWR lost by 0 – 33 and regrettably it was acknowledged that there was too much disparity in the sides for the match to continue as an annual fixture particularly in view of the distance.
Newport United’s win enabled them to complete the first undefeated season in 60 years.
Season 1950/51 was one of mixed fortunes due to no doubt a strengthening of the fixture list as a result of the previous season. The playing membership was well balanced between Railwaymen and Associates and among the regulars were Gary Jones, Gwyn Lewis, Doug Davies, Alex brown, Tom Webster (later to emigate to Australia), Ken Cummings and Keith Prosser.
The Railwaymen had a good run in the All Line Cup starting with an 8 – 3 win against Pontypool who included Welsh international Don Hayward (later to emigrate to New Zealand.) Cardiff were beaten by 15 – 3 but after a drawn semi-final against Aberbeeg 3 – 3 the return game at bath on 1oth February was narrowly lost by 0 – 3.
On 24th February 1951 Alex Brown, Doug Davies, Jack Swallow, GD (Butch) Wright and George Jarrett played for British Railways against French Railways – a fixture briefly revived post-war. Wright (T) and Swallow (C and PG) scored all the points in an 8 – 3 win which was referred to in a match report as ‘ compensation for England’s defeat by France on the same day.)
Interestingly the A Team Fixture List did not appear in the Association’s Winter Fixture Card and although A Team games were played a full fixture list for the A XV did not appear until the 1954/5 season although this may well have been due to printing deadlines.
Travel difficulties and the vagaries of the Old Oak Common Shift work had already ruled out continuing fixtures with clubs such as Brighton and Swindon but a useful fixture list had been achieved and fixtures with the A XV’s of Wasps, Saracens and London Welsh had been retained.
In 1955 playing conditions were considerably improved when with the help of KWC Grand, one time General Manager of Western Region, a member of the British Railways Board and a former player, the Staff Association was persuaded to lay a new rugger pitch at Castle Bar Park.
Over the years the pitch had been marked out in various positions north of the tennis courts – some seasons parallel to and others at right angles. The new site chosen much to the envy of the Soccer section was alongside the path forming the southern boundary of the ground. Being at a slightly higher level it had the advantage of what natural drainage there was but in addition the whole pitch was raised with sub-soil drainage material making it one if not the driest pitch in Middlesex in wet weather. Moreover it was given a generous size with deep in-goal areas.
Unfortunately for the first couple of seasons a considerable amount of flintstone bedding came to the surface and was only removed by some diligent hand=picking by members and by pupils of nearby Selburne School recruited by teacher and playing member Gwyn Petty. The super drainage was not at first conductive to grass thickening but the pitch gradually settled down and subsequently gave little trouble.
The new pitch was even provided with a ‘grandstand’ in the shape of a former railway platform shelter and affectionately known as Jack Thomas’s brothel’ after a staunch supporter of the club.
A SECOND PURPLE PATCH
The laying of the new pitch coincided with a second purple patch for the club. For several reasons the team showed a remarkable consistency of composition with many ‘ever present’ members and always adequate substitutes for any Railwaymen whose hours of duty sometimes prevented them from playing.
A number of the Associate members were teachers at local schools and usually Welsh. Among the best remembered in that period were the ‘Three Musketeers’: Eifion Evans, Mostyn Williams and Alan Thomas. Mostyn was a winger while Eifion (scrum) and Alan (stand-off) were a formidable half-back pair who often nettled opposing teams by communicating their moves in Welsh! Eifion was a talented violinist and could not possibly have chosen a more dangerous position on the field so far as his hands were concerned and he did indeed injure a finger on one occasion during a Saturday morning match. He was taken to hospital by Don Johnston who managed to get him to the head of the casualty queue by persuading a nurse that Eifion was a very important player who was due to play in a big match that afternoon! However one suspected that Eifion loved his rugger more than his violin and together one or two other rugger he was a more than useful member of the Cricket Section as well.
Eifion who subsequently emigrated to Australia recalls this purple period of GWR RFC with nostalgic affection … ‘My experiences with the infamous GWR Club started on a Saturday afternoon early in September 1955. Mostyn and I who were lodging nearby with a Scottish woman who was almost starving us to death had seen the rugby posts when exploring the locality. The 1st XV was playing away that day and to our delight the A team was short so we were immediately recruited by Paul Pearman who welcomed us in grandiose terms making us feel well out of our depth.
The 1st team were away the following week but by this time we had met the imitable JFC Swallow who quickly led us to believe that the GWR 1st XV was a team of gigantic forwards and lightening backs who had made the Springboks and All Blacks seem like small boys. Obviously the gulf between the A team we were playing for and the 1st team was galactic.
Finally we made the 1st team and we were much relieved to discover that they were after all mere mortals. That was the start of a wonderful year for us and I still look back on the season of 1955/6 with a special feeling of
warmth and affection. I think of those players I had so much fun with in the 1955/6/7 seasons and they will always remain rich and pleasant memories for me.’
The squad of players who played mostly during this ‘purple patch’ in the history of the GWR were:
Denis Hullah, Jimmy Sartain, Mostyn Williams, Ken Barrington, Kevin Ryan
Frank Horton, Dai Williams, Geraint Lewis, Geoff Hughes, Howie Rees
Dougie Davies, Alan Thomas, Mick Pagalatous, Des Lee, George Jarratt
Eifion Evans, Gwyn Petty, Dave Upton, John Veale, Alwyn Thomas
Leo Reardon, Ted Close, Geoff Jones, Doug Sansom, Austin Shine,
Phil Beck, Stauart Nesbitt, paul Evans, Graham Jenkins.
Leo Readon the hooker was the second of three excellent hookers – Danny Tobin (whose father had played for Aberavon and Mark Allen were the others who would have held their own at higher level but following on as they did one after the other ensured that GWR were particularly well serviced in this department for almost a couple of decades. Dan Tobin’s son later played for GWR.
The club records for these three seasons were as follows:
Date
P
W
D
L
Points for
Points against
1955/56
31
20
2
9
322
204
1956/57
32
21
1
10
432
173
1957/58
30
20
5
5
418
171
In the first port-war decade it must also be recorded that the club had an almost endless intake of Commonwealth ‘nomads’ from ‘down under’ who found empathy in GWR’s slightly eccentric way of running a rugger club! In particular they often chose not to understand the subscription system. One of the best remembered is probably Aussie Jim Murphy, a fine three-quarter with just a hint of Rugby League!
The net result of this unique combination of Welsh locomen, Welsh schoolmasters, wandering Antipodeans, a few Englishmen and the occasional Irishman was that the XV’s of the late 40’s and 50’s proved to be the most successful playing sides in the club’s history so far.
Difficult times
The 60’s saw the beginning of what proved unfortunately to be a gradual decline in the club’s playing fortunes although part reputation and good fixture secretaries resulted in fixture lists being maintained at a reasonable standard. The junior sides of most of the 1st class clubs ie. London Welsh, Rosslyn Park, Saracens etc had disappeared from the fixture list by the end of the decade although this was not entirely due to comparative strengths. Many of the players felt that games against clubs of similar size and status to GWR were often more enjoyable on and off the field than games against the minor XV’s of the 1st class clubs.
There appears to have been two main reasons for the club’s decline:
Firstly the introduction of diesel locomotives on the railways and later ‘single manning’ of such locos had reduced sharply the flow of young footplate-men from South Wales to London and some of the originals now drivers found it difficult to continue. There was also less potential at the Paddington offices which were being de-centralised. Secondly a stage had been reached when many of the immediate post-war associate members were hanging up their boots and replacements were increasingly difficult to find not least because of competition from an increasing number of clubs – especially Old Boys clubs in the area.
HELP FROM AEC RFC
Crisis point was reached in about 1975 when playing strength had fallen to such a degree that only one side was being fielded regularly. It was symptomatic of most sections at Castle Bar and even the one-time all-powerful cricket section had been obliged to merge with another club.
This was later seen as a solution for the rugger section when in 1979 the AEC Works at Southall closed down leaving their rugger club high and dry. As the two clubs recruited from the same locality it was agreed that GWR should offer membership to those AEC players who had not opted for other clubs. As it turned out about thirty players joined GWR giving a much needed boost to the playing membership. An additional bonus was that the AEC’s Fixture Secretary, Roy Sullivan, came over and continued to do the same job for GWR as well as giving his services to the London Society of RFU Referees.
Few of GWR’s early opponents appear on current fixture lists but difficult times have been weathered and if the spirit and enthusiasm generated at
Annual Suppers counts for anything then GWR RFC is set fair to carry on for many more years to come.
DISTINGUISHED PLAYING MEMBERS
In the Club’s 60 or so years of existence many hundreds of rugger players have contributed and will continue to contribute in their own way to the Club’s progress but brief mention must be made of those who graduated to 1st class clubs and one or two who came in the other direction bringing their skills with them.
Those progressing to a higher level include Dai Jenkins (to London Welsh) Gwyn Lewis (to Neath and Swansea as Captain) Phil Beck and Alan Thomas (to Saracens – the former playing in the Middlesex Sevens Finals at Twickenham in 1958) Bob Potter and Roger Barr (to Met Police – the latter also playing for Cambridge University) John Davies and Dave Gardiner (to Wasps) Stuart Nesbitt and Dave Campbell (to Rosslyn Park) Ken Barrington (to London Welsh). Those bringing first class to Castle Bar include Jack swallow (from Newport) Roy ‘Dinky’ Morgan (from Wasps) Gwili Morris (from Saracens) Jack Cummins (from Bridgend.)
