Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion : Foldout

Halifax Rugby Club


Halifax Rugby Club was founded in 1873.

The first match was against Wakefield at Trinity Cricket Ground on 26th December 1874.

In 1876, they moved to a pitch shared with Trinity Cricket Club.

In 1878, the team became the first ever winners of the Yorkshire Challenge Cup. They subsequently won it a further 4 times: 1886, 1888, 1893, 1894.

In 1886, the club moved to Thrum Hall.

The club played Rugby Union until 1895, when 22 clubs – formed the Northern Union, which became the Rugby League in 1922.

On 18th December 1925, there was an appeal for finances after it was reported that the Club was overdrawn by £1,970.

In 1987, the team won the Challenge Cup after beating St Helens 19-18.

In 1995, there was a plan to merge the club with Bradford Northern, but this was abandoned when both teams joined the new Super League.

In 1996, the team became Halifax Blue Sox R. L. F. C.

In 1998, the team left Thrum Hall to share The Shay Stadium with Halifax Town A. F. C.

Those who have played with the Club have included:

Alvin Ackerley
Albert Akroyd
Albert Atkinson

Ike Bartle
Arthur Bassett
John Beames
Nathan Bentham
Edmund Buckley
J. William Bulmer
Oliver Burgham

Michael Condon
Terence Cook

Arthur Harper Daniels
William, T. Davies
Kenneth Dean

Percy Eccles
Arthur Evans

Frederick Firth

Anthony Halmshaw
James Hilton

Hudson Irving

Walter Jesse Jackson
David Jones

Stanley Kielty
George Henry Wray Kitson

George Langhorn
William B. Little
Robert Lloyd
Melvyn Meek
Alfred Milnes
John Morley
Walter Morton
Andrew Murdison

Garfield Owen

Stuart Prosser

David Rees
Charles Renilson
Jack Riley
Joe Riley
Kenneth Roberts
Asa Robinson

Derrick Schofield
John Shaw
Herbert Smith
Cyril Stacey

David Thomas
George Thomas Thomson
John Thorley
Frank Todd

Ernest Ward
Leslie White
Harry Wilkinson
John Wilkinson
Frank Williams
William J. Williams
David Willicombe
Jack Wilson
Albert Wood 


See Halifax Rugby Union Club




© Malcolm Bull 2017 / [email protected]
Revised 18:40 on 26th November 2017 / kk_188 / 10