Rugby union in Cornwall (before 1900)

Rugby union in Cornwall (before 1900) is a timeline of rugby union in Cornwall in the 19th century.

History

Richard Carew in his Survey of Cornwall (1602) gives some laws of a game which has similarities to rugby.

  • "Two bushes are pitched in the ground eight or twelve feet asunder, directly against which at a distance of ten or twelve yards apart two more bushes in like manner, which are called goals.
  • The hurlers to goal are bound to observe these orders or Laws:
    • In contending for the ball, if a man's body touches the ground, and he cries Hold and delivers the ball, he is not to be further pressed.″ (the mark)
    • That the hurler must deal no foreball, or throw it to any partner standing nearer the goal than himself.″ (the forward pass)
    • In dealing the ball, if any of the adverse party can catch it flying .... the property of it is thereby transferred to the catching party; and so the assailants become defendants, and the defendants assailants.″ (the interception)
  • A breach made in any of these Articles is motive sufficient for the hurlers going together by the ears; nor do any seek to take revenge but in the same matter.″ (the scrum).[1]

Before 1900, rugby union in Cornwall was referred to as football and what is known today as football was then called ″association″ or soccer. Before the formation of the Cornwall RFU in 1883, the press did not consistently record rugby matches so it is uncertain when it was first played in Cornwall.[2] The first recorded rugby match in Penzance is from 1870, played in the grounds of Poltair House, Heamoor and organised by W Borlase of Marlborough School. The Penzance team was mostly public schoolboys, home on holiday, and their opponents, the Eastern Telegraph Company was based in Porthcurno.[3] In Penryn, before 1872 a team made up of workers from Freeman's granite yard played a team from Sara's Foundry in a field near the Cross Keys hotel.[4] In the main, rugby was mainly confined to the western half of Cornwall, from Penzance in the west to Truro in the east.[5]

1883–84

Friendly

12 January 1884
Devon 2 goals, 3 tries – nil Cornwall
Try: E W Chillcott, Hibberd, Anon, Cooper (2)
Con: Dryden (2)
Cricket Ground, South Devon Place, Plymouth
Referee: W Harcourt Stiles (Devon Union). Umpires: Mr Richardson (Devon) and Mr Bailey (Cornwall)

Cornwall. Backs: Bernard F Edyvean, capt. (Bodmin), A Trounson (Penzance), Three-quarters: J W Everett (Redruth), E P P Tyacke (Helston), W H Willcocks (Tregony), Half-backs: G Eustice (Hayle), Luke Smith (Redruth), Forwards: G H Chilcott (Truro), N Harvey (Hayle), E H Ratcliffe (Helston), R C Jones (Pool), C Barrett (Hayle), W Rowe (Hayle), W Rowe (Redruth) and F Bond (Camborne).

1892–93

County Championship

23 November 1892
Gloucestershire 19 – 0 Cornwall
Bristol
  • This was Cornwall's first match in the County Championship. Gloucester scored 3 goals and 2 tries.
10 December 1892
Devon 20 – 0 Cornwall
Bladderly, Plymouth
  • Devon scored 2 goals and 5 tries.
  • The match with Somerset was cancelled by the Somerset secretary ″on account of gate difficulties″.[8]

Friendly

14 January 1893
Cornwall 3 – 0 Devon
Try: 1
Recreation Ground, Redruth

Cornwall. Back: Blewett, Three-quarters: Kistler, W D Lawry (Penzance), H Carvolth (Redruth), Phillips, Halves: W Paull (Redruth), Gray (Redruth), Forwards: Grylls, W F Woolf (Redruth), N James (Redruth), Williams, J Nancarrow (Redruth), Thorne, Masters and Berry.[9]