GWR
Undoubted highlights of the 30’s were the Easter Tours remembered vividly by Jack Mummery:
‘We had three tours while I was a playing member. The first was in 1935 when as Western Wanderers we went to Somerset and played Frome and Old Sulians (Bath.) The party included a player from Staines and two from Berkshire Wanderers (later Reading.)
Our HQ was at a Frome Hotel and having given our Berkshire friends up for lost on Good Friday evening we were distributed at a solo school in my bedroom (shared with Doug Gamble) at about 1 a.m. by a thunderous assault on the hotel entrance doors. We never did find out where they had been until that hour. On our return from Bath next day again after midnight one of our guest players who had had a skinful found he had done a childish act which necessitated a bath and following the previous night’s disturbance a 1 a.m. bath at a small country hotel did nothing to endear us to our hosts.
Our second venture was in 1937 to jersey – a joint tour with SR and LMS players. Having lost to jersey on the Saturday we were hoping to play a
touring Bristol side on the Sunday but were refused the use of the ground on religious principles. So we played on the sands and poor Doug Gamble broke his leg. This was a set-back in more than one respect.
The previous evening in Bristol side had dug up a fair sized tree from a neighbouring property and had re-planted it in the hotel forecourt. Doug and I had been detailed to improve on this so now on my own and well oiled I nipped into the next door garden and repeated the operation. I was later told that I had invaded the garden of an important Jersey citizen but we all got safely away the next day.
The third tour in 1939 proved to be the best of all. We again travelled as Western Wanderers but this time eastwards to St Neots where we took over the New Inn Hotel with a party of 18 and played Cambridge and St Neots. Returning from Cambridge on the Saturday the coach broke down near a pub called The Caxton Gibbet. Unfortunately mine host did not welcome our temporary stay while a relief coach was sent. The churlish reception apparantely rankled with three of the younger members of the party who borrowed a car and a saw. They returned to the Pub after closing time and sawed down the pub sign. Indignant reports of vandalism later appeared in the local newspaper.
The rugby? Oh yes. We lost to Frome and Old Sulians; lost to Jersey; drew with Cambridge and lost to St Neots but what a wonderful time we all had.’
Mention must now be made of the club’s post-war tours which were more ambitious but no less incident packed than those if their pre-war counterparts – rugger types never change.
The first tour to France at easter 1947 was believed to be the first post-war Continental tour by any rugger club – certainly by a junior club. It was of course helped by the travel concession available to railway members who in turn generously assisted ‘Associate’ members.
For Easter two games had been arranged in the traditionally rugger playing area of SW France. The first on Easter 6 April was against Club Athletic Riberacois (CAR). In a subsequent issue of the GWR Magazine Steve Carson wrote: ‘A crowd of 3000 watched the match with CAR who had brought in three French international players and three trial caps to strengthen their side. The local press credited the GWR captain (JFC S) with ‘fifteen international caps’ – distinctly flattering to an uncapped player. The GWR team was: D Davies, G Edwards, J Bromley, G Brown,
R Scarlett, J Swallow, L Edwards, P Boucherat, D Edwards, W Elliott,
R Futcher, D Wilcox, H Webster, I Carson, G Elliott.
CAR won by 30 – 9
On Easter Monday a game against Union Sportive de St Leonard was narrowly lost by0 – 3. S.Goldsworthy, K. Prosser, D.Gamble, J.Hanna and J.Masters played in this game. Organisation of the Tour was the work of Ray Thomas (Secretary) and Si Goldsworthy (believed to be the only French speaking member of the party.)
Recalling this Tour JFCS writes: ‘Three Irishmen came with us and one of them walked blind drunk into the duck pond in the middle of Riberac. He thought it was so shallow but it was 20ft deep and he couldn’t swim. No-one missed him for a few minutes but a few Frenchmen passing by saw bubbles coming up from the middle of the pond, thought it was a fish and tried to net it. He took two days to recover. This was the first Tour which underlined the risks of taking wives and girlfriends on Rugger Tours but this is another story!’
Exchange visits with French clubs have continued regularly since including fixtures against Angouleme (1948) SCNF French Railways (1952 and 1972) ASPO Tours (1954) and SCPO (1970). New ground was broken in 1958 with a tour to Holland (Amsterdam and Hiversum) which was repeated in 1968. More recently tours to Guernsey have been regularly made. Last but not least mention must be made of the Irish Tours faciliatated through contact with the Irish Railways. Flushed with memories of the ’47 French Tour Dublin was the chosen venue of the Easter Tour of 1948. Apart from the rugger Ireland had the attraction of food in plenty un-rationed sweets and chocolate and inexpensive watches many of which came back to England in the toes of muddy rugger boots and socks.
The Grosvenor Hotel where the team was based had rather more than its fair share of slightly bizarre activity that weekend and one player had not heeded the lesson of the Riberac Tour.
Additionally at about midnight a member was intercepted by the management carrying a bicycle up the Hotel staircase to his bedroom on the top floor. It transpired that he and his room mate had invited a couple of colleens to their room but one had a cycle that she was unwilling to be parted from so with admirable resource born no doubt of some frustration the cycle was being taken to the room as well. But by far the funniest of all was the sight of the pair the following morning being marched off to compulsory Mass by their two conquests.
The rugger was disappointing. One match fell through and the Easter Sunday game against North Kildare was lost by 5 – 15 with Si Goldsworthy off the field for 15 minutes with a twisted knee (no replacements then.) The team was: Jock Dunsire, Gordon Edwards, Doug Davies,
Dennis Davies, Denis Hullah, Jack Swallow, George Jarratt, Keith Prosser, Si Goldsworthy, Bill Elliott, A.Rogers (SR), Ray Thomas, Llew Edwards, Steve Carson and Gwyn Lewis.
Dublin was again the venue for the following February (to coincide with the Ireland v England International) and games were played against North Kildare (lost 0-3) and the Railway Union (drew 0-0). Writing in the GWR Magazine Steve Carson said: ‘After seeing Ireland notch their fourth successive victory over England (largely due to the liveliness of their pack and those brilliant halves Kyle and Strathdee) the western party went to Flynn’s Hotel and were entertained to dinner by the Railway Union. Albert O’Connell was ruler of the feast and a musical evening principally contributed to by the visitors of whom a majority nobly lived up to the Bardic reputation of their forbears.’
Irish exchange continued to give pleasure for some years until contacts gradually became eroded.
During the 50’s new ground was broken with weekend tours to Amsterdam. Effion Evans recalls: ‘ Amsterdam! Oh yes Amsterdam. Three wonderful weekends when we tried to pack in so much living. Paraphrasing Churchill – never have so few tried to pack in so much in so short a time! Once again the all night drinking and singing boat trip and the bleary-eyed improbable squad (dare I use the word ) of ‘athletes’ met by keen-eyed, neat jacketed, fit-looking young Dutchmen. This same lot of dead-beats then proceeded to whack the daylights out of the Dutch with scintillating breaks even though a few hours earlier they had to be helped down the gangway of the boat at the Hook of Holland.’
As the railwaymen players with their concessional travel facilities gradually went into the minority overseas tours were replaced with venues nearer to home and in 1957 the Middlesex County Times recorded that ‘On Easter Monday 22 April GWR broke their ‘never won a tour match’ record by beating Ilfracombe 19-11 after ‘special training on the beach! More recently Guernsey has been a favoured tour venue.
OFF THE FIELD
There is little reason to believe that up to World War 2 the off-field management of GWR RFC was other than very precise. Not so after the
War when some of the situations which arose were pure theatre with Jack Swallow mostly centre-stage.
Some of the little aggravations were generated by the fact that the Rugger Section was only part of a larger organisation – a situation in which few rugger clubs find themselves mostly preferring to be on their own so as not to cramp their social style.
One such situation involved a group unknown in pre-war days – the ‘Old Oak Boys’ as they were affectionately called.
THE OLD OAK BOYS
The immediate post war years saw a considerable movement from South Wales to London of young locomotive firemen who mostly lived in the Hostel at the Old Oak Common Depot. Now the post-war Association Rule Book still included the restriction of membership to ‘clerical and salaried staff of the GW Railway Company.’
This strictly speaking excluded ‘wages staff’ such as footplatemen. The rules however had always included a provision for members to introduce ‘Associate Members’ subject to Committee
and Castle Bar Park
The Great Western Railway Football Club is a section of the GWR (London) Athletic Association but not a founder section.
The Association was originally formed in 1900 with the object of uniting the several ‘Clubs’ which then exited and for promoting sports and recreation for the benefit of the technical, clerical and supervisory staff. It had taken some 65 years since the founding of the Great Western Railway Company in 1835 to reach this stage. The next 85 years were to witness a catalogue of almost continuous progress in providing thousands of railwaymen and their friends with a wide range of sporting and recreational activities.
