Named from the Latin for “ever upward!”, the Excelsior certainly produced a number of players who went upward, both Havelock and Hogarth progressed to Senior Rugby, Durham County and then England,  Hogarth having a playing career that lasted until the 1920s. Although not on this image, Frank Boylen was also an Excelsior player before his stellar career in both Rugby Union and League. The club was also the saw the start of the career of Ernie Carter (1878-1922) who was prominent in the Rovers XVs in later years.

The name would also be well known to many Victorians and later generations, as Longfellow had a popular poem of the same name, on the theme of onward and upward, popular for many years by reciters at Smokers and social and family gatherings, as well as being a popular names for many organisations.

The draw for the opening round of Excelsior’s successful 97 Cup run involved: -

West Hpl Wanderers v West Hpl Brougham Rovers

Hpl Juniors v Hpl Wanderers

Middleton Rangers v W Hpl East End

Hpl Excelsior c W Hpl Tip Rangers

Hpl Trinity v W Hpl Hornets

As with so much of Rugby in this era, so few records survive and those that do can be short of background. We do know that at a General Meeting 1897, venue unknown, Dr H Gamlen was the Club president with Sir Thos Richardson as VP. Mr. R Cornley as Sec and J Christelow Treasurer. The club has a sponsor Mr Jones who is in the image and he presented caps to the lads, at another event later in the year, venue unknown, at which his wife Mrs Jones of Northgate prepared the repast.

      1.H. Daurge, 

      2. D. Phillips,

      3. A. Baldry,  

      4.H. Randell.

Date (of image) : 30/4/1897

Donor : Hartlepool Rovers FC

Creator : S.L. Nielsen & Son, 91 York Road, West Hartlepool.

Part of the "Hartlepool Rovers FC" collection