86.jpg (45245 bytes) 85.jpg (27488 bytes) 84.jpg (50065 bytes) Acme Thunderer whistle - circa 1950s. (WRM 0568)

 

1959-Wellington.jpg (66516 bytes)85.jpg (73030 bytes) A great 8 page card invitation & programme produced for the Wellington post-match 'Ball' held at the Wellington Town Hall. The inside has a marvellous pop up Lion's head which gives this wonderful piece of 1959 tour memorabilia a great individual feel. Illustrated throughout by cartoonist Nan Kivell. In excellent condition, the invitation is made to Mr REG (Dickie) Jeeps & Partner. (WRM-0426)

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1904 British tour. - A hand drawn cartoon of a kangaroo titled "Well it's hard luck that an Australia Kangarooter is to be beaten by the BUSH. The 'Bush' relates to Percy Bush to whom this cartoon belonged. The artist looks to be A Azidet (Ref: WRM-481)

 

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A collection of memorabilia relating to a share issue by Liverpool Stanley Rugby League Club belonging to Joseph Porter 1889 - 1964, (pictured in 2nd illustration.) - WRM-Rl-Mi-F92-32

 

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Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings from 1963/4 All Blacks in Wales

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Neath RFC try poster - circa 2000

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Rees Stephens journal No. 2
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Neath/Aberavon v Waratahs 1927 programme

 

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IRELAND - 1932 CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING TEAM

IRISH team (v Wales 1932) autographed sheet. A signed Esplanade Hotel* headed notepaper with 17 signatures, (15 of the team and two travelling reserves). The players who have signed the sheet are EJ Lightfoot, SL Waide, EOD Davy, CJ Hanrahan, W McC Ross, EC Ridgeway, VJ Pike, Teddy Hunt, GR Beamish, MJ Dunne, JAE Siggins, MP Crowe, PF Murray, JL Farrell, Noel Murphy (senior) + reserves CRA Graves (15 caps 1934 onwards and 1938 British Lions) + 1 other reserve not yet identified. This was a championship year for Ireland, the first for 20 years. After losing against England at home, Beamish's men travelled to Edinburgh where they secured their 4th successive victory in Scotland, they triumphed there 20 - 8. Then to Cardiff where Wales were lining up for the Triple Crown. In the previous two championships, 1930 & 1931 Wales had denied the Irish of Triple Crowns on both occasions, it was poetic justice that Ireland conquered the men in scarlet by 12 points to 10, scoring 4 tries in the process, a record try count in Wales. The autograph sheet is mounted together with........... 

The Esplande Hotel, Porthcawl was the traditional headquarters of Wales' opponents up until about 1980, we have seen several examples of signed headed notepaper of teams who have stayed at this hotel during the period. 

 

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Various Long Playing records containing Welsh music, match commentaries etc

 

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Piece of Cardiff Arms Park turf taken back to New Zealand by All Black forward Ken Gray as a memento of the All Blacks victory over Wales in 1967. The piece of turf was given to New Zealand journalist Peter Sellars. (WRM-0365)

 

1880-02.jpg (71632 bytes) 1880-01.jpg (49741 bytes) Part of a dinner menu card probably for the Manchester v Glasgow Academicals match at Whalley Range on 1st March 1880. The card has been cut to retain the illustration which would have been on the cover of the menu card. This shows a group of onlookers including a policeman studying a poster for the match. This card was part of a collection of 1880 Glasgow fixture cards and tickets of this period. A delightful illustration, admission for the match was 6d but ladies were free. Ref: WRM- F33 -   

 

EQUIPMENT - BOOTS

56-boots01.jpg (214321 bytes) 58-ball-boots01.jpg (238526 bytes) The oldest pair of rugby boots we've ever seen, paired together with a six panel ball.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THE HISTORY OF THE RUGBY BOOT

WRM-0961-btba-1890s -xa.WRM.eys

 

G T LAW - HAND MADE RUGBY BOOTS - 1967

Bob Brewer (Canada 1967) describes the history of these boots

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"The boots – they were made by G T Law and Sons of Wimbledon (now out of business I understand). A fitter came down to Oxford and measured all of us and then sent the boots which were quite revolutionary in the day, being so light and comfortable without the usual need to “break them in”. So I wore them in the match against Major Stanley’s XV, the 1965 Varsity match (which probably ranks as one of the worst Varsity matches ever!) and then we went on a short tour of Ireland and played University College, Cork and Cork Constitution. After that, I played several matches for the local Oxford RFC before tearing a cartilage against, I think, Llanelli which put an end to the 1965-1966 season. I then went off to Canada in September and started immediately playing for the Toronto Nomads, a team consisting mostly of ex-pats from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and the UK, plus a few quite talented Canadians. I was selected to play for Ontario and played a few provincial matches during that season (Two seasons, really, as you cannot play rugby in the Winter, so you play in the Autumn and the Spring!). By now the boots had worn out, so I wrote to G T Law, asking if they still had my measurements and if so would they make me another pair, which arrived by post a couple of weeks later, for the sum, if I recall correctly, of £5! Those are the boots which you now have. So I used them in the Autumn season of 1967 for the Nomads, Ontario and the match for Canada against England. At the end of the Autumn 1967, I moved from Toronto to a small town in Northern Ontario called Deep River which was the centre of all Canada’s atomic energy research – a safe long distance from anywhere! Here, I found a very active rugby team – again largely ex-pat but with some exceptionally able young Canadians – called the Deep River Blues! We played in the Montreal league (which we won whilst I was there) which was a major journey to get to and involved being away for the weekend. I couldn’t spare any more time away, so I did not play again for Ontario (or Quebec, as I was in a Montreal league). Early in 1969, my work took me to Trois Rivieres in the heart of Quebec to commission a nuclear reactor and there was no rugby there at all, so that was the end of my career. In the Budge Rogers book, he mentions that he (and I assume, the whole England team) had boots made to measure by G T Law and Sons." - Robert 'Bob' Brewer, Oxford University & Canada.