The announcement of the formation of the Association was in the following terms which echo the master/servant relationship of the day:
‘The Directors of the Company have with kind liberality provided for the use of the Association a piece of ground 17 acres in extent pleasantly situated in the fields lying to the north of West Ealing Station have voted a sum of £1000 for the purpose of building a pavilion and laying out the ground and have agreed to make a grant of 100 guineas towards the expenses of the Association for the first year’.
It would appear that the 17 acres was and still is the area within the boundaries of the Castle Bar Park Ground.
At the time the GWR Company’s road transport was horse drawn and the Veterinary Department and Hospital for sick horses was on land fronting Ruislip Road East later the site of Ealing Council’s Gurnell Grove Housing Estate. Convalescent horses took their exercise in the area between the western boundary of the Sports ground and the railway embankment.
The original sections of the Cricket, Football, Boating and Swimming which no doubt had been organised from Paddington with activity venues elsewhere. The new Association provided facilities for Athletic, Hockey, Lawn Tennis, Bowls, Quoits and Angling. Together these made up a ‘Minor Sports Section’ and interesting description in the light of the subsequent national development of some of these ‘minor sports’.
The pre-eminence of the ‘major’ sections was underlined in the inaugural year of the Association by a gift from Mr H Wilkinson (General Manager) of ‘four challenge cups to be competed for by members of the Boating,
Cricket, Football and Swimming Sections. There was much pride among the staff in winning a “Wilkinson” Cup.
The first Annual Report of the Association dated 30 September 1900 mentioned that the membership was 759 and that there had been provided two cricket pitches, four lawn tennis courts, a bowling green, two quoit pitches and levelling for a portion of ground devoted to football.
The Report concluded by saying that when the various improvements had been carried out the Association would be in possession of one of the best athletic grounds in the neighbourhood of London.
This was probably not an overstatement. At the time recreational facilities were largely confined to common land and a few private clubs and later provided by a few public spirited individuals such as ‘Pa’ Toley who in Ealing and the area surrounding acquired and roughly prepared fields for letting to clubs. Indeed at the turn of the Century subsequently prestigious rugger clubs such as Wasps and London Welsh were having to make do with fairly primitive facilities provided by ‘Pa’ Toley.) His sons subsequently sold part of the family land at Sudbury to the Wasps Club to enable them to establish their own ground and was a Vice-President of that Club.)
1n 1901 the new GWR Sports Ground was provided by the Company’s Directors with a Pavilion ‘with refreshment bar and separate tea kiosk.’ It is not certain whether it was licensed but as the tea bar was separate presumably it was.
1n 1912 the building of a cottage for the Head Groundsman was authorised by the Directors.
1n 1929 the new Pavilion was built to the north of the original to provide a large hall, bar, lounge, kitchen and ladies’ changing room the original pavilion building being used for male changing rooms, shower and toilets. The new accommodation enabled Badminton and Table Tennis sections to be formed.
At about this time the Association’s Vice Presidents presumably GWR Company Directors and/or shareholders read like a page out of a combination of Debretts and Who’s Who. Included were Viscount Churchill, The Honourable JJ Astor, Lord Dulverston, he Earl of Dunraven, Lord Glanely, the Earl of Inchcape, Lord Mildmay of Flete, Viscount Tredegar and two subsequent Prime Ministers in Stanley Baldwin and
Harold McMillan. Principal and Senior Officers of the GWR were also among the Vice-Presidents.
During the War of 1939/45 part of the Ground situated alongside the Bowling Green was given over to Allotment Gardens for the use of Members of the Association.
A landmine ruined the hard tennis courts and damaged the Pavilion but this notwithstanding bowls, cricket and hockey continued throughout the War period.
The Rugger Section was not able to continue as many of its members being in the TA Supplementary Reserve and R.A.F.V.R were quickly called to the Colours some as Royal Engineers for railway operation. Records show that fixtures were fulfilled for the 1939/40 season.
After the War the GWR Company Directors agreed to ‘re-plan and refurbish the ground providing a 6 rink bowling green, 10 tennis courts, a croquet green, 2 cricket pitches, 3 hockey pitches, 2 soccer pitches and a rugby pitch. Quoits, Angling, Boating, Swimming and Athletics had disappeared from the list of Association activities.
By this time the land to the north and west had ceased to be used as recuperation fields for the company’s horses. The northerly land was disposed of the Ealing Council for an estate of flats (Gurnell Grove.) The westerly land remained undeveloped and for a number of post war seasons was used in part to provide a second rugby pitch and again more recently by an arrangement with Ealing Council which acquired the land in the 1970’s and used part for building Gurnell Combined First and Middle School. The remaining railway owned land which continued southwards alongside the railway loop line as far as Drayton Bridge Road and was used as Allotment Gardens during the Second World War has been disposed of over the years to Ealing Council for the building of Argyle Manor Assessment Centre and Castle Bar and Compton Schools and to the GLC for part of the Copley Close Estate. At the Drayton Green Road end Barratts have a small housing estate and the Seventh Day Adventists a meeting hall.
THE RUGGER SECTION
The Early Days
No doubt encouraged by the expansion of activities at Castlebar a Rugger section was formed shortly after the First World War.
The Section is included in the RFU Records as being in membership of the Union as from 1st September 1921 and appeared in the Union’s handbook for the season 1921/22. the Secretary was Mr S Atkins of the Superindendent’s Office at Paddington. Founder Member Derrick Swain a 15 year old junior at the time recalls him:
‘I have a vivid memory of Atkins. He was in the Goods Train Running Section of the Superindendent of the Line’s Office. He was a splendid personality was very tall well over 6 feet and a formidable player. He got hold of a number of young players like myself and before we knew where we were he had got us taped to form the GWR Rugby Club.’
The Section played for much of the 1920/1 season before becoming a fully affiliated RFU Club at the start of the 1921/2 season. The first public mention of GWR RFU was in the Middlesex County Times the local Ealing newspaper on 2nd October 1920 and referred to the previous Saturday (25th September) as follows:
Ealing RFC had a trial game on Saturday against GWR AA at the latter’s splendidly equipped ground at Castle Bar Park. The GWR are endeavouring to run this season a XV in connection with their Athletic Association and invited Ealing to a practice match to determine how such a venture would shape. The GWR were two short but the attendance of the Ealing players was so good as to enable quite 40 players to take part in what was more of a preliminary canter than a serious reflection of form. The play therefore calls for little description. Ealing will meet the GWR AA again this afternoon (2nd October) at castle Bar Park and it will be of interest to note how the latter have benefited by their adoption of the Rugger Code. We wish them every support and success!
And so the first game played by GWR took place on 2nd October 1920 at Castle Bar Park against the ‘A’ team of local rivals Ealing who had already been in existence for 49 years. The Middlesex County Times of 9th October recorded the occasion as follows:
‘Ealing turned up two short at Castle Bar Park on Saturday and played without a full-back. The backs handled the greasy ball brilliantly and made some fine passing runs. Bynner converted Ealing’s first try and at half time Ealing led by 11 points to 3. Re-commencing Ealing scored again and then from a scrimmage the opposite scrum-half got over. The score was repeated a little later and four more un-converted tries were scored and Ealing finished victorious by 26 points to 11’
Local newspaper reporting of local rugger games of this period tended not to mention scorers so posterity may never know whether GWR’s first ever score was a try or a penalty goal or who scored it. GWR played Ealing again on 23rd October but there is no record of the score.
First mention of a scorer’s name was in the report of the game on 20th November in which London Irish ‘A’ beat GWR by 6 pts (2 tries) to 3 (1try).
Scorer of the GWR try was R.Baker.
On 27th November GWR gained what appears to be their first victory when they beat Guys Hospital Nomads by 3 pts ( 1 try) to nil. The report mentioned promising runs being made by J.D.Swain (stand-off half) and G.E.Rowe (right winf three quarter). On 4th December St Mark’s College Chelsea were the opponents (no report) and on 11th December Guys Hospital Nomads avenged their earlier defeat by ‘bringing on a stronger team’ and winning by 12 points (4 tries) to 3 (1 try). P.J.Jarvis was GWR’s scorer.
On December 18th GWR made the comparatively long journey to Chelmsford and were heavily defeated by 42-6 partly as a result of playing three men short during the first half. The game report concluded: ‘The visitors GWR were subsequently entertained to tea by E. Gray JP whose eldest son had played a prominent part in the afternoon’s contest and the carrying of a vote of thanks by the GWR to the promoter concluded an enjoyable afternoon.’
Games were reported regularly throughout the 1920/21 season and opponents included Richmond 2nds, St Barts Hospital, Old Dunstonians B, Old Blues 2nd, Life Guards, Siemens and Lensbury.
Regular fixtures continued into the 1921/22 season with the club now in membership of the RFU.
On 11th February the Middlesex County Times reported : ‘In view of the fact that only last December GWR were beaten by Rosslyn Park ‘A’ by 40-
0 and by Richmond ‘A’ by 32-0 results of the past four weeks show a very marke improvement in the team:
14 January v Royal Naval College Greenwich L 3 – 9
21 January v Rosslyn Park A W9 – 3
28 January v Old Blues 3rds W9 – 8
4 February v Richmond A L 8 – 9
29 points for and 29 against
Mentioned as being scorers or playing well during this period were Ackerman Schneider Prescott Flaxman Morris LV Davies Jarvis Hurford and Hicks.
