Flashback – Fact & Figures 1945-66

Flashback – Fact & Figures 1945-66

Following the passing this season of stalwart supporter Ron Rogers, his brother Dave kindly called by the club office recently to deliver a small suitcase of archive material.

Ron’s collection included many club and county programmes, plus press cuttings etcetera stretching back sixty years. There was much of real interest, all now put safely aside for filing.

One small press cutting, one from a ‘Cornishman’ newspaper in 1966, was headed Pirates Anniversary – Facts & Figures – 1945-66.

In its 21st season the Pirates had come of age, the newspaper cutting listing honours achieved and the names of senior officers who had served the club. The list reads as follows:

Club Internationals: J. MacG. K. Kendall-Carpenter, J. M. Williams.

England Trials: M. Terry, G. Luke.

John MacG. K. Kendall-Carpenter was our first England international who later became the Chairman of the Organising Committee for the first Rugby World Cup held in 1987. Pictured in action for the Pirates is England trialist Gerald Luke.

Varsity Honours: Oxford – J. MacG. K. Kendall-Carpenter (Captain), M. Jenkin, J. Glover (captain); Cambridge – J. M. Williams.

Territorial Army: P. J. B. Michell (captain).

Club Captains (1st XV): 1945-46 – B. G. Batten, P. C. Gartrell; 1946-47 – B. Perring, W. Monckton; 1947-49 – N. J. Williams; 1949-51 – J. V. D. Taylor; 1951-52 – J. M. Williams; 1952-53 – H. H. Richards; 1953-54 – J. R. Williams; 1954-55 – J. M. Jenkin; 1955-56 – D. J. Gunn, J. Jenkin; 1956-57 – P. J. B. Michell; 1957-58 – J. Jenkin; 1958-59 – J. Matthews; 1959-60 – P. J. B. Michell; 1960-61 – A. Williams; 1961-62 – J. T. Thomas; 1962-63 – G. G. Luke; 1963-64 – P. J. B. Michell; 1964-65 – A. Williams; 1965-66 – O. Barnes.

The Pirates 1961-62 – Johnny Thomas is the Captain.

Players with ‘Pirates Tankard’ for 300 games: J. Hosking, J. Gunn, J. R. Williams, J. Jenkin, A. Williams, P. J. B. Michell, J. Matthews, C. Rescorla, R. Burroughs, L. Brown, G. G. Luke, J. M. Jenkin, O. Barnes, K. Weeks, J. Edgecombe, T. Stevenson.

Jack Gunn, Jimmy Hosking and Rodda Williams, who in 1956-57 were the first three players to play 300 games for the Pirates

The cutting states that ‘Alvin Williams has the record number of appearances for the club’.

Club Chairmen: T. Cotton, C. Barnes, Dr. G. A. M. Hall, W. Monckton.

Hon. Secretaries: Rex Carr, Geoffrey Mabbott, Cyril Ladner.

Hon. Treasurers: J. Jenkin, W. Edwards, A. Nicholls, J. W. T. Tonkin.

Well, there are some great and legendary ‘Pirate’ names displayed. Strangely, one name missing is that of our wonderful President, Mavis Lawry, who served us so magnificently throughout those 21 years, following which Bill Monckton succeeded her.

The 1920-21 season will see the Pirates celebrate 75 years. There was much to look back on and be proud of in 1966, as there has been since. As in life, there have of course been difficult times but overall it has mostly been good – and throughout there has been so much effort to have been admired and appreciated.

Mavis Lawry and our first ever Hon. Secretary Rex Carr – both were extremely able and respected Pirates.