Dream Teams” Started to Appear Across Our Rugby Pages
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Forward by Karen Ratcliffe At the beginning of the lock down a number of “Dream Teams” started to appear across our rugby pages. I asked my dad to write one, who grumbled a bit (as is his way nowadays!) but took to the task and produced more than I thought he would. His Dream Team spans many generations of friends and childhood heroes from both codes of rugby. He does say that you would have to be fairly ancient to remember a lot of the players, but I have put links where I can, to the player’s biographies. If it gives a few of you something to read, and hopefully enjoy, in this time of uncertainty, he will be pleased. Introduction My dad is Don Bramley 86 years old this year. Farmer, photographer, author, writer of letters, historian, ex-rugby player, adventurer and so much more. You will see him, most Saturday afternoons at the rugby club, camera in hand, taking pictures and chatting to anyone that will listen to him. He can’t remember what he told me the other day, but his recollection of stories, events and people is, phenomenal. He has written a diary since he started school in 1945; we have boxes and boxes full of photographs and a similar amount of interviews with local people, with a tale to tell, recorded on C60 cassettes, and nearly 150 scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and photographs. Plus another 100+ of rugby, cricket, Sherburn church, flying, farming and Drax. I don’t think our family connections are as big as the Adamsons, but here goes in a nutshell. My dad, Roy Webster and Peter Bramley (who have all played for Selby) each married one of the three Walker sisters (Pat, Joyce & Nina - watched closely by brother Les). Their sons also played for Selby, and now a good selection of grandchildren also play there too. The following is his abridged introduction to the Walker family and where our rugby connections come from. Written 10th March 2019 I am a great believer in breeding from the best stock. Farming blood runs through the generations on all sides from way back, but the rugby blood is more complicated, and these are my thoughts. I’m sure I was never consulted in 1945 on my thoughts about spending my next six years as a boarder at Drax Grammar School at the other side of Selby, and now at the other side of a huge power station (The Read School, Drax). It turned out to be a good decision in many ways. One was the many lifelong friends (and fellow sufferers) I made, but mainly I discovered Rugby Union. I was fairly useless at Sherburn Hungate School at the odd attempt to try and play football up at the White Rose ground. All new boys at Drax were in the same boat, and we all had an early introduction to a rugby ball. Being put into pairs, to run up and down to pass and catch it, must have come naturally to me, as I was picked out to demonstrate my unknown skills, which I was very much unaware of! It was later explained, that I had moved away from the receiver as I passed the ball – so a good start. Six years at Drax slipped by, helped by rugby education, u13’s, Colts, House matches, 1st XV then Draxonians till joining Selby in 1954 and on and off till 1962, when a knee injury finished me off. But going back to blood and breeding. The only rugby blood in my ancestors, was Uncle Fred Roberts (my mother’s brother) of Fairburn, playing for Brotherton St Johns rugby league and signing for Hull Kingston Rovers for £200 and buying a motor bike with it! He was flattened, I’m told, by Billy Batten in his second game and never played again! Sadly I never got to talk to him about it. My father, Jim, was a good footballer in the 20’s with Church Fenton, but spent more time on his bike in 25 and 100 mile time trials. He also biked to and raced at Roundhay Park and once did 1,200 miles touring Europe – all well recorded. Both his parents died in 1932 so he had to settle down, work and get married. I arrived in 1934. I now admit that many other various talents passed on to the grandchildren, must come from my wife’s Walker side. July 2020 v3 1 Her grandmother – Fanny Swaine – was the eldest of the Makin horse jumping family and her father, Les, was 2 years on Leeds United’s books, but didn’t get into the first team. Polio in 1947 ended that, so he took up golf at Selby, and I’m told he made up for lack of strength and length, by tactics and cunning. Les and his wife Jessie, lived