On 1st April 1922 the County Times reported: ‘An interesting rugby match will be played next Wednesday evening at 5.45pm between GWR and Alexandra Docks and Rail Newport. Strong teams have been selected for this return game including three Welsh internationals:
GWR…..H.Charlton (Newport) F.Webb (Gloucester) J.Ring (Aberavon) D.Hunt Davies W.J. Hopkins (Aberavon) Con Evans (Aberavon) Len Bowen (Swansea & Wales
V. Captain) forwards from: Steve Roberts (Pontypool – Capt.) W.C.Evans R Ford Ebb Williams (Newport) R.H.B. Nicholls (OldPaulines) W.Hopkins (Aberavon) J.Ackerman (GWR London) A.Hinam (Cardiff) and J.Schneider (GWR London)
AD & R.. C Davies (Pill Harriers) A.Stock (Newport) J.Clark (Pill Harriers) J.Wetter (Newport & Wales – Capt) J.Channing (Abertillery) J.Foley (Pill Harriers) S.Manship C.Channing forwards from: W.Cookham M.R. Dixon G.Collins (Newport) J.Scannell J.Lynch A.Marshall J.Casey J.Neale (Pill Harriers) V.Llewellyn (AD Police)
Referee: T.H.Vile (Newport & Wales) A collection was taken for the Railway Convalescent Homes.
The result of the match was a win for AD & R by 16 points to 9. Scorers for Ad & R were Foley (T 2C) Wetter (T) Stock (T) and for GWR Webb (T) Charlton (PG) and W.C.Evans (T)
Games continued to be reported regularly up to the end of 1922/23. Season and new opponents included Wasps, St Mary’s Hospital, old Paulines, StandardBank of South Africa, Thames Valley, Twickenham and Edgeware. The activities of the last named being reported at some length
in the County Times although their pitch was at Chandos Field Edgeware. Playing for them for the last time was C.H.Gadney who was later to make his name in rugger circles as a referee and President of the RFU. The last game reported by the County Times was that of 29th September 1923 when GWR beat Edgeware ‘A’ by 14-6. Nothing appears to have been reported from that date until March 1927.
The difficulties which may have daunted the pioneers and caused what seems to have been a break are aptly summed up by John Goddard a member at the time of the revival: ‘Early efforts to establish Rugby Football at Castle Bar were in my opinion doomed to failure. We were allocated a pitch which was not quite up to the minimum size on the outfield of the 1st X1 Cricket Pitch on the north side of the ground close by the bowling green and from the outset we were in great trouble. Practically every kick to touch on the far side had to be recovered from the hallowed Cumberland turf of the bowling green which not un-naturally aroused the collective wrath of the highly influential members of the Bowls Section. The cricketers though perhaps less influential also found ample cause for complaint as they sadly watched their outfield being relentlessly transformed into a resemblance of a World War battlefield.’ John also recalls that the original playing strip was of black and red hoops of equal width which he preferred to the strip later adopted on re-formation (black with narrow cardinal hoops.)
‘there were problems in raising sides and fixture lists were never full. But adds John ‘ the greatest difficulties were attributable to the unhappy atmosphere which prevailed in the Club and was not unconnected with the personalities of some of its members. There was a general lack of interest and no encouragement to youngsters. Castle Bar was then at its lowest ebb both socially and administratively. It was badly run badly kept and with disgraceful facilities. The pretty green and white pavilion with its red tiled roof and clock tower looked splendid from the outside. Inside however it was dirty, bare and cold with only two over-crowded dressing rooms. Washing facilities were practically non-existent. This is not to say that these factors alone brought the original Rugger Section to its untimely end. There was more to it than that but they were among several which undoubtedly contributed to its decline and with no spirit to keep it alive the Section fizzled out mostly unmourned.’
The reformation of the section which has existed to the present day was undoubtedly due to the energies of Ted (Paddy) Flaxman. Dai Jenkins one of his contemporaries recalls: ‘In 1925 he (Paddy) was Secretary to the Assiant Chief Engineer (E.C.Matheson father of Eddie – later a player.) One morning he said something like: ‘I am going to restart the GWR RFC ‘
to which I replied: ‘You cannot. You haven’t anyone who plays. You are centre forward for the hockey side and I am outside left for the soccer.’ He said that he would get some players and Bill Dunstan and Tom Taylor where mentioned. Others canvassed included John Ackerman, Jim Arlett , Ron Jones, Jim Turner and John Goddard.
In next to no time he had been in touch with the Rugby Union, arranged for samples of jerseys, fixed up with the athletic occasion for a pitch (with difficulty), arranged for the Engineering department at West Ealing to make some goal posts and recruited Freddie Warren the administrative head of the department to be Chairman. This appointment was a tremendous asset and opened the way to co-operation from all departments.
The big moment for me was a few days later when a brand new rugger ball was delivered to Ted at the office. I had never handled a ball like it before and in fact had never seen a rugby match until I played in one and knew nothing about the laws.
It was marvellous having some ‘passing’ in our little office and Ted guarded the windows so that my ‘passes’ would not land in Eastbourne Terrace.
Ted got together a team of sorts with 8 or 9 who hadn’t played before. I was told not to pass the ball forward and when you get a pass run like hell and with your speed you’ll be a sensation. After a pep talk from Ted I felt I was on the verge of the Welsh XV. In fact when in my first serious game I received my first pass I ran flat out past 7 or 8 opponents with ease and fell over the line as instructed. Even the opposition laughed when the skipper said: ‘Not that line – the one down there.’ It took me a long time to learn and I was beginning to think ‘ Next season I’m going back to soccer.’ However, I grew to like what I now described as this marvellous game. (Just four seasons after touching a rugby ball for the first time Dai Jenkins was in the London Welsh 1st XV and played against Cardiff and Llanelli on their Christmas and Easter Welsh tours during the 1929/30 season.)
A FRESH START
It is fairly certain that the first full season of the revived GWR RFC was 1926/27. John Goddard again takes up the story about the playing conditions: ‘There was a marked difference in atmosphere from the start and as a result we quickly laid the foundations of a strong membership. The association did not go out of its way to help us in the light of previously
strained relations. It was made clear that there was no room for us on the Ground proper and we had to be content with a pitch on the strip of land between the Pavilion and the railway (the site of the 2nd XV pitch post World War 2). It was rough going and a stern test of our enthusiasm. To make matters worse we had to share it with the horses whose presence there was very evident indeed when we fell about on Saturday afternoons. From this it might be gathered that conditions for the Rugby Football Section had not improved much. This was true but our strength of membership was such as to make some impact on the Association’s General Committee.
The first success was an improvement in the washing facilities. Nothing luxurious – galvanised iron baths in an open shed behind the Pavilion but it was a start.
Our next step was to become established in the ground proper. The soccer section which by then was in decline had three pitches and we pressed for and were eventually allocated one of these pitches on the east side of the ground south of the tennis court. The West Ealing Engineering Department made us a magnificent set of posts which at the time must have been the best in London.
We are now fielding two XVs with a full fixture lost for each and things were beginning to look good. Up to this time we still had the original black and red hooped jerseys but with a string body of opinion pressing for a change there was adopted a black jersey with narrow cardinal red hoops. These were stocked by an outfitters named SILVERS with branches in Reading and London.
A photo of the 1926/27 XV shows: FRE Davis (GWR Co Secretary) FC Warren (Administrative Head of Engineering Department) EG Matheson (Assistant Chief Civil Engineer) FS Creswell (Parliamentary Engineer) AGP Sage, MG Slade, AW Taylor, JA Taylor, JA Burdett, HS Colston, EP Culverhouse (Captain) WT Dunstan, E Flaxman, H George, HR Hammond, DL Jenkins, RH Jones, EL Pannell. The fifteenth player was John Goddard but he happended to be taking the photograph! The ‘A’ XV of the same season shows FC Warren, George Bravo (Touch Judge) Aldis, Doughty, J Goddard, HR Hammond, Hawkins Head, A Hill (Capt) DL Jenkins, RH Jones, Prior, AGP Sage, Shackelton, Shute, Snow, AW Taylor (2 unknowns)
There was already some movement between sides as might be expected in the early days.
Included in the regular fixture lists were Clubs such as: Toc H British Thomson Houston CAV and of course near neighbours Ealing now a top junior club despite or because of having to wait for almost 100 years before enjoying facilities comparable to those enjoyed by GWR RFC from the outset.
There were too a number of long distance fixtures made possible with the help of colleagues of the Train Running Section. Dai Jenkins recalls: ‘With the Chief Officers behind us Ted (Flaxman) arranged all sorts of things such as matches at Bristol and Bath with a saloon and a refreshment car at the rear of the 9.15 am ex Paddington. On one occasion coming back from Bristol the front of the engine was decorated with the words ‘Great Western Railway headquarters Rugby Team’ by the local station staff. HQ staff used to be considered in the Provinces in the late 20’s and early 30’s as ‘big noises’
John Goddard also recalls: ‘ I well remember that we had to obtain permission to leave work early on the Saturday morning normally not finishing until 1 pm. I remember playing against Bath Avon Club at Bath. Their HQ was the Old Crown Inn which overlooked the Ground and which may still be seen from the Railway at the foot of Bathampton Hill. Their pitch alongside the Avon has also now disappeared. They used to entertain us in the real ‘country’ style at The Crown and the landlord’s wife would insist on playing us a tune on the set of bells which hung from the ceiling.’
