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1113 - The Junior Cup: History & Records
The Junior Cup was first put up for Competition in 1887 – 1888 season and after over a 130 years of service, the original Cup has been replaced in 2021 with a new trophy. It was played for initially by the 1st XVs of clubs which had not at any time been members of the County Union. A condition of winning the Cup was that the winners must apply for admission to the Union and would not be classed as “Junior”. The arrival of the Competition was welcomed by the then Junior Clubs who generally were in a lethargic state but pressing for change in the Rugby Union locally.
The first decade of the competition matches were not settled by points but by Goals, tries and Minors and it were not until 1897 that a point’s only decision would be agreed on. The rule to enforce cup winners becoming Senior Clubs,was counterproductive and amended in 1895 to allow winners to enter in the 2nd Teams Cup and apply for Senior Status if they won.
Some information is missing although research is ongoing to complete the record, any information you may have would be appreciated, please email to chrismcl@btinternet.com with details.
Geographic and History note.
The Game has been played in many areas of Durham by many now largely forgotten clubs/teams, and the only evidence of their existence is on the cup plinth or faded photographs and in newspaper files. Readers will like to know the whereabouts or background to some of the clubs as follows:-
Blackhill: part of Consett District and a fore runner of the present Consett & District club.
Bensham: a Gateshead club and fore runner of the present Gateshead club, there was a earlier Bensham club around 1876.
Chopwell: from N W Durham,formed in 1909 by City & England player Harry Imrie & N C Nielson from Sunderland RFC.
Empress Rovers: a Pyman League club from Hartlepool named after a theatre in Northgate!
Furness Athletic: based in Haverton Hill on the Furness shipyard.
Greenside : A colliery based club from near Ryton
Henderson’s Creelers: a factory side that played on Factory Field, Durham City,on what is now the Swimming Baths at Elvet Bridge. Hendersons was a carpet factory taken over as Hugh Mackay in 1905. They went defunct in 1894, presumably not wanting to be a Senior Club.
Heortensians: a Pyman League side from Hartlepool, name taken from one of a number of ancient spelling of the name of the District around Hartlepool.
Mount Pleasant: one of several clubs in the Gateshead area, folded in 1894 as they had no ground to play on, probably did not want to be a Senior CLub
Old Bedans: the former pupils of Bede G.S. Sunderland, folded in 1964
Seamen's Institute: from Hartlepool, based at the Mission Hall on the Town Wall,which still stands as a private dwelling.
Sherburn House: a colliery side, east of Durham City, based on Sherburn Colliery.
Sleetburn: a colliery side, west of Durham City, based on the New Brancepeth Pit.
South Shields St Pauls - One of the many junior clubs based in Shields/Jarrow. They joined the original Rugby League in 1901, one of only two Durham clubs to do so.
South Shields 4th Durham Howitzer Battery (played on the toughest pitch, probably, in the country – at Trow Rocks, which had minimal top soil cover – if any!)
Southwick Rangers: a Sunderland Club.
Stargate (Rovers) : a colliery side in Ryton/Blaydon.
Stranton Vulcans: a Pyman League side from West Hartlepool played at Foggy Furze, probably New Stranton Celtic under a new name, they lasted only two seasons.
Throston Wanderers: a Hartlepool side, one of several Throston Township Clubs
* G.T.M. in the list below refers to goals, tries and Minors. A goal was when the ball went over the bar between the posts, Try for a touchdown, you were allowed to try for goal! and a minor occurred when for instance, your opposition conceded a five metre scrum on your own line, similar to conceding a corner in soccer!
