Celebrating the Centenary of the Old Patesians RFC 1912/13 – 2012/13 “100 Years of Continuous Rugby” 10 0
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100Celebrating the centenary of the Old Patesians RFC 1912/13 – 2012/13 “100 years of continuous rugby” 10 0 Celebrating the centenary of the Old Patesians RFC 1912/13 – 2012/13 100 Celebrating the centenary of the Old Patesians RFC 1912/13 – 2012/13 “100 years of continuous rugby” FOREWORD It is an honour to introduce this history. It answers the question in our school song: “Where are the men that have gone before us?” The research that has gone into this book tells you a lot about the Old Pats. The accuracy of our history is important to us, because we were taught well at the school that many of us shared and because we cherish the memories of those who are no longer with us. We truly stand on the shoulders of giants. This history is about matches, cups and promotions, and occasionally upsets. Above all, it’s about team-mates and friendships; people from all sorts of backgrounds sharing a love of rugby, to whom being a Pat means more than most things for 80 minutes each week. My playing contribution to the Old Pats was brief: summoned from the school 2nd XV by Ray Kingscott in 1976 to play for the Vipers under the leadership of Phill Bevins; the next season, playing for the 2nd XV under Roger Dagley in a side that got to the Junior Combination Cup Final; the season after that, advancing to the 1st XV under Bob Lees – another lost cup final, but, crucially, qualification for the County Cup and silverware in the Combination sevens. And then I was off to university. I grew up and played alongside people who feature prominently in this history. A coach-load of them watched me play at Twickenham in the Varsity Match in 1978. They became Light Blues for the day, tried their damnedest to get me to wave to them from the pitch and cheered my try. They still won’t let me forget dropping the ball against Longlevens the following Saturday, with the try-line begging. I feel privileged to have played a part in the Pats’ history. They taught me how to play grown-up rugby and a lot about life as a grown-up. They provided me with experiences, memories and friendships that are relevant to me every day. The Pats are more than a rugby club, they’re a community. Please read all the way to the final chapter and see how the Pats are nurturing the next generation, in the same way that Ray Kingscott took me in when I was 17. We all hope they sweep everything before them in years to come. But it won’t really matter, so long as it matters to them to be a Pat. Dick Tyler President, Old Patesians RFC – iv – CONTENTS From the Chairman vi Acknowledgements vii Chapter one – Sowing the seeds 1 Chapter two – Love’s Labour Lost 23 Chapter three – Second World War… and peace 49 Chapter four – Cups, a new home and a jubilee… 61 Chapter five – How did we get here from there? 77 Chapter six – 21st Century rugby 93 Chapter seven – Junior rugby at the Pats – the Academy 117 – v – FROM THE CHAIRMAN In the foreword to this outstanding record of the Old Patesians Rugby Football Club, our president Dick Tyler speaks of his honour to introduce this history. It is my honour to have the opportunity of adding my own words to our centenary book. It is an immense privilege to be chairman of the OPRFC, especially in our centenary year, and, as so adequately demonstrated in his book, it is a unique club that continues to uphold all the traditions that are good in the game and strives to serve the community as a whole. An excellent example of this is the huge number of mini and junior players that attend on a Sunday and the sheer enthusiasm and enjoyment they exude. This book has shown the dedication of so many people over the last 100 years and it is incumbent upon us all to ensure that their legacy is taken into the next century of OPRFC and built upon. I know that both Dick Tyler, myself and the current executive committee are determined to move the club forward, while retaining all that is good, and to act as prudent trustees in our stewardship of the club. This is something I would encourage you all to become involved with and to take pride in being an Old Pat. It would be very remiss of me not to thank all those that have been involved in the production of this book, particularly John Shaw and the chapter authors. There has also been a very hardworking centenary committee that has been operating for over 18 months, initially under the stewardship of the late Ray Kingscott, and then under Phill Bevins (who took up the reigns from Ray following his untimely death), and also included Keith East, Hugh Etheridge, Chris Downes, Neil Hyde, Mike Paish, Neil