Images and information about Hartlepool Old Boys' Rugby Football Club from their start in Bible classes by Bertie Morison to the present headquarters at Mayfield Park.
Images from Old Boys first period as a club. Formed by Dr A E Morison (who started his Rugby career with Rovers),from Old Boys of the 1st Boys Brigade who attended his Bible classes and kept in touch.
Boys Brigade started Rugby playing Rugby in 1887,while the name Old Boys appears from October, 1891 when they played West III. The Old Boys Institute was created in November, 1892 with Old Boys RFC being formalised in 1893 and playing their first game against Rovers II. Going from strength to strength, they soon had players in the County and England XV. From 1902 they went into decline, struggling financially, and by October 1906 suffered the loss of players but had no appreciable incubus (penalty) but an old debt of £40 would be covered by another body – it was reported in the “Mail”- . They played their “final” game in the Pyman League against West III that October to honour the fixture.
More detail »Images commencing from Old Boys restart as a Rugby club in August 1913, under the Captaincy of C Byers (the first Sec was W Pendlington of 16 Montague St) when they entered the Junior Club ranks with a place in the Pyman League and the County 3rd Teams Cup playing in the original Old Boys colours.As if to make up for lost time they also managed to turn out sides during the Great War (as they did in the Second), thanks to an influx of players from Red Rose. Regaining Senior status after the restart of Rugby and a comtroversial return to the Senior Cup, they had their ups and downs throughout the difficult years of the 20/30s in common with the whole area. In 1932 there came a major change when internal disputes on principles led to Old Boys dividing into Old Boys and emergence of the Boys Brigade Old Boys Association now Hartlepool BBOB
More detail »Images from Old Boys’ seasons after their spilt from the 1st company Boys Brigade in 1932. Initially housed at the Old Mill, they moved to Middlegate and were there until 1945 when they acquired Mayfield House on Friar Terrace, whilst still playing on Grayfields. They managed to play through the War, celebrating their Golden Jubilee, and finally centralised all their Rugby onto Mayfield Park (the old Hartlepool ‘Rec) in 1970.
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In line with a number of clubs both locally and nationally, Hartlepool Old Boys' name ceased in 1978 and they swapped to the title of "Hartlepool RFC" (and remain known as"Old Boys')
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