|
Season |
Winner |
*G.T.M. |
Runners Up |
*G.T.M. |
Venue |
|
1887/88 |
Hartlepool Y.M.C.A. |
1 |
St.Cuthberts Durham |
nil |
Hendon Parish Church |
|
1888/89 |
Throston Wanderers |
2.2.4. |
Sherburn House |
0.0.1. |
Victoria Grnd West Hartlepool |
|
1889/90 |
South Shields Y.M.C.A |
1.0.2. |
West Hartlepool West End |
0.0.6. |
Holy Drift Durham |
|
1890/91 |
West Hartlepool West End |
1.0.4. |
South Shields Holy Trinity |
0.1.1. |
Ashbrooke |
|
1891/92 |
Sherburn House |
1.2.0. |
South Shields Holy Trinity |
0.3.0. |
Ashbrooke |
|
1892/93 |
Mount Pleasant |
1.0.0. |
Henderson’s Creelers |
0.0.0. |
Ashbrooke |
|
1893/94 |
Henderson’s Creelers |
2.1.0. |
Hartlepool Wanderers |
0.0.0. |
Park Rd Jarrow |
|
1894/95 |
Hartlepool Old Boys |
2.1.0. |
Sleetburn |
0.0.0. |
Park House, Sherburn |
|
1895/96 |
Spennymoor Park Rovers |
3.1.0 |
West Hartlepool Vulcans |
0.0.0. |
Dairy Lane Houghton |
|
1896/97 |
West Hartlepool Vulcans |
1.3.0. |
Stargate |
1.0.0. |
Boldon |
|
1897/98 |
South Shields St Pauls |
10 pts |
West Hartlepool Hornets |
0 pts |
Houghton a.e.t. |
|
1898/99 |
Sleetburn United |
11 |
Boldon |
0 |
Houghton |
|
1899/00 |
Houghton Nomads |
15 |
Boldon |
0
|
Hollow Drift a.e.t. |
|
1900/01 |
Boldon |
13 |
West Cornforth Rovers |
3 |
Hollow Drift after a 3 all draw at Ashbooke |
|
1901/02 |
Empress Rovers |
6 |
Hetton O.B. |
3 |
Hollow Drift |
|
1902/03 |
Hetton O.B. |
6 |
Croxdale Wanderers |
0 |
Hollow Drift a.e.t. |
|
1903/04 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
8 |
West H'pool Nomads |
0 |
Hollow Drift |
|
1904/05 |
Blaydon Wanderers |
6 |
Hartlepool Crusaders |
4 |
Westoe |
|
1905/06 |
Hartlepool Rangers |
6 |
West Crusaders |
4 |
The Friarage |
|
1906/07 |
Stranton Vulcans |
7 |
Gilesgate |
0 |
Ashbrooke |
|
1907/08 |
Hartlepool Rangers |
8 |
Gilesgate |
3 |
The Friarage |
|
1908/09 |
Greatham |
10 |
Ryton |
8 |
Ashbrooke a.e.t. |
|
1909/10 |
Ryton |
3 |
Tudhoe & Ferryhill United |
0 |
Ashbrooke a.e.t. |
|
1910/11 |
Chopwell |
11 |
Shields 4th Howitzers |
0 |
Winlaton |
|
1911/12 |
Hartlepool Red Rose |
6 |
Hartlepool Nomads |
0 |
The Friarage |
|
1912/13 |
Southwick Rangers |
14 |
Blackhill & District |
0 |
Westoe |
|
1913/14 |
Bensham |
9 |
Blackhill & District |
3 |
Blaydon Haughs a.e.t. |
|
1914/15 to 1921/22 Competition suspended owing to the Great War |
|||||
|
1921/22 |
Greenside |
11 |
Furness Athletic |
3 |
The Friarage |
|
1922/23 |
Throston Wanderers |
8 |
Hartlepool Red Rose |
6 |
The Friarage |
|
1923/24 |
Hartlepool Red Rose |
14 |
Heortensians |
5 |
Clarence Road |
|
1924/25 |
Heortensians |
8 |
Furness Athletic |
0 |
The Friarage |
|
1925/26 |
Seamen’s Institute |
26 |
Chopwell |
3 |
Westoe |
|
1926/27 |
Consett & District |
4 |
Horden |
3 |
Stella Blaydon |
|
1927/28 |
Darlington Railway Athletic |
8 |
Billingham |
0 |
Clarence Road |
|
1928/29 |
Horden |
3 |
Southwick Rangers |
0 |
Clarence Road |
|
1929/30 to 1933/34 Competition suspended |
|||||
|
1933/34 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
8 |
West Hartlepool S.S.O.B. |
3 |
North Durham |
|
1934/35 |
Sunderland Hornets |
8 |
West Hartlepool E.R.O.B. |
0 |
Houghton |
|
1935/36 |
West Hartlepool E.R.O.B. |
12 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
6 |
Clarence Road |
|
1936/37 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
15 |
Sunderland Rovers |
0 |
Clarence Road |
|
1937/38 |
Southwick Rangers |
3 |
Reyrolles |
0 |
Gateshead Fell |
|
1938/39 |
Reyrolles |
11 |
Sunderland Rovers |
0 |
Ashbrooke |
|
1939/40 to 1947/48 Competition suspended due to Second World War |
|||||
|
1947/48 |
Darlington G.S.O.B. |
11 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
4 |
Hollow Drift after a 3 all draw at Houghton |
|
