Weekly Finds 2008 "Rugby a game for Hooligans played by Gentlemen"                    

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MY weekly finds for 2008

Here are a few Christmas cards to enjoy:-

13th December 2008 - Here are some recent new postcards that I have found, the cards advertising rugby and football boots are now very rare and always a pleasure to find.

To look at my old weekly finds for the last 5 years click on the year link below:-

11th November 2008 - At a time when we are thinking about the past and the sacrifices of our armed services, I have been asked if I know any details of army rugby played in 1919 and a Welsh XV that toured England and then went on to play in France before going home to be de-mob. Sorry to say I have very little detail of the games played but do have a number of postcards showing teams of that era.

I looked in the 1919-20 Rugby Football Annual for details and one fact caught my eye. On the last Saturday of season 1913-14 the London Scottish placed four teams in the field: of the sixty players forty-five have been killed. The club lost seventy-three members killed and fifty-two wounded this was just one club, many great players of the time lost their life.

The 1919-20 Rugby Football Annual also mentions an "Inter-Services" Championship played between, New Zealand, Royal Air Force, Canada, South Africa, Mother Country and Australia. During March and April with a final game at Twickenham on April 19th between the French Army and New Zealand, I assume this was in 1918.

26th October  -  I have not found many new items over the past month's but have seen some very nice international caps sell on eBay. I have also been sent some interesting items from members of the Rugby Memorabilia Society that I would like to share with you.

3rd September  -  Some new postcards from the International postcard last week and from eBay they are still out there but getting harder to find!

13th August 2008 -  Quite time of the year for rugby and rugby memorabilia very few fairs and no auctions, yet the odd bits turn up if you keep looking!

8th July 2008 -  A couple of nice postcards and some older fixture cards that always make interesting reading.

22nd June 2008 -  At long last a few postcards but good items are becoming harder to find these cards are currently for sale email me for details.

2nd June 2008 -  A couple of items relating to the 1945-46 British Tour of the 2nd N. Z. E. F. Army team a few odd postcards plus some old autographs.

2nd May 2008 -  A few recent items relating to the "1906 Springboks" team, unfortunately not all mine but it shows that good memorabilia is still out there if you are willing to look.

7th April - Very few recent finds on the new memorabilia front for myself but I have had contact with a chap in America who is the Great Grandson of Fred Firth.

Fred was a prominent rugby player around 1890 to 1905, and was one of the Northern Union player who split from the Rugby Union. In my recent correspondent I have collected a small amount of information about Fred Firth that I would like to share, any further details would be gratefully appreciated.

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Fred Firth was born in Cleckheaton, Yorks in 1870 or 1871.

Played Rugby Union for Brighouse Rangers, Halifax and Yorkshire. In 1893 he was a member of the Yorkshire side that won the County Championship and then went on to beat the Rest of England by one try to nil at Huddersfield, Firth scoring the only try of that match.

He was in the County Championship winning side the following year and again played in the fixture against the Rest of England ... an old ritual in the days when the County Championship was a very important competition.

Played for the North against the South in 1893 (at Fallowfield in Manchester) and 1894 (at Blackheath) and three times for England on the wing in 1894 when England adopted the four three-quarter system for the first time.

When the schism with the Northern Union took place he "went over" with his club, Halifax going on to make more than a hundred appearances in the NU game. Prolific try-scorer and goal kicker. Played a handful of RL games for Wakefield Trinity and for Mannigham.

He was foreman in a machine-shop before becoming a licensee in Halifax. Thought to have emigrated to the US (NY) in 1908. Died in Olneyville, USA, in February 1936.

A few details of Fred's major games as a county player:-

as a Brighouse Rangers player....
1889-90 v Durham
1889-90 v Northumberland
1889-90 v Lancashire
and then as a Halifax player ...
1892-3 v Devon
1892-3 v Cheshire
1892-3 v Middlesex
1892-3 v Cumberland
1892-3 v Rest of England
1893-4 v Durham
1893-4 v Northumberland
1893-4 v Lancashire
1893-4 v Somerset
1893-4 v Glamorgan
1893-4 v Midlands
1893-4 v Rest of England
1894-5 v Durham
1894-5 v Northumberland
1894-5 v Lancashire
1894-5 v Midlands
1894-5 v Devon

Only time he was on a losing team was in the 1893-94 game against the Rest of England, Yorkshire being virtually unbeaten in these years. Halifax were the Yorkshire County Cup winners in 1893 and 1894, their last two seasons as a genuine RU outfit.

(Thank-you to all of you who have provided updates and details for this article)

27th Feb 2008 - Who is this?

22nd February 2008 - Many of you eBay browsers will recognise these cards bought from a gentleman in South Wales who is selling his collection, some nice postcards and one or two rare one's s.

29th January 2008 - Two very different items bought over the past few weeks but both from the same era. Expensive to say the least but rare as hen's teeth!

15th January 2008 - Card with pictures of International player are always a pleasure to find but identifying who they are can be a long process, any help with the card below would be most welcome.

13th January 2008 - These are the cards and other items I found at the "Stoop" postcard fair on Friday, a couple of rare items that have sparked debate among my friends.

2nd January 2008 - Some new postcards and club communication cards from the early 1900's a number of these cards are for sale, email for details

Click on the image for large version.....

For 2007 look here> Weekly Finds 2007

For 2006 look here> Weekly Finds 2006

For 2005 look here> Weekly Finds 2005

For 2004 look here> Weekly Finds 2004