I also recall regular fixtures against Bath Harlequins and Bristol GWR who had a murderous ground at the back of the Loco sheds which had more firebox clinker than grass. We also played once at Cross Keys the most memorable feature of which was an enormous slag tip which rose almost vertically on one side of the ground providing what must have been the highest and most precipitous ‘grandstand’ in the country,’
With strong South Wales connections it was inevitable that there were ‘exchange’ games. At the Welsh end was Jack Wetter, a railwayman at Newport who had played for Newport RFC and had been capped for Wales. There were also attempts to foster Railway Internationals and John Goddard recalls playing in Dublin for and ‘England’ team comprising GWR LMS and SR players against the Irish Railways. But adds John: ‘It was all good fun but not very good rugby and after a couple of seasons or so the Internationals died a natural death.
Reporting of the GWR’s reformed Club was sporadic during the late 20’s but there were one or two occasions of note. On 5th March 1927 GWR
London played GWR Bristol at Bristol. The team which travelled on the 11.15 from Paddington was: W Dunstan, MG Slade, RH Jones, JA Burdett, D Lamb, MS Colston, EJ Hancock, PE Culverhouse, AS Addis, AR Kellham, RW Hilburn, ES Pannell, H George, AW Taylor, CS Sage. Reserves: DL Jenkins, LA Campbell, HR Hammond, JA Goddard, DW Davies.
The game which was played in a continuous downpour of rain was kicked off by Mr E.G.G. Matheson the Assistant Engineer at Paddington. Because of the conditions Burdett was moved from the three-quarters to the forwards where the strength and mobility were a great asset. Slade was injured during the match but the London side managed to win with a late dropped goal (4 pts) by Colston which overcame the try scored by Bristol. This was the first home defeat for the Bristol side for three seasons.
Games were being played against Toc H and CAV in 1927 and a report of the game on 2nd April in which GWR beat TOC H by 21-6 referred to ‘the improvement in form of Jenkins and Dunstan continues to be very marked and they play extremely well.’
A player who first joined the Club in 1927 was Eddie Jones who recalls: ‘A period of re-building was helped ironically by the general Strike of 1926 when staff were transferred to Paddington from South Wales many of them including myself being keen young rugby players – I had played for Penarth.’ (History was to repeat itself some twenty years later in the case of the Old Oak Common loco-men although their transfer was not because of a Strike.)
In my period there was a tremendous atmosphere of loyalty among players of both the 1st and 2nd teams. The 1st XV was formed mainly around the following: Gray (Capt) Jones, Colston, Artlett, Dunstan, George, Lewis, Baker, Smith, Charles, Billington and myself kept together for the whole of the 1927-30 period.
I remember that on 27th April 1929 at Castle Bar Park we played a South Wales GWR team which included Welsh Internationals Dan Jones (who scored six tries) Jack Wetter and Dai Parker. We lost by 43-3 and were obviously in a different class but the game was quite competitive.’
The may issue of the GWR Magazine reported: ‘A party travelled up with the team from South Wales luncheon being provided at the Paddington Hotel and tea afterwards at Ealing. The following among others were present: Mr HR Nicholls, Mr R Carpmael (who kicked off) Mr JF Lean, Mr FR Potter, Mr H Wheeler, Mr HR Campfield and Mr Trevor Roberts. After tea speeches were made in felicitous terms by Messrs. Nicholls, Trevor Roberts
(Pontpool Road), FC Warren (Chairman of Paddington Rugby Committee), Major Partridge (WRU Referee who officiated), Mr Jack Wetter and Mr CFT Basden who was warmly thanked as organiser of the South Wales side.’
A return match was played at Penarth. The London side were met at Cardiff Station by Mr CT Cox the Divisional Superindenent entertained to lunch and taken to the Lord Mayor’s Parlour where they signed the Visitors Book. The game itself was played in a howling gale and while the London side contained their opponents in the first half when playing with the wind the second half was a different story and says Eddie: ‘the score is best forgotten!’
RJ ARTLETT (Captain 1928/9)
In his notes of 9 November 1929 the Sports editor of the County Times reported ‘It is only by chance that RPJ Artlett the GWR forward who will play for the English Railways against the French Railways at Limoges on Monday, came to take up the game. Rugby is not played at Ealing County School where he was educated and as a youth he was a soccer player of promise becoming captain of the School and House XI’s. On his leaving school a friend introduced him to the handling code and well did he like his first experience that he decided to give it his full attention. He has never regretted the decision. A man of fine physique he has developed into a very useful forward with a nice turn of speed and a safe pair of hands. His selection is a well earned reward for his constant play.’
Artlett was a fine cricketer as well and at one time held the GWR 1st XI highest score record. He died at a relatively early age as a result of a fall from a horse.
THE THIRTIES
The 1931/2 season was sparsely reported in the Ealing Paper and the 1932/3 season not at all notwithstanding the 22 games were won including a New year’s Eve game away to Kildare and only 2 were lost each narrowly – the first game of the season to Old Windsorians and one at the end to Kingston.
Players representing the Club this season included: S.Gray (Capt), AW Taylor, W Rogers, D Gamble, R.Brice, E Flaxman, H George, R Artlett, G Smith, S Worth, F Hartnell, H Charles, W Major, I Tilbury, K Billingham.
By the mid 1930’s the section had settled well with two XV’s and regular fixtures with such Clubs as Kings College, The Royal College of Science , Staines Underground Railways (later London Transport), Old Blues, Kingston, Honor Oak Park and London Welsh Senior Side.
Although Railway Internationals were in decline representative matches between London and South Wales continued and a contemporary report of a match at Castle Bar on Saturday 7th March 1931 said: ‘The Welshman brought a particularly strong team under the captaincy of Dan Jones (Wales and Neath.) the result 6pts to nil in favour of the visitors reflects great credit on the play of the London team for which WF Rogers, AW Taylor, HM Charles and RS Lanning were particularly prominent. The game was fought out in excellent spirit and admirably controlled by Mr Wakefield.’ (In addition to Dan Jones the Welsh side included Dai Parker (Wales and Swansea) and Norman Fender (Wales and Cardiff.)
In the same season GWR (presumably London players only) defeated LMS at Castle Bar by 9 pts to nil in what was described as ‘a rather disappointing display.’
Mention earlier of Mr Wakefield was indeed of the legendary Wavers (later Lord) Wakefield popularly known as ‘Wakers’ who played for Cambridge University, RAF Harlequins, Barbarians and England. His involvement with GWR in the 1930’s came about in course of business. Once again Dai Jenkins takes up the story – ‘When he (Wakers) came down from Cambridge in about 1930 he took a position with a large firm of paint contractors. One morning he appeared in my office to see Mr Matheson the Assistant Chief Engineer who was at the time responsible for for considerable new work at Cardiff, Bristol and Paddington. As a result of his call ‘Wakers’ secured orders for his firm to supply vast quantities of paints and in return formed a friendly relationship with the GWR Rugby Club giving a talk and even arranging to bring a strong Harlequins side to Castlebar for the opening game of the 1933/4 season which the visitors won by 44-3.
A report of the game observed that ‘Hartnell Pearce and Worth made valiant efforts to stem the tide but the majority of the team were decidedly off –colour.’
New opponents that season included The Architectural Association (Elstree) Charlton Park, Frome Cosmo and Old Windsorians with RH Jones being the most consistent points scorer.
Mention is made in the 1934/5 season of games against Lensbury, Tiffinians, Paulines and Alyosians with most of the locally reported games being those of the A XV which was probably because the A Team match reporter lived in Ealing. A typical 1st XV of this period was… Wharton, Laurie, Ottway, Mummery, Diggory, Richards, Grant, Rand, Gamble, Lewis, Gadd, Read, Creswell, price and Butler.
On 23rd November 1935 (GWR London) played GWR (South Wales) at Castle Bar Park. A crowd of about 300 was present to see Sir Robert Horner kick off. Among those present were Sir W James Thomas one of the Company’s Directors who had accompanied the South Wales team Mr FRE Davis (Company Secretary) Mr R Carmael, Mr AC Cookson and Mr JF Lean. The referee was Mr WW Wakefield. The teams had been entertained to lunch at the Great Western Railway Hotel and tea was served in the Pavilion at the end of the game which South Wales won by 17 pts to nil.
On 11th January 1936 at Castle Bar Park British Railways played Irish Railways and won by 20 pts – 5 scorers for BR were Wyles (2T) Lowe (2T) Gray (T) Spence (T) and Swallow (C). For the Irish Gale scored a try and Dempsey converted.
On 24th October 1936 in a return match at Cross Keys GWR (London) lost narrowly by 5-9 to a South Wales side. For London RT Jones scored a try and J Swallow converted. Best remembered incident of the game was an unfortunate misunderstanding in the last minute between Pearce and Diggory which robbed London of almost certain victory. The teams were:
GWR (London): Richards, Diggory, Pearce, Jones , Hampshire, Swallow, Worth, Birmingham, Lake , Voyle, Stratton, Read, Stanbury, Gadd and Mannix.