Ref: WRM-1024-mmbt1967-law.gt-WRM-uss

 

BILL BEAUMONT PLAYER OF THE YEAR BOOT
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Purchased in December 2008 at a 'celebrity cash in the attic auction' is this Rugby World - Adidas Golden Boot award. The boot was awarded to Bill Beaumont OBE as the 'Player of the Year' for England. We have found two years in which Bill won this award, 1978 and 1980, on both occasions Roger Uttley picked up the award for him. The award  was voted for by the readers of Rugby World. The 'Celebrity Cash in the Attic' programme was first aired on BBC2 on 3rd February 2009. The boot is a normal 'Adidas' boot that has been plated with a gold colour metal, possibly gold leaf. The awards ceremony was held at the Painter's Hall (1978) and Café Royal (1980) in London. 

 Need to know more about the rugby boot - visit our 'Development of the Rugby Boot' exhibition held in London, November  2007. For instance did you know that......................

The earliest recorded ‘football’ boots were listed in the wardrobe of King Henry VIII. They were made by his shoemaker Cornelius Johnson at a cost of 4 shillings. -  AD 1526  

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS EXHIBITION

 

 

SCRUM CAPS

70.jpg (65784 bytes) 69.jpg (71232 bytes) SCRUM CAP - CIRCA 1960s - country of origin: South Africa

Ref: WRM-0755- eq-scrum- cp-white- WRM-rss

     

 

 

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL THE WORLD RUGBY MUSEUM

 

World Rugby Museum Home

... ...

 

The World-Rugby-Museum is hosted and supported by

Rugby Relics

www.rugbyrelics.com

 

World Rugby Museum Home

MUSEUM GALLERY

On this page you will find items waiting to be added to the main museum pages

EQUIPMENT - BOOTS  -  SCRUM CAPS

 

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DEUTSCHES RUGBY-SPORT MUSEUM HEIDELBERG  

We were delighted to receive the recently published "Rugby in der DDR" book that features Rugby Union in the Democratic Republic of of Germany 1948-1990. The book is extensively illustrated with action photographs and exhibits in the museum.

The Museum is located at Heidelberg and was opened in 1997. The are 4 exhibition rooms with exhibits featuring the history of rugby in Germany  

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK - CLICK HERE

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WALES v SCOTLAND 1908 PROGRAMME

Wales v Scotland 1st February 1908 programme. Wales won the game 6-5 with tries by Billy Trew and Johnnie Williams, this was the 2nd match in Wales first ever Grand Slam season.  a 6 page fold out card programme.

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WALES v SOUTH AFRICA 1906 PROGRAMME

After defeating the All Blacks in 1905, Wales had the opportunity to become the best team in the world by beating the Springboks at St Helen's, Swansea. It was not to be, the touring South Africans trounced the home team by 11 points (a goal and two tries) to nil. The official programme for the match is a standard issue by Rees Electric Press of Cardiff. Our edition is 6 pages which have the front cover split from the remaining two pages.

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL THE WORLD RUGBY MUSEUM

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BOB SEDDON 

THE FIRST BRITISH CAPTAIN

1888 A trade card published in the 1890s dedicated to the first ever captain of a British touring side, Robert Seddon. The card measuring 9cm in length and 7cm across was issued by J Baines of Manningham the 'sole inventor and Patentee of the halfpenny packet of cricket and football cards ! The card is in 'In Memorium'. Bob Seddon  unfortunately drowned in a rowing accident whilst on the Australian leg of the tour. He was succeeded by AE Stoddart as captain, a great all round sportsman who went on to captain the English cricket team.

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(WRM-0715)

 

 

 

CARDIFF ARMS PARK - THE LONGEST KICK

1st February 1986 - Cardiff Arms Park

The crowd thought him mad, the media ‘ambitious’ only one man was certain he could do it. 70 yards 8 ½ inches (64.65 metres) was the distance of the penalty that Paul Thorburn kicked against Scotland in 1986. The longest successful kick at goal in the history of Welsh International Rugby. This was the 4th of 5 penalty goals kicked by the Neath legend as Wales went on to defeat Scotland by 22 points to 15. Pictured above is the ball that 'flew' that astounding distance while below you will find more photos of the ball and a picture of the boots with which he kicked that incredible goal. These are together with a 'printers' plate of the article that featured the kick in the Western Mail of the following week. The boots and printer's plate were loaned by Paul Thorburn to the Neath Rugby 125 exhibition held to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the WRU in Neath. The ball is now a treasured exhibit in the World Rugby Museum collection. 

