Wigan Album
Wigan Rugby
11 Comments
Photo: Keith
Item #: 26064
They lost this encounter by 5 points to 4 and in fact just missed relegation that season finishing 3rd from bottom. However, by 1908 they had put together their first great team.
These two stills show the whole Wigan team taking the field at Hull in 1902, it’s taken from the Mitchell Kenyon film which advertised the fact that their film of the match would be shown in Wigan a few days later.
The team was, Jack (“Safety Pin”) Mason, Mark Vickers, T Eckersley, A. Duffy, Benny Rouse, Billy Anderson, Dicky Rothwell, George Rigby, Jack Brown, Jack Barton, Reuben Collier, Jack Hilton, Peter Vickers, Billy Halliwell, William Yates.
The shirts worn by Wigan look similar to the ones worn by Lancashire Rugby, I wonder when the wider stripes took over.
Keith; See:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_League_Heritage_Centre
Extract:-
"The Rugby League Heritage Centre is located in the basement of the George Hotel, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It is the UK’s only rugby league heritage museum and was the brainchild of BSkyB sports presenter and former Great Britain international Mike Stephenson.
It was in the George Hotel, Huddersfield on August 29, 1895 that 21 northern clubs held a meeting and by a majority of 20 to 1 voted to secede from the Rugby Football Union to set up their own Northern Rugby Football Union. In 1922 this became the Rugby Football League.
The Rugby League Heritage centre was opened on 30 August 2005 by former players Billy Boston, Neil Fox and Mick Sullivan."
Ernest, Unfortunately, the George Hotel in Huddersfield has been closed for over a year. The Rugby League heritage centre is now a travelling exhibition. In fact it happens to be on display in St Helens until Thursday this week.
Ernest, i think the George hotel is closed now.
I believe the last player on the left hand photo was Bill Yates who scored Wigan's first ever try after the Northern Union split.
Josh,there is a photo of him on WW put on by his Grandson or Great Grandson.
John; Thanks for the info. I visited the George Hotel in Huddersfield, in connection with a Shearings info day, on 19th October 2006 and quite by chance discovered the RL Heritage Museum!
Jonno; See:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-22351470
Thank you for the lead Ernest. I too had come across the RL Heritage site but quite by accident through trawling the internet. Same problem I suspect with the great game of Rugby League itself - insufficient investment and publicity. But as usual a chicken and egg situation.
I believe there's also a later photo of Billy Halliwell on this site somewhere. He ran a pub in Wigan, not sure which one.
Thanks for that Jinks - can you give us a clue whereabouts it might be?
Josh,go to Sports Wigan Players 323 photos.Page 4 top row right photo hope that helps you.
Thanks Jinksi - found it - good photo.