GWR (South Wales): Owen (Neath), Case (Cross Keys) Wyles (crumlin, Cummins (Pontypridd), Williams (Abergavenny), Jones (Chepstow), Chatwin (Newport), Richatds (Pill Harriers), O’Brien (Penarth), Blake (Cardiff Athletic), Brown (Newport), Pritchard (Cardiff HSOB), Thomas and Davies (both Long Cross.)
On 20th February 1937 it was reported that the A XV had by that date scored 226 points which beat the previous best season’s total of 219 by the ist XV in the 1934/5 season.
The 1937/38 season proceeded with full fixture lists for both 1st and A XV’s and in defeating Windsor A on 1st January it was recorded that the 1st XV
had by then scored more than 200 points. A typical team of this period was: Wharton, Diggory, Baxter, James, Hullah, Swallow, Worth, Birmingham, Voyle, Hammett, Butler, Read, Rand, Taylor and Wilcox but there was movement between the XV’s and players such as Huddleston, Prior, Scarlett and Grant often appeared. One of the better wins during this season was an away victory against Brighton A by 11 – 9 on 30th October 1937 while on 18th December Osterley A were beaten by 47 – 8.
The 1938/9 season , the last full season before World War 2 included the annual fixture between Newport United on this occasion at Castle Bar Park with the visitors comfortable winners by 25 – 0. This was undoubtedly the strongest regular fixture enjoyed by the Club and was probably secured by the arrival at Castle Bar of JFC Swallow who had been transferred to London from Newport in his railway occupation. Jack who played for Newport 1st Xv was a considerable asset and immediately settled in as a fly half alongside Stan Worth.
Improved strength meant improved fixtures and by the outbreak of World War 11 the Club had regular fixtures with Reading, Slough, Swindon and Brighton (whose HQ was Sir Harry Preston’s Albion Hotel.)
The first phase of the GWR RFC ended with World War 11 although most of the fixtures for the 1939/40 season were honoured. Ray Thomas was general Factotem at the time and kept meticulous notes of the games. Typical entries being:
Oct 28th 1939 v Met Police H.Division
6d collected from each member for Club – the same to be done each Home game. Ref’s expenses 1/- (5p) Ref’s tea 10d (4p)
Nov 18th 1939 v Kingston (away)
Tea at Zeeta’s Café. Beer afterwards at the White Hart Hotel.
Feb 25th 1940 v Ealing
Collected 1/- each member except 2 soldiers and an Old Pauline player.
Referee IG Carson
March 16th 1940 v Kingston (away)
No lemons, No bath, No tea, Plenty of beer.
(The reference to lemons is interesting in that they used to be the accepted half-time refresher at all rugger levels. The use of oranges was considered to be effete. Wartime conditions meant the end of the import of lemons (largely from Italy) and when available oranges were substituted. Interestingly there has been no subsequent return to lemons.)
The last full game before the War was co-incidentally played against the AEC at their ground (AEC members subsequently joined GWR when their Club was discontinued when the Works closed down in 1979.)
Ray’s final entry records that on 6th April 1940 the game v Lloyds Bank was cancelled – ‘We played among ourselves with 12 men on one side and 13 on the other. The sides represented were England V. The Celts and the latter won easily. Photo taken of those who had played more than six games.
These in addition to Ray included Jock Dunsire, Jack Mummery, Jack Swallow, RH Nelson, R Prosser, Steve Carson, Doug Gamble, GH Jackson, Graham Grant, Gerry O’Hern, Denis Hullah, CW Glendinning, Doug Wilson and Jack Baxter.
The two last named who were not railwaymen had much to do with the playing success of the Club and were inseparable companions. Wilcox was a powerful forward while Baxter was a flying winger.
Thus ended temporarily the Club’s first phase of some 14 seasons during which it had become firmly established.
POST WAR RESUMPTION
The fact that the Association had carried on throughout the War meant that the basic facilities were available for a speedy resumption of rugger at Castle Bar and there was a complete fixture list for one XV in the 1946/7 season including an Autumn visit to Ireland and an Easter Tour in France.
The first match after World War 11 as with the Club’s very first match after World War 1 was against local rivals Ealing and the Middlesex County Times of 21st September 1946 reported that on 18th September ‘GWR RFC played Ealing RFC on Wednesday evening at Castle Bar Park. GWR won by 14 – 3. The GWR side which included two ex Welsh Secondary Schools Internationals and one ex Oxford Blue were superior throughout although Ealing fought back well in the second half. Cummins, Baxter and Buckner
scored tries for the GWR with Swallow converting one and kicking a penalty goal. Bevan scored for Ealing.’
A report in December referred to ‘J.Beakey a schoolboy international and Pierre Boucherat an ex skipper of King Henry V11 School Coventry.’
These and other reports of the period had about them a familiar ring of Jack Swallow who as mentioned elsewhere was quickly on the scene for GWR after the cessation of hostilities. No-one ever discovered whether Jack just liked name dropping or whether he had a genuine wish to project GWR as a Club attracting better class players.’
The 1946/7 season was severely disrupted by the appalling weather at the beginning of 1947 but before the break Swindon RFC had done GWR the honour of inviting them to open their new ground. This GWR did on 28th September and also obliged their hosts by allowing them to win by 15-8.
Towards the end of the season an All-Line Cup semi-final was lost at Gloucester by 0 – 12 in a game which according to a match report was ‘preceded by a snow storm.’
The first full post-war season ended with a tour to France and the reports show that players who were among the scorers during that season were Rand, Roseveare, Richards, Glennon, Scarlett, Futcher, Gibson and Edwards.
The 1947/8 season opened with a game against Gloucester on 20th September and a report referred to GWR ‘fielding ten Welshmen’ all to no avail apparantely as the game was lost by 3 – 9.
On 25th October 1947 Dr Claude Newnham, one of GWR’s Medical Officers who had played for St Mary’s Hospital turned out for GWR for the first time and scored a try in the 19 – 3 win over Westcombe Park. When his playing days ended after an all too brief spell with GWR ‘Doc’ Newnham served as Club Chairman for many years and did much to enhance its reputation.
On 2nd November 1947 in Dublin, Jack Swallow, Jack Cummins and WA Wells represented British Railways against Irish Railways.
The 1947/8 fixture list still included some of the better pre-war fixtures such as Slough and Newbury and on 11th November there was recorded ‘a fine victory’ at Newbury where GWR took the home side’s ground record with Welshman Gary Jones scoring the winning try in a 6 – 3 victory.
On Sunday 23rd November 1947 GWR beat Bristol GWR in the second round of the All Line Cup. The remainder of the season was significant for the arrival at Castle Bar Park of Morgan (Mog) Watkins, a Railway Policeman who had been a leading amateur Heavy-weight boxing champion. Considerable beef was added to the pack and even more so when he was shortly followed by Herbert (Penzance) Richards, a seventeen tone Cornish footplate-man who in his first game against Old Mitchamians on 13th March 1948 was reported as having ‘scored a magnificent try by plunging over the line with several of the opposition hanging on to him.’
The season closed with a record win against Stones (Charlton) by 69 – 0 and an Easter Tour of France.
The 1948/9 season which opened with a tour to Angouleme and Riberac saw the arrival of the Close twins, Ted and Sid, who were described in the local paper as ’15 stone ex-Welsh Guardsman.’ At the time both were railway policemen and came from Stow-on-the-Wold. Sid returned to Stow after a short spell but Ted continued to play for the club for many seasons and was a distinguished Captain, not to mention his role as MC at countless Club suppers. With eh close twins, Mog Watkins and ‘Penzance’ Richards the GWR pack assumed giant proportions and was the foundation of many wins during the season and a final points tally of 430 not to mention a good All Line Cup run during which there were wins over Bristol 47 – 3, Newport by 14 – 3, and Aberbeeg 6 – 0 before succumbing in the Final to Dyffryn Yard by 8 – 14.
On 15th January 1949 London Transport’s ground record was taken and the winning try was the first to be scored against them that season.
On 5th February Howard Rees, Doug Davies and Glyn Lewis were chosen to play for british Railways against Metropolitan Police. In a current report Gwyn Lewis was described as being ‘of Wasps’ with whom he had a brief flirtation as had Doug Davies and the Close twins with Harlequins earlier in the Season.
On the week-end of February 12/13th there was a tour to Dublin and the French from CA Riberac were at Castle Bar Park over Easter.
The season also saw what seems to have been the end of Doug Gamble’s playing career and a current report reveals that ‘he was persuaded to turn out at the age of 40 plus and acquitted himself well in a 14 – 6 win over South West Essex Technical College.’
By the end of the 1948/9 season there was a regular fixture list for the A XV.
A PURPLE PATCH
The 1949/50 season commenced with the loss of ‘Mog’ Watkins who had been persuaded to join Borderers, a Hillingdon based Club which had been founded that season. Naturally the new club was accommodated by GWR for most of its early games and it is interesting to note that in the Middlesex County Times of 14th January 1950 a disclaimer appeared in the following terms: ‘ In our last issue there was report of a friendly game between GWR and Borderers RFC’s. This should have read ‘between JFC Swallows XV and G Evan’s XV as clubs are not permitted to play on Sundays.‘ Word had obviously filtered through to the County Union or even to the RFU itself! GWR won that first encounter by 6 – 0 but lost the return match at castle bar a fortnight later by 5 – 6.