in Hambleton and had four children, Pat, Joyce, young Les and Nina. His son inherited his golfing skills by playing for Yorkshire but was unsuccessful in Yorkshire finals. He used to travel the country as an England Amateur selector. Sister Nina and her friend won the North of England u18s golf but she never played again and married another talented Selby rugby player, Peter (no Bramley relation to us); sons David and William. Joyce, also a keen golfer, married Selby player Roy Webster and produced three rugby playing sons Mark (sons Alex, Jacob & Lucas), John and Robert so it’s all kept in the family. Pat and her mother Jessie were both good tennis players. Pat had many enjoyable years with Sherburn in the York Senior League. Our son, Martin, seems to be the blood connection between the talents of various sporting oldies, and the present day game. Like me, he was sent to a Colditz like mansion, Howsham Hall near York, without any consultation at 9 years old, but great rugby for us for three years coached by Simon and Anthony Knock. Martin’s three children, James, Charles & William, all play rugby and cricket for various teams, and the weekend is a big challenge getting them to their different fixtures. My middle daughter Karen’s youngest Honor, is a founder member of Selby Girls’ team and continues next season in the Ladies team. You will also find Honor serving behind the bar in the Clubhouse! I know their cricket talent doesn’t come from me, except may be the catching, ? I do worry about injury at rugby for one of them, might affect their cricket prospects. I am told their grandfather, George Moorhouse, says he was a good tennis player and was 13th man for England v India at Headingly once. He had two days fielding at fine leg and signed 24 autographs in the process. Where are they now My Dream Team My Dreamboat Selby side, comes from the last 75 years, of playing and watching. Starting at the old Drax Grammar School in 1945-50 (now The Read School). My playing time at Selby was 1954-62. I supported Rugby League (Wakefield Trinity) in the holidays, and writing for autographs passed the time at school. Trinity’s 18 year old QEGS winger at Wembley in 1946 was my lucky one. Ron Rylance, could actually write a letter, saying he’d played at Drax, and later he had biked to Sherburn. My Selby side is on the left, and Other Nationalities on the right, followed by a bit of an explanation. They would train together and share knowledge! Selby XV Other Nationalities 15 D Oliver Grieveson Bert Cook – Leeds and NZ 14 Derek Hodgson John Ranson –Durham & England Wing 13 D Ron Chambers Jeff Butterfield – Cleckheaton & England 12 D Alex Webster Ron Rylance – RL Wakefield Tr, Huddersfield & England 11 D Mike Swift Lionel Cooper – RL Huddersfield & Aus or Brian Bevan-Warrington & Aus 10 James Bramley Cliff Morgan – Cardiff & Wales 9 Nipper McGill Herbert Goodfellow – RL Wakefield Trinity & England 8 D George Woodall George Zissler – Darlington/Durham 7 D Don Bramley (c) Derek Hinds – Burn 6 Len Shaw Maro Itoje – Saracens & England 5 Pres Ken Holden – Yorks & Doncaster Arthur Clues – RL Leeds & Aus 4 Peter & Steve Bramley Fred Roberts – Brotherton St Johns & Hull KR 3 Doug Forsyth Eric Burns- Selby 2 D PW Zoz Mumby, Mike Blackwell & Dylan Hartley – Northampton & England John Kaye 1 David Grace Peter Francis – Maesteg & Wales Subs: D Jimmy Moore & Peter Foster Touch Judge: Jack Harker D marks those that went to Read School, Drax July 2020 v3 2 No 15 Oliver Grieveson Best from Drax; Olly played for Headingley, Yorkshire and England trials. He was on the England committee with ex Yarnbury player, Roy Manock. Olly became Treasurer of the RFU but could have been President – Roy was! Bert Cook (HE) Leeds RL and NZ Small and always smiling. Best signature. Met him shooting over Drax Power Station land. We talked rugby league and listened to Winston Churchill’s funeral in his car over lunch. Later he sold us tiles for our kitchen floor and signed my now, nearly full, Visitor’s Book. Died too young of throat cancer. I walked with Lewis Jones into his funeral at Boston Spa. No 14 Derek Hodgson Married to Uncle Fred’s daughter, Freda, showed great pace when he got a pass. Borrowed by Church Fenton Young Farmers, to help win 100 yards and relay in regional rally. I might have upset his watching Vicar for strong words I used, for not making sure his opposite number was in touch. Lucky to survive an explosion at his work in later life.