1948/49 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
21 |
Bede College |
3 |
|
|
1949/50 |
Bede College |
|
Sunderland Technical College |
|
|
|
1950/51 |
West Hartlepool G.S.O.B. |
6 |
South Shields Marine School |
0 |
Houghton |
|
1951/52 |
Old Bedans |
6 |
South Shields Marine School |
0 |
Ashbrooke |
|
1952/53 Competition suspended |
|||||
|
1953/54 |
Bede College |
15 |
Old Bedans |
0 |
Durham |
|
1954/55 |
Old Bedans |
6 |
Bede College |
3 |
West Hartlepool |
|
1955/56 |
Old Bedans |
21 |
West Hartlepool G.S.O.B. |
0 |
Stockton |
|
1956/57 |
Old Bedans |
25 |
Horden |
6 |
Durham City |
|
1957/58 |
Bede College |
14 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
0 |
New Friarage |
|
1958/59 |
Bede College |
13 |
West Hartlepool G.S.O.B. |
3 |
Billingham |
|
1959/60 |
West Hartlepool G.S.O.B. |
16 |
Horden |
11 |
Horden |
|
1960/61 |
Horden |
14 |
Bede College |
10 |
North Durham |
|
1961/62 |
Horden |
11 |
Bede College |
8 |
The Friarage |
|
1962/63 |
Horden |
3 |
West Hartlepool G.S.O.B. |
0 |
Clarence Road |
|
1963/64 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
|
West Hartlepool G.S.O.B. |
|
Horden |
|
1964/65 |
West Hartlepool G.S.O.B. |
17 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
6 |
Grayfields,West Hartlepool |
|
1965/66 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
21 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
3 |
Durham City |
|
1966/67 |
Durham Constabulary |
14 |
Bede College |
5 |
Durham City |
|
1967/68 |
Bede College |
8 |
Durham Constabulary |
5 |
Stockton |
|
1968/69 |
Sunderland College of Education |
8 |
Readheads |
3 |
Westoe |
|
1969/70 |
Bede College |
17 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
0
|
Grayfields,Hartlepool after 9 all draw at Maiden Castle |
|
1970/71 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
3 |
Readheads |
0 |
Durham City |
|
1971/72 |
Sunderland College of Education |
12 |
Readheads |
3 |
Oakleigh Gardens South Shields |
|
1972/73 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
16 |
Readheads |
9 |
Mayfield Park |
|
1973/74 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
16 |
Readheads |
4 |
Marine School |
|
1974/75 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
13 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
9 |
Mayfield Park |
|
1975/76 |
Bede College |
8 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
3 |
Mowden Park |
|
1976/77 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
15 |
Bede College |
4 |
Brierton Lane, after a 6 all draw at Aycliffe |
|
1977/78 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
15 |
Bede College |
4 |
Ashbrooke |
|
1978/79 |
Darlington Railway Athletic |
9 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
3 |
Stockton |
|
1979/80 |
Belford House |
22 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
3 |
Durham City |
|
1980/81 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
9 |
Belford House |
3 |
Darlington |
|
1981/82 |
Belford House |
9 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
6 |
Ryton |
|
1982/83 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
15 |
Belford House |
10 |
Blaydon |
|
1983/84 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
18 |
Belford House |
13 |
Stockton |
|
1984/85 |
Seaham |
12 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
9 |
Winlaton |
|
1985/86 |
Seaham |
12 |
Bishop Auckland |
7 |
Mayfield Park |
|
1986/87 |
Seaham |
29 |
Bishop Auckland |
0 |
Grayfields |
With the adoption of the League system in 1986/87 and the abandonment of the two-tier membership system in Durham County, the Junior Cup was used as the Challenge Trophy until the beginning of the new century but reverted to the Junior Cup after a few seasons.
