Rugby Foot'ball Union
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RUGBY FOOT'BALL UNION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING held at the MAY FAIR HOTEL, LONDON, on Friday, 28th JUNE, 1957, at 5 p.rn. The following Clubs (323) were represented:- Army R.U. Civil Service Union Hove 1st Bn. E. Lancs. Regt. Civil Service Huddersfield 3 Basic Trg. Bn. R.A.O.C. Christchurch Ilford Wanderers 1 Trg. Regt. R.E. City of London School lnland Revenue 68 Regt. R.A. Clifton K.C.S. Old Boys 15 Bn. R.A.O.C. Bicester College of St. Mark & St. John Kent School of Military Survey Combined Birmingham Old Boys Kibworth 26 Field Engr. Regt. R.E. Cornwall County Kidderminster 16 Bn. RA.O.C. Cornwall Colts Kingston Technical College 1 Trg. Regt. Royal Signais Cornwall Junior Group King's College (London) 9 Trg. Regt. RE. Coventrians Kodak 31 Trg. Regt. RA. Coventry Kynoch Catterick Garrison Crawley Lancashire Union 4 Trg. Regt. Royal Signais Derby Leeds Grammar School Depot & T.E. R.A.M.C. Derbyshire Union Leicestershire Union 1st Bn. York Lancaster Regt. Devon Cou nty Lensbury & Britannic House 11/12 S.M.E. Regt. Dorchester Letchworth , lst Trg. Bn. R.A.S.C. Dorset & Wilts. Lewes County School Bicester Garrison Durham County Lichfield A.E.c. Ealing Lincoln Alliance Eastern CountieS Lincolnshire Union Aston Old Edwardians East Midlands 1 Lloyds Bank Aylesford Paper Mills Erdington London Aylestonian Esher London Hospital Bank of England Esso London Irish Bank of London & South Exiles (Porthcurno) London Schools Union America Fairbairn House London Telecommunications Barbarian Falmouth London Tra~sport Barclays Bank Falmouth One &.All London Welsh Basingstoke Fielding Sports Loughborough College Bath Finchley Ludlow Beckenham Firestone Ludlow Grammar School Bec.Old Boys Gidea Park Luton Bedford Gloucestershire Union Lutterworth Berkshire County Union Gosport Lyons Bickley Park School Gravesend Macclestield Biggleswade Gt. Ballard Maidstone Bisley School Guildford & GOdalming Malsis School Blackheath Guy's Hospital May & Baker B.O.A.C. Halifax Medicals Bournemouth Hampshire County Metropolitan Police Bramley Old Boys Harlequins Metropolitan Police 'X' Div. Bristol & District Combination Harrodian Metrovick Broad Plain Harrow School , Middlesbrough Bromsgrove Hastings & Bexhill Middlesex Union Buxton Hayle Mill Hill Cambridgeshire Headingley Moseley Cambridge University LX Club Hertfordshire Union Mounts Bay Colts Camp Hill Old Edwardians Hewell Grange Napier Catford Bridge Hon. Artillery Company National Physical Laboratory Centymca Hornets National Provincial Bank \ 1 Newark Oxford University Seaford New Brighton Paignton ' Sheffield Newbury Park House \ Shelford Newport Penryn Sidcup Northern Penzance & Newlyn , Solihull North Midlands Union Penzance County Gnünmar Southend North Shields 1 School Southern Railway Northumberland Plymouth Albion South Leicester Nottinghamshire Union Polytechnic Stafford Notts. Lincs. & Derbys. Union Portsmouth : Staffordshire Union Nuneaton Public Schools Wanderers Staines Nuneaton Old Edwardians Raynes Park Old Boys1 Stoneygate Old Albanians Reading School ), Streatham Old Alleynian Redruth . , Surrey County Union Old Anchorian Redruth Highway, Il, Sussex Union Old Askean Richmond f Sussex Schools Old Bancroftian R.N.A.S. Stretton Sutton Coldfield Old Birkonian Rockcliff 1 Sutton Valence School Old Bedians Rosslyn Park , ~ Tamworth Old Blues Rottingdean School 1 Toc. H Manchester Old Bristolians Roundhay " Tredworth Old Coventrian Royal Air Force Union Trinit y School of John Whitgift Old Cranleighan R.A.F. Air Ministry Unit Trojans Old Dartfordian R.A.F. Bawdsey , Troon Old Dowegians R.A.F. Bracknell Twickenham Old Dunstonian R.A.F. Cardington United Banks Old Edwardians R.A.F. CaÜerick J University College, London Old Elizabethans (Barnet) R.A.F. Chigwell ) University Vandals Old Esthameians R.A.F. ColtishaUI Upper Clapton Old Fullerians R.A.F. H.Q. 81 Group U.S. Chatham Old Gaytonian R.A.F. H.Q. Fighte~ Command Wallasey Grammar School Old Grammarians R.A.F. H~nlowll Walsall Old Guildfordian R.A.F. ~lldenhall Il Wanstead Old Haberdashers R.A. F. LIchfieldf Warlingham Old Hertfordians R.A.F. North Luffenham Warrington Old Instonians R.A.F. Nuneham Rark Warwickshire Union Old Leodiensian R.A.F. St. Eval ,I Wasps Old Lutonians R.A.F. St. Mawgan Waterloo Old Masonian R.A.F. Seaton Snobk Welwyn Old Merchant Taylors R.A.F. Sopleyl Westcombe Park Old Millhillians R.A.F. Stradishall! Westleigh Old Mitchamian R.A.F. Swanton Morley Westminster Bank Old Parkonians R.A.F. Swinderby 1: West Norfolk Old Paviors R.A.F. West Kirb~ Westoe Old Redingensian Royal Aircraft Establishment Whitgift School Old Reigatian Royal Navy :,\ Wimbledon College . Old Roundhegian Royal Veterinary <j:ollege Wimborne Old Rutlishian St. Bartholomews Grammar Windsor Old Silhillian 'l' School Wolverhampton Old Surbitonian St. Columba Woodford Old