A number of Sunday fixtures were arranged during the season all subsequently under the guise of someone or other’s XV!
A game against Brigands on 1st April and a game on the Sunday following were occasions for collections for the South Wales Air Disaster Fund to help the dependants of those killed in the charter aircraft which crashed bringing supporters back from the Ireland v Wales International in Dublin.
The season’s results were statistically the best ever when under the joint captaincy of George Elliott and Denis Hullah the 1st XV scored 470 points points in 23 games losing only to the A XV’s of the Ist class clubs: Wasps, Saracens, London Welsh and Newport. The match against Newport United (the Newport 2nd XV) at Newport on 22nd April was the last match of the season. GWR lost by 0 – 33 and regrettably it was acknowledged that there was too much disparity in the sides for the match to continue as an annual fixture particularly in view of the distance.
Newport United’s win enabled them to complete the first undefeated season in 60 years.
Season 1950/51 was one of mixed fortunes due to no doubt a strengthening of the fixture list as a result of the previous season. The playing membership was well balanced between Railwaymen and Associates and among the regulars were Gary Jones, Gwyn Lewis, Doug Davies, Alex brown, Tom Webster (later to emigate to Australia), Ken Cummings and Keith Prosser.
The Railwaymen had a good run in the All Line Cup starting with an 8 – 3 win against Pontypool who included Welsh international Don Hayward (later to emigrate to New Zealand.) Cardiff were beaten by 15 – 3 but after a drawn semi-final against Aberbeeg 3 – 3 the return game at bath on 1oth February was narrowly lost by 0 – 3.
On 24th February 1951 Alex Brown, Doug Davies, Jack Swallow, GD (Butch) Wright and George Jarrett played for British Railways against French Railways – a fixture briefly revived post-war. Wright (T) and Swallow (C and PG) scored all the points in an 8 – 3 win which was referred to in a match report as ‘ compensation for England’s defeat by France on the same day.)
Interestingly the A Team Fixture List did not appear in the Association’s Winter Fixture Card and although A Team games were played a full fixture list for the A XV did not appear until the 1954/5 season although this may well have been due to printing deadlines.
Travel difficulties and the vagaries of the Old Oak Common Shift work had already ruled out continuing fixtures with clubs such as Brighton and Swindon but a useful fixture list had been achieved and fixtures with the A XV’s of Wasps, Saracens and London Welsh had been retained.
In 1955 playing conditions were considerably improved when with the help of KWC Grand, one time General Manager of Western Region, a member of the British Railways Board and a former player, the Staff Association was persuaded to lay a new rugger pitch at Castle Bar Park.
Over the years the pitch had been marked out in various positions north of the tennis courts – some seasons parallel to and others at right angles. The new site chosen much to the envy of the Soccer section was alongside the path forming the southern boundary of the ground. Being at a slightly higher level it had the advantage of what natural drainage there was but in addition the whole pitch was raised with sub-soil drainage material making it one if not the driest pitch in Middlesex in wet weather. Moreover it was given a generous size with deep in-goal areas.
Unfortunately for the first couple of seasons a considerable amount of flintstone bedding came to the surface and was only removed by some diligent hand=picking by members and by pupils of nearby Selburne School recruited by teacher and playing member Gwyn Petty. The super drainage was not at first conductive to grass thickening but the pitch gradually settled down and subsequently gave little trouble.
The new pitch was even provided with a ‘grandstand’ in the shape of a former railway platform shelter and affectionately known as Jack Thomas’s brothel’ after a staunch supporter of the club.
A SECOND PURPLE PATCH
The laying of the new pitch coincided with a second purple patch for the club. For several reasons the team showed a remarkable consistency of composition with many ‘ever present’ members and always adequate substitutes for any Railwaymen whose hours of duty sometimes prevented them from playing.
A number of the Associate members were teachers at local schools and usually Welsh. Among the best remembered in that period were the ‘Three Musketeers’: Eifion Evans, Mostyn Williams and Alan Thomas. Mostyn was a winger while Eifion (scrum) and Alan (stand-off) were a formidable half-back pair who often nettled opposing teams by communicating their moves in Welsh! Eifion was a talented violinist and could not possibly have chosen a more dangerous position on the field so far as his hands were concerned and he did indeed injure a finger on one occasion during a Saturday morning match. He was taken to hospital by Don Johnston who managed to get him to the head of the casualty queue by persuading a nurse that Eifion was a very important player who was due to play in a big match that afternoon! However one suspected that Eifion loved his rugger more than his violin and together one or two other rugger he was a more than useful member of the Cricket Section as well.
Eifion who subsequently emigrated to Australia recalls this purple period of GWR RFC with nostalgic affection … ‘My experiences with the infamous GWR Club started on a Saturday afternoon early in September 1955. Mostyn and I who were lodging nearby with a Scottish woman who was almost starving us to death had seen the rugby posts when exploring the locality. The 1st XV was playing away that day and to our delight the A team was short so we were immediately recruited by Paul Pearman who welcomed us in grandiose terms making us feel well out of our depth.
The 1st team were away the following week but by this time we had met the imitable JFC Swallow who quickly led us to believe that the GWR 1st XV was a team of gigantic forwards and lightening backs who had made the Springboks and All Blacks seem like small boys. Obviously the gulf between the A team we were playing for and the 1st team was galactic.
Finally we made the 1st team and we were much relieved to discover that they were after all mere mortals. That was the start of a wonderful year for us and I still look back on the season of 1955/6 with a special feeling of
warmth and affection. I think of those players I had so much fun with in the 1955/6/7 seasons and they will always remain rich and pleasant memories for me.’
The squad of players who played mostly during this ‘purple patch’ in the history of the GWR were:
Denis Hullah, Jimmy Sartain, Mostyn Williams, Ken Barrington, Kevin Ryan
Frank Horton, Dai Williams, Geraint Lewis, Geoff Hughes, Howie Rees
Dougie Davies, Alan Thomas, Mick Pagalatous, Des Lee, George Jarratt
Eifion Evans, Gwyn Petty, Dave Upton, John Veale, Alwyn Thomas
Leo Reardon, Ted Close, Geoff Jones, Doug Sansom, Austin Shine,
Phil Beck, Stauart Nesbitt, paul Evans, Graham Jenkins.
Leo Readon the hooker was the second of three excellent hookers – Danny Tobin (whose father had played for Aberavon and Mark Allen were the others who would have held their own at higher level but following on as they did one after the other ensured that GWR were particularly well serviced in this department for almost a couple of decades. Dan Tobin’s son later played for GWR.
The club records for these three seasons were as follows:
Date
P
W
D
L
Points for
Points against
1955/56
31
20
2
9
322
204
1956/57
32
21
1
10
432
173
1957/58
30
20
5
5
418
171
In the first port-war decade it must also be recorded that the club had an almost endless intake of Commonwealth ‘nomads’ from ‘down under’ who found empathy in GWR’s slightly eccentric way of running a rugger club! In particular they often chose not to understand the subscription system. One of the best remembered is probably Aussie Jim Murphy, a fine three-quarter with just a hint of Rugby League!
The net result of this unique combination of Welsh locomen, Welsh schoolmasters, wandering Antipodeans, a few Englishmen and the occasional Irishman was that the XV’s of the late 40’s and 50’s proved to be the most successful playing sides in the club’s history so far.
Difficult times
The 60’s saw the beginning of what proved unfortunately to be a gradual decline in the club’s playing fortunes although part reputation and good fixture secretaries resulted in fixture lists being maintained at a reasonable standard. The junior sides of most of the 1st class clubs ie. London Welsh, Rosslyn Park, Saracens etc had disappeared from the fixture list by the end of the decade although this was not entirely due to comparative strengths. Many of the players felt that games against clubs of similar size and status to GWR were often more enjoyable on and off the field than games against the minor XV’s of the 1st class clubs.
There appears to have been two main reasons for the club’s decline:
Firstly the introduction of diesel locomotives on the railways and later ‘single manning’ of such locos had reduced sharply the flow of young footplate-men from South Wales to London and some of the originals now drivers found it difficult to continue. There was also less potential at the Paddington offices which were being de-centralised. Secondly a stage had been reached when many of the immediate post-war associate members were hanging up their boots and replacements were increasingly difficult to find not least because of competition from an increasing number of clubs – especially Old Boys clubs in the area.
HELP FROM AEC RFC
Crisis point was reached in about 1975 when playing strength had fallen to such a degree that only one side was being fielded regularly. It was symptomatic of most sections at Castle Bar and even the one-time all-powerful cricket section had been obliged to merge with another club.
This was later seen as a solution for the rugger section when in 1979 the AEC Works at Southall closed down leaving their rugger club high and dry. As the two clubs recruited from the same locality it was agreed that GWR should offer membership to those AEC players who had not opted for other clubs. As it turned out about thirty players joined GWR giving a much needed boost to the playing membership. An additional bonus was that the AEC’s Fixture Secretary, Roy Sullivan, came over and continued to do the same job for GWR as well as giving his services to the London Society of RFU Referees.
Few of GWR’s early opponents appear on current fixture lists but difficult times have been weathered and if the spirit and enthusiasm generated at
Annual Suppers counts for anything then GWR RFC is set fair to carry on for many more years to come.