|
1987/88 |
Bishop Auckland |
14 |
Seaham |
9 |
Winlaton |
|
1988/89 |
Hartlepool |
7 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
6 |
Mayfield Park |
|
1989/90 |
Consett & District |
12 |
Houghton |
4 |
Hollow Drift |
|
1990/91 |
Darlington |
13 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
0 |
Stockton |
|
1991/92 |
Seaham |
8 |
Billingham |
3 |
New Friarage |
|
1992/93 |
West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
43 |
Houghton |
24 |
Mayfield Park |
|
1993/94 |
Seaham |
8 |
Chester le Street |
0 |
Mayfield Park |
|
1994/95 |
Bishop Auckland |
25 |
Darlington Railway Athletic |
22 |
New Friarage |
|
1995/96 |
North Durham |
14 |
South Tyneside College |
12 |
North Durham |
|
1996/97 |
Billingham |
15 |
Houghton |
5 |
Hollow Drift |
|
1997/98 |
Houghton |
11 |
Consett & District |
0 |
Hollow Drift |
|
1998/99 |
Billingham |
23 |
Bishop Auckland |
17 |
Hollow Drift |
|
1999/00 |
Hartlepool |
29 |
Seaton Carew |
0 |
Seaton Carew |
|
2000/01 |
Hartlepool |
33 |
Seaton Carew |
21 |
Mayfield Park |
|
2001/02 |
Hartlepool |
26 |
Seaton Carew |
14 |
Seaton Carew |
|
2002/03 |
Houghton |
7 |
Seaton Carew |
6 |
Mayfield Park |
|
2003/04 |
Sunderland |
16 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
6 |
Hollow Drift |
|
2004/05 |
Sunderland |
67 |
Seaton Carew |
7 |
Hollow Drift |
|
2005/06 |
Sunderland |
43 |
Bishop Auckland |
0 |
Grayfields |
|
2006/07 |
Ryton |
17 |
Sunderland |
13 |
Gateshead |
|
2007/08 |
Stockton |
35 |
Barnard Castle |
13 |
New Friarage |
|
2008/09 |
Ryton |
20 |
Barnard Castle |
9 |
Houghton |
|
2009/10 |
Sunderland |
46 |
Barnard Castle |
24 |
|
|
2010/11 |
Bishop Auckland |
30 |
Barnard Castle |
24 |
Catcote Road |
|
2011/12 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
15 |
Bishop Auckland |
6 |
Hollow Drift |
|
2012/13 |
Bishop Auckland |
34 |
Seaham |
10 |
Grayfields |
|
2013/14 |
Barnard Castle |
16 |
Hartlepool B.B.O.B. |
15 |
Hollow Drift |
|
2014/15 |
Barnard Castle |
35 |
Houghton |
13 |
Hollow Drift |
|
2015/16 |
Barnard Castle |
40 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
14 |
Darlington |
|
2016/17 |
Bishop Auckland |
34 |
Winlaton Vulcans |
29 |
Consett |
|
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 |
Sunderland Ryton Sunderland No comp B. Auckland Seaham Darlington |
20 28 27
22 32 39 |
Ryton Winlaton V Winlaton V
Darlington Houghton DMP Elizabethans |
18 18 21
21 10 20 |
Durham City Durham City Gateshead
Darlington Dairy Lane Hollow Drift
|
Researched and written by Chris McLoughlin, Hon. Sec. of the Hartlepool & District R.F.U. and Past President & Sec. of Durham County R.F.U.,and Mr John Davison, Gateshead RFC - Durham County R.F.U.
Related items :
Durham County RFU, its XVs and County Cups