Spurrier and Brian Taylor. I am immensely grateful for what they have achieved and all the time given. Let us, therefore, all look forward to the next 100 years of rugby at OPRFC and to a club that, despite its modest facilities and limited finances, provides an essential centre of rugby for the community and also, at all playing levels, continues to exceed expectations. Who will ever forget the magnificent day at Twickenham when we lifted the Intermediate Cup – and there are also those wonderful days watching our under 10s, 11s, 12s etc and the incredible joy the game of rugby brings to them. Let’s be thankful for having the privilege of being part of a club such as this and let’s do all we can to improve it still further and secure the future. Michael Angell Chairman, Old Patesians RFC – vi – ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Centenary Committee would like to thank John Shaw, Ged Lennox and Dave Kingscott, without whose highly professional print, publishing and journalistic expertise this history and its support content would not have seen the light of day. Thanks are also due to Brooke Barnett, Ian Golesworthy’s talented grand daughter, for her Centenary Logo design, which has been a central feature of all our publicity and products. A number of sources and people provided invaluable information to our authors. Sources: Tudor Foundation by Dr Arthur Bell The Patesian magazines The Junior Rugby Clubs of Cheltenham, District and Combination by J.P. Hughes The Gloucestershire Echo The Citizen Cheltenham Chronicle & Gloucester Graphic www.Ancestry.co.uk www.militarybadges.org.uk Old Patesians 75th Anniversary Brochure Leaving All That Was Dear, Cheltenham and the Great War by J Devereux and G Sacker Thanks also to: Richard Randall, Roger Goldby, Steve Graham, Ross Cole and Nev Burne – vii – CHAPTER ONE SOWING THE SEEDS by Neil Hyde ‘ HEREAS OUR BELOVED Richard Pate, Esquire, of Minsterworth, in our countyW of Gloucester, prompted by charity and aided by a divine grace, has decided to erect, create and establish anew, in perpetuity, a certain school in our vill of Cheltenham, in our said county, for the perpetual education, instruction, and teaching of the children and youth, as well of the aforesaid vill, as other vills and places contiguous and adjacent to that vill …………………………… and shall be called The Free Grammar School of Richard Pate in Cheltenham.’ This endorsement, by Queen Elizabeth I in 1574, was given to Richard Pate in recognition of his benevolent action to form a Schola Gramatica in Cheltenham. Little did he know that his name would be at the forefront of a newly-formed rugby football club more than 300 years later – nor that it would be one of the foremost old boys clubs in England at the start of the 21st century. But how did the term Old Patesians evolve? Dr Arthur Bell, in his book Tudor Foundation, wrote that from about 1880 onwards the school produced a magazine for past and present pupils called The Patesian. Over time, past pupils, commonly known as Old Grammarians or Old Boys, became Old Patesians. At that time, the school was fee-paying and needed support – but that support came at a price – free places to 25 per cent of pupils, maintaining better records and broadening the curriculum for example. Two headmasters fell foul of school inspectors. Disciplinarian John Style was sacked in 1906 after battling against some of the changes and his successor Harold Sydney Jones in 1914 for failing to run the school efficiently. However, Jones’ saving grace, as far as the Old Patesians RFC was concerned, was that he replaced – 1 – THE OLD PATS 1912/13 – 2012/13 association football with rugby football and developed a more competitive school environment by introducing houses. These houses had unusual names, an early insight into the quirky nature still displayed at the Old Patesians RFC today. They were: • HE – Hopeful and Earnest • BNG – Not By Guile • CK – Catch and Keep • FD – Fidei Defensores (Defenders of the Faith) By 1908, the school was running a 1st XV under the tutelage of Mr Edward Frank Chaney. Their first match was on Wednesday October 6, 1908 against AVW Holohan’s XV, a team made up mainly of Old Boys and a few school reserves. The School won 18 points to 3. The following Saturday, the School played against a full Old Boys XV and won 26 points to nil. At this point, the seeds were no doubt sown for the future evolution of the Old Patesians Rugby Football Club. During Edward Chaney, teacher and the 1908-09 season, the School played other matches against rugby coach 1908-1918 St Paul’s College, the Royal Agricultural College, Gloucester Old Boys and Cheltenham A, concluding with a 3-0 win over A G Bloodworth’s XV.