DISTINGUISHED PLAYING MEMBERS
In the Club’s 60 or so years of existence many hundreds of rugger players have contributed and will continue to contribute in their own way to the Club’s progress but brief mention must be made of those who graduated to 1st class clubs and one or two who came in the other direction bringing their skills with them.
Those progressing to a higher level include Dai Jenkins (to London Welsh) Gwyn Lewis (to Neath and Swansea as Captain) Phil Beck and Alan Thomas (to Saracens – the former playing in the Middlesex Sevens Finals at Twickenham in 1958) Bob Potter and Roger Barr (to Met Police – the latter also playing for Cambridge University) John Davies and Dave Gardiner (to Wasps) Stuart Nesbitt and Dave Campbell (to Rosslyn Park) Ken Barrington (to London Welsh). Those bringing first class to Castle Bar include Jack swallow (from Newport) Roy ‘Dinky’ Morgan (from Wasps) Gwili Morris (from Saracens) Jack Cummins (from Bridgend.)
GWR
Undoubted highlights of the 30’s were the Easter Tours remembered vividly by Jack Mummery:
‘We had three tours while I was a playing member. The first was in 1935 when as Western Wanderers we went to Somerset and played Frome and Old Sulians (Bath.) The party included a player from Staines and two from Berkshire Wanderers (later Reading.)
Our HQ was at a Frome Hotel and having given our Berkshire friends up for lost on Good Friday evening we were distributed at a solo school in my bedroom (shared with Doug Gamble) at about 1 a.m. by a thunderous assault on the hotel entrance doors. We never did find out where they had been until that hour. On our return from Bath next day again after midnight one of our guest players who had had a skinful found he had done a childish act which necessitated a bath and following the previous night’s disturbance a 1 a.m. bath at a small country hotel did nothing to endear us to our hosts.
Our second venture was in 1937 to jersey – a joint tour with SR and LMS players. Having lost to jersey on the Saturday we were hoping to play a
touring Bristol side on the Sunday but were refused the use of the ground on religious principles. So we played on the sands and poor Doug Gamble broke his leg. This was a set-back in more than one respect.
The previous evening in Bristol side had dug up a fair sized tree from a neighbouring property and had re-planted it in the hotel forecourt. Doug and I had been detailed to improve on this so now on my own and well oiled I nipped into the next door garden and repeated the operation. I was later told that I had invaded the garden of an important Jersey citizen but we all got safely away the next day.
The third tour in 1939 proved to be the best of all. We again travelled as Western Wanderers but this time eastwards to St Neots where we took over the New Inn Hotel with a party of 18 and played Cambridge and St Neots. Returning from Cambridge on the Saturday the coach broke down near a pub called The Caxton Gibbet. Unfortunately mine host did not welcome our temporary stay while a relief coach was sent. The churlish reception apparantely rankled with three of the younger members of the party who borrowed a car and a saw. They returned to the Pub after closing time and sawed down the pub sign. Indignant reports of vandalism later appeared in the local newspaper.
The rugby? Oh yes. We lost to Frome and Old Sulians; lost to Jersey; drew with Cambridge and lost to St Neots but what a wonderful time we all had.’
Mention must now be made of the club’s post-war tours which were more ambitious but no less incident packed than those if their pre-war counterparts – rugger types never change.
The first tour to France at easter 1947 was believed to be the first post-war Continental tour by any rugger club – certainly by a junior club. It was of course helped by the travel concession available to railway members who in turn generously assisted ‘Associate’ members.
For Easter two games had been arranged in the traditionally rugger playing area of SW France. The first on Easter 6 April was against Club Athletic Riberacois (CAR). In a subsequent issue of the GWR Magazine Steve Carson wrote: ‘A crowd of 3000 watched the match with CAR who had brought in three French international players and three trial caps to strengthen their side. The local press credited the GWR captain (JFC S) with ‘fifteen international caps’ – distinctly flattering to an uncapped player. The GWR team was: D Davies, G Edwards, J Bromley, G Brown,
R Scarlett, J Swallow, L Edwards, P Boucherat, D Edwards, W Elliott,
R Futcher, D Wilcox, H Webster, I Carson, G Elliott.
CAR won by 30 – 9
On Easter Monday a game against Union Sportive de St Leonard was narrowly lost by0 – 3. S.Goldsworthy, K. Prosser, D.Gamble, J.Hanna and J.Masters played in this game. Organisation of the Tour was the work of Ray Thomas (Secretary) and Si Goldsworthy (believed to be the only French speaking member of the party.)
Recalling this Tour JFCS writes: ‘Three Irishmen came with us and one of them walked blind drunk into the duck pond in the middle of Riberac. He thought it was so shallow but it was 20ft deep and he couldn’t swim. No-one missed him for a few minutes but a few Frenchmen passing by saw bubbles coming up from the middle of the pond, thought it was a fish and tried to net it. He took two days to recover. This was the first Tour which underlined the risks of taking wives and girlfriends on Rugger Tours but this is another story!’
Exchange visits with French clubs have continued regularly since including fixtures against Angouleme (1948) SCNF French Railways (1952 and 1972) ASPO Tours (1954) and SCPO (1970). New ground was broken in 1958 with a tour to Holland (Amsterdam and Hiversum) which was repeated in 1968. More recently tours to Guernsey have been regularly made. Last but not least mention must be made of the Irish Tours faciliatated through contact with the Irish Railways. Flushed with memories of the ’47 French Tour Dublin was the chosen venue of the Easter Tour of 1948. Apart from the rugger Ireland had the attraction of food in plenty un-rationed sweets and chocolate and inexpensive watches many of which came back to England in the toes of muddy rugger boots and socks.
The Grosvenor Hotel where the team was based had rather more than its fair share of slightly bizarre activity that weekend and one player had not heeded the lesson of the Riberac Tour.
Additionally at about midnight a member was intercepted by the management carrying a bicycle up the Hotel staircase to his bedroom on the top floor. It transpired that he and his room mate had invited a couple of colleens to their room but one had a cycle that she was unwilling to be parted from so with admirable resource born no doubt of some frustration the cycle was being taken to the room as well. But by far the funniest of all was the sight of the pair the following morning being marched off to compulsory Mass by their two conquests.
The rugger was disappointing. One match fell through and the Easter Sunday game against North Kildare was lost by 5 – 15 with Si Goldsworthy off the field for 15 minutes with a twisted knee (no replacements then.) The team was: Jock Dunsire, Gordon Edwards, Doug Davies,
Dennis Davies, Denis Hullah, Jack Swallow, George Jarratt, Keith Prosser, Si Goldsworthy, Bill Elliott, A.Rogers (SR), Ray Thomas, Llew Edwards, Steve Carson and Gwyn Lewis.
Dublin was again the venue for the following February (to coincide with the Ireland v England International) and games were played against North Kildare (lost 0-3) and the Railway Union (drew 0-0). Writing in the GWR Magazine Steve Carson said: ‘After seeing Ireland notch their fourth successive victory over England (largely due to the liveliness of their pack and those brilliant halves Kyle and Strathdee) the western party went to Flynn’s Hotel and were entertained to dinner by the Railway Union. Albert O’Connell was ruler of the feast and a musical evening principally contributed to by the visitors of whom a majority nobly lived up to the Bardic reputation of their forbears.’
Irish exchange continued to give pleasure for some years until contacts gradually became eroded.
During the 50’s new ground was broken with weekend tours to Amsterdam. Effion Evans recalls: ‘ Amsterdam! Oh yes Amsterdam. Three wonderful weekends when we tried to pack in so much living. Paraphrasing Churchill – never have so few tried to pack in so much in so short a time! Once again the all night drinking and singing boat trip and the bleary-eyed improbable squad (dare I use the word ) of ‘athletes’ met by keen-eyed, neat jacketed, fit-looking young Dutchmen. This same lot of dead-beats then proceeded to whack the daylights out of the Dutch with scintillating breaks even though a few hours earlier they had to be helped down the gangway of the boat at the Hook of Holland.’
As the railwaymen players with their concessional travel facilities gradually went into the minority overseas tours were replaced with venues nearer to home and in 1957 the Middlesex County Times recorded that ‘On Easter Monday 22 April GWR broke their ‘never won a tour match’ record by beating Ilfracombe 19-11 after ‘special training on the beach! More recently Guernsey has been a favoured tour venue.
OFF THE FIELD
There is little reason to believe that up to World War 2 the off-field management of GWR RFC was other than very precise. Not so after the
War when some of the situations which arose were pure theatre with Jack Swallow mostly centre-stage.
Some of the little aggravations were generated by the fact that the Rugger Section was only part of a larger organisation – a situation in which few rugger clubs find themselves mostly preferring to be on their own so as not to cramp their social style.
One such situation involved a group unknown in pre-war days – the ‘Old Oak Boys’ as they were affectionately called.
THE OLD OAK BOYS
The immediate post war years saw a considerable movement from South Wales to London of young locomotive firemen who mostly lived in the Hostel at the Old Oak Common Depot. Now the post-war Association Rule Book still included the restriction of membership to ‘clerical and salaried staff of the GW Railway Company.’
This strictly speaking excluded ‘wages staff’ such as footplatemen. The rules however had always included a provision for members to introduce ‘Associate Members’ subject to Committee