1894–95

County Championship

South-western group P W D L F A Pts
Devon33006
Somerset32014
Gloucestershire31022
Cornwall300311470
17 November 1894
Cornwall 8 – 16
(5 – 3)
Somerset
Try: Triggs
Paige
Con: Viant
Try: Mermagen
Westcott
Gilmore
Woods
Drop: McLier
Penzance
Attendance: 1200
Referee: Fred Hall
  • Eight Cornish players made their championship debut. Three Somerset players were England internationals.[10]
1 December 1894
Cornwall 0 – 23
(0 – 13)
Devon
Try: Hawkings c
Stoyle c
A N Other
Bildings c
Thomas c
Con: Hocken (4)
Redruth
Referee: Mr T Peak (Penzance)
  • Full-back: J Eathorne (Redruth). Three-quarters: A G Chapman (Falmouth), J Thomas (Redruth), J Viant (Redruth), S Hosking (Camborne). Halves: W Paull (Redruth), Paige (Falmouth). Forwards: Caselet (Camborne), R Johns (Camborne), D. Campbell (Camborne), O Triggs (Penzance), S Wesley (Redruth), C Pearce (Redruth), Trerise (Falmouth) and W Smith (Falmouth).[11]
8 December 1894
Gloucestershire 8 – 3 Cornwall
Try: Bowley
Lockyer
Con: Hames
Pen: Tarbutt
Gloucester
Attendance: 5000
  • Full-back: J Eathorne (Redruth). Three-quarters: A G Chapman (Falmouth), J Thomas (Redruth), S Hosking (Camborne), J W Nunn (Penzance). Halves: W Paull (Redruth), E L Hammond. Forwards: R Johns (Camborne), D. Campbell (Camborne), P C Tarbutt, C A P Tarbutt, H Olivey, A Kitson, F A L Hammond and O Triggs (Penzance).[12][13]
  • Debuts: J W Nunn, E L Hammond, F A L Hammond, C A P Tarbutt, A Kitson.[14]

Cornish Rugby League

The first season of the Cornish Rugby League consisted of five clubs, although one did not have any fixtures with the other competitors! Redruth became champions following their win at Camborne, in what was, the final league match of the season.[15]

1894–95 Cornish Rugby League
Pos Team P W D L Goals for Tries for Goals against Tries against Pts Notes
1Redruth632132128
2Penzance630306346
3Camborne521211025
4Falmouth511323233

Points are awarded as follows:

  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 points for a draw
  • 0 points for a loss


4 April 1895
Redruth nil – 1 try Rest of the league
Try: Merritt
Redruth
Referee: Mr T Peak (Penzance}
  • Match abandoned when Redruth left the field.

1895–96

County Championship

The County Championship was reorganised with the fifteen teams divided into three groups. The first-placed teams of the South-eastern and South-western Divisions met in a play-off match, with the winners playing the first-placed team of the Northern Division in the final. Yorkshire won the competition for the seventh time defeating Surrey in the final. This was the third system of the County Championship.[16]

Cornwall lost all three matches, and since their first match in 1892 have lost all eleven matches.[17]

South-western group P W D L F A Pts
Devon33004386
Somerset32012864
Gloucestershire310218412
Cornwall30033370
16 November 1895
Devon 22 – 3 Cornwall
Pen: Salter
30 November 1895
Somerset 5 – 0 Cornwall
14 December 1895
Cornwall 0 – 10 Gloucestershire

[18][19]


Cornish Rugby League

Throughout the season The Cornishman published a league table of the first two matches between six clubs. Only Penzance and Camborne completed all their fixtures and Truro only played five matches. Penzance was in first place and Redruth in second place.[20]

1895–96 Cornish rugby table
Pos Team P W D L Goals for Tries for Goals against Tries against Pts Notes
1Penzance107128151315
2Redruth8611551213
3Camborne10424475510
4Falmouth621343345
5Penryn611425163
6Truro5005019120

Points are awarded as follows:

  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 points for a draw
  • 0 points for a loss

At the end of the season a second table was published, of matches between the top four clubs with Redruth in first place and Penzance in second place. 'Impartial' the rugby reporter declared Redruth ″may fairly again claim the honour of being champions″.[20]

1895–96 Cornish rugby table
Pos Team P W D L Pts Notes
1Redruth64119
2Penzance63127
3Falmouth62044
4Camborne61052

Points are awarded as follows:

  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 points for a draw
  • 0 points for a loss

1896–97

Cornwall Rugby Championship

1896–97 Cornwall Rugby Championship[21]
Pos Team P W D L Goals for Tries for Goals against Tries against Pts Notes
1Penzance8602694312
2School of Mines8503352110[a 1]
3Redruth832385428
4Falmouth832347288
5Penryn81071310172

Points are awarded as follows:

  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 points for a draw
  • 0 points for a loss

1897–98

Cornish Rugby Championship

1897–98 Cornish Senior League[22]
Pos Team P W D L Goals for Tries for Goals against Tries against Pts Notes
1Penzance101000xx3420[a 2]
2Redruth1050514105610
3Falmouth950471231010
4School of Mines930674666
5Camborne9306878116
6Penryn82062516104

Points are awarded as follows:

  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 points for a draw
  • 0 points for a loss
Notes
  1. Penryn failed to play the return game with School of Mines who were awarded 2 points
  2. x – unclear in reference

Junior League

1897–98 Cornish Junior League[22]
Pos Team Played Won Draw Lost Goals for Tries for Goals against Tries against Pts Notes
1Redruth A1281313241923[a 1]
2Penzance A128227135621[a 2]
3Newlyn115432133915[a 3]
4Tuckingmill13553392815
5Hayle126156781315
6Camborne A12309368178
7Truro1121928695
8Camborne Mining School A5005023140[a 4]

Points are awarded as follows:

  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 points for a draw
  • 0 points for a loss
Notes
  1. Redruth protested against an infringement of the rules by Penzance on 25 September 1897. By the casting vote of the chairman of the CRFU the points were taken from Penzance and awarded to Redruth
  2. Newlyn played an ineligible man on 27 December 1897 and 1 January 1898. Newlyn lost three points and Penzance gained three points
  3. Hayle failed to play Newlyn on 30 November 1887 and the points were awarded to Newlyn
  4. The students did not complete their fixtures and their opponents were awarded the points

1898–99

Cornish Rugby Championship

1898–99 Cornish Senior Rugby Table[23]
Pos Team Played Won Draw Lost Points for Points against Pts Notes
1Penzance8512351516[b 1]
2Falmouth7502502x10[b 2]
3Redruth650168611
4Camborne812512864
5Penryn601517351

Points are awarded as follows:

  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 points for a draw
  • 0 points for a loss
Note
  1. Penryn refused to play Penzance on 14 January and the points were awarded to Penzance.
  2. x – unclear in reference

Junior League

1898–99 Cornish Junior Rugby Table[23]
Pos Team Played Won Draw Lost Points for Points against Pts Notes
1Newlyn9702721320[b 1]
2Penzance A9711562117
3Falmouth Juniors8521542311
4Redruth Juniors10424584510
5Tuckingmill812512334
6Camborne A1011814933
7Truro70256552[b 2]

Points are awarded as follows:

  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 points for a draw
  • 0 points for a loss
Notes
  1. Falmouth played ineligible players and the points were awarded to Newlyn
  2. Truro failed to complete their games and the points were awarded to their opponents

References

  1. Pelmear 1960, pp. vii
  2. Salmon 1983, pp. 12
  3. Batten, Ben G (1978). Newlyn, Penzance and the Pirates. Penzance: Penzance & Newlyn Rugby Football Club. ISBN 9 780 950630 10 6.
  4. Salmon 1983, pp. 61
  5. Pelmear 1960, pp. vii
  6. Salmon 1983, pp. 134
  7. "Football. Cornwall v Devon". The Cornishman (249). 19 April 1883. p. 5.
  8. Black And White (8 December 1892). "Football Notes". The Cornisman. p. 6.
  9. "Recreation Notes". Royal Cornwall Gazette (4669). 19 January 1893. p. 3.
  10. "Football. Cornwall v Somerset". The Cornishman (855). 22 November 1894. p. 8.
  11. Footballer (13 December 1894). "Football. Devon v Cornwall". The Cornish Telegraph (2355). p. 5.
  12. Footballer (13 December 1894). "Football. Gloucester v Cornwall". The Cornish Telegraph (2356). p. 8.
  13. Salmon 1983, pp. 115
  14. Salmon 1983, pp. 115
  15. Impartial (25 April 1895). "Football Notes". The Cornishman (877). p. 5.
  16. Salmon 1983, pp. 113
  17. Salmon 1983, pp. 115
  18. Impartial (5 December 1895). "Football". The Cornishman (909). p. 7.
  19. Salmon 1983, pp. 115
  20. Impartial (22 April 1897). "Football". The Cornishman (981). p. 8.
  21. Impartial (22 April 1897). "Football". The Cornishman (981). p. 8.
  22. Impartial (24 March 1898). "Football". The Cornishman (1029). p. 8.
  23. Impartial (20 April 1899). "Football Notes". The Cornishman (1085). p. 6.

Bibliography

  • Salmon, Tom (1983). The First Hundred Years. The Story Of Rugby Football In Cornwall. Illogan: Cornwall RFU. ISBN 0-946664 01-3.
  • Pelmear, Kenneth (1960). Rugby In the Duchy (Rugby Heritage) 1884–1959: An Official History of the Game In Cornwall. Falmouth: Cornwall Rugby Football Union.
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