Thornensian St. Day :! Woodpeckers Old Verulamian St. Dunstan's CoIlege Worcestershire Police Old Westcliffian St. Erbyn's School l Worthing Old Windsorian St. Paul's School,l Wycombiensians Orrell Sale 1 Yarnbury Osterley Salisbury '" Yorkshire Otley Sandal '1 Yorkshire Copper Works Ottershaw School Saracens 1 :( J f 1: 1 The Notice convening the Meeting was read by the Secretary. The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 13th July, 1956, were confirmed and signed. Surgeon Rear-Admiral L. B. Osborne:- "Gentlemen, as your retiring President, it is my dut y, and my pleasure, to present the Annual Report on the past Season of 1956/57, and to ask you to receive it. This Report has been printed and circulated and is before you, and therefore I can be brief in my references to it. First of all, 1 will say how much we deplore the death of AdmiraI M. G. A. Edwards (my predecessor representing the Royal Navy), Mr. C. S. Bongard and Mr. Eric Coley, aIl ofwhom gave long and valuable service to Twickenham. Rugby Football has also suffered an untimely 10ss in the death of Peter Cooper, one of our most brilliant International Referees. I want to express my personal regret at the omission of an important fact in this Report. 1 refer to the Tour of the Combined South African Universities' Touring Team. For although this was a Four Home Unions' Tour, it was organised on their behalf by a special sub-Committee of this Union and under the able Chairmanship of Mr. John Tallent. It was the first tour of its kind to this Country, and in spite of misfortune over weather conditions, it was a success, and the "Sables" continued all through to play open and adventurous football regardless ofresults. Through this and the personal qualities of the whole team and the Managers (Mr. Louis Babrow and Mr. Bunny Austin) they won the respect and friendship of all. Gentlemen, I feel that this Annual Report shows a good and sound state of our affairs generally, and that there is a convincing proof of the strong vitality and capacity for progress which is to be found in the Clubs, which are the life springs of the Union. Our membership continues to increase. Our International Season has been crowned with great success. Deep thanks are due to our Team and their great Captain-Eric Evans and to Mr. Carston Catcheside and his fellow Selectors, who have given an immense amount of their valuable time to this fine work. Twickenham has once again been honoured by the presence of Her Majesty The Queen, and by the Officers of many Overseas Unions. Rugby is strong in the Counties; and Devon have gained a healthy win in the Championship. We have had a fine Referees' Conference, and refereeing generally has been heIped by this and by the publication of our new booklet "The Art of Refereeing" . We have kept up our tours overseas and on the Continent-helping others less fortunate than ourselves. Above aIl, and in spite of increasing expense on repairs and maintenance and new rating at Twickenham, we have kept up our loans to Clubs. We have had to raise the price of aIl Stand tickets to do this but we are convinced that this is right. I have had the good fortune to travel round the country and to open a lot of new club-houseswhich, generally speaking, have been built by the hands of Members of the Clubs. 1 cannot help feeling the great importance of getting club-houses. Once you have got your home you get united, and once you get united you get prosperity and start building up tradition. AU that remains for me, as the retiring President, to do is to give thanks:- To aIl the Clubs and Constituent Bodies which I have had the honour of visiting. Thanks for all their wonderful kindness to me and for all they do for us so unselfishly and so willingly. To the players for their spirit and keen-ness which 1 have seen everywhere, for their loyalty to their Clubs and for their support of the open adventurous game. More and more players are showingthat. To our Secretary and the office staff at Twickenham who do a tremendous job with great efficiency. To the Press. 1 do not think we can ever be too thankful to the Press. It is their duty to keep the public informed on Rugby Football, to provide sound criticism which will improve and help the game and encourage the players. Right weIl, by and large, do they do the se things, and our grateful thanks should go to them for their work and for their friendship. Finally 1 would like to thank the ladies of the Clubs. Wherever 1 have been 1 have met members of ladies committees which are organising and running dances, whist drives and the social side of the Clubs, and 1 do give thanks through you· to them for their hard work and good spirit. 3 ---------:------- WeIl gentlemen, my time has come to an end, but as 1 see it, the future is good and strong and sound, provided always that we stand with absolute firmness to our convictions and our Laws on amateurism.