This is how the legendary commentator Bill McLaren viewed the kick.

"NOW I'LL TELL YER - YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS BUT THAT IS THE WELSH 10 METRES LINE 

 AND PAUL THORBURN IS GOING TO ATTEMPT A GOAL 

"IT'S MILES TO THOSE GOALPOSTS"

HE IS OF COURSE A BIG KICKER - HE'S SCORED 438 POINTS LAST SEASON FOR NEATH BUT THIS WOULD BE A MONSTER

THORBURN THEN...............

WOOOOFFF

WHAT A BELT HE'S GIVEN IT 

"THAT IS AMAZING"

"I'VE SEEN ALL THE GREAT GOAL KICKERS IN THE WORLD OVER THE LAST DECADE BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN A KICK LIKE THIS ONE. HE GAVE IT A MONSTER SMACK, IT'S WHAT 60...62 METRES ALLOW A BIT MORE FOR THE ANGLE

IT JUST CREPT IN....... BUT IT COUNTS ...................

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(WRM-563) & (WRM-0714)

 

 

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ENGLAND - WALES v SCOTLAND - IRELAND

Services International Rugby Match Programme

16th December 1939 - Richmond Athletic Ground

 
 

England - Wales

   

Scotland - Ireland

 
06-JENKINS-VJG.jpg (81243 bytes) VJG Jenkins (Wales) No

1

15-PENMAN-WM.jpg (77196 bytes) WM Penman  (Scotland)
21-UNWIN-EJ.jpg (77654 bytes) Lieut. EJ Unwin (England) - more info 2 14-MURDOCH-WCW.jpg (79944 bytes) WCW Murdoch (Scotland)
  P Cranmer (England) 3 09-MACRAE-DJ.jpg (74438 bytes) DJ Macrae (Scotland)
  Claude Davey (Wales) 4 13-M'KIBBIN-HR.jpg (80699 bytes) HR McKibbin (Ireland)
  A Obolensky (England) 5 0T-BOYLE-CV.jpg (84262 bytes) CV Boyle (Ireland)
22-WALKER-GA.jpg (77498 bytes) GA Walker (England) 6 08-LOCKHART-BRUCE-RB.jpg (78978 bytes) RB Bruce Lockhart (Scotland)
02-ELLIS-J.jpg (78164 bytes) J Ellis (England) 7 0U-BRYDON-WRC.jpg (69337 bytes) WRC Brydon (Scotland)
18-TEDEN-DE.jpg (79423 bytes) DE Teden (England) 8 12-MEGAW-J.jpg (81683 bytes) J Megaw (Ireland)
20-TRAVERS-WH.jpg (84675 bytes) WH Travers (Wales) 9 19-TEEHAN-C.jpg (73413 bytes) C Teehan (Ireland)
0Z-DAVIES-WEN.jpg (87503 bytes) WEN Davies (Wales) 10 16-SAMPSON-RW.jpg (79779 bytes) RW Sampson (Scotland)
05-HUSKISSON-TF.jpg (70741 bytes) TF Huskisson (England) 11 11-MAYNE-RB.jpg (75708 bytes) RB Mayne (Ireland)
0X-COUCHMAN-SR.jpg (79351 bytes) SR Couchman (England) 12 04-HORSBURGH-GB.jpg (85755 bytes) GB Horsburgh (Scotland)
23-WATKINS-JK.jpg (82882 bytes) JK Watkins (England) 13 0V-BUCHANAN-ABW.jpg (74882 bytes) ABW Buchanan (Scotland)
  RE Prescott (England) 14 01-DUFF-PL.jpg (83179 bytes) PL Duff (Scotland)
07-KEMP-DT.jpg (73918 bytes) DT Kemp (England) 15 17-SAYERS-HJ.jpg (80513 bytes) HJ Sayers (Ireland)
 
  Referee CH Gadney (Leicester)
20.jpg (454204 bytes) England/Wales Scotland Ireland ran out convincing winners 17 points to 3 in this encounter. A big thank you to Phil Atkinson of the Rugby Memorabilia Society for supplying the following match report from The Times.

 

 

Signed postcard - Joe Tucker, 4th April 1933.

(WRM 0668)

This is a 'first cap' photo of Joe Tucker of Pontypool winning his Under 15 Welsh Schools cap.

Wales played England at Plymouth winning 15 pts to 3pts

The other team members were:
Aberavon- B.Morley, P.N.Elliot , Cardiff - H.Maclean, J.T Cullen, R.D.C Thomas
Bridgend - S.Davies, Gowerton -A.G.Jones, Newport-H.Morris, Neath - M.T.Lewis,
J.Sargent, L.Griffiths, Pontypridd - V.Jenkins, Swansea - E.Thomas, South Pembroke
E.L.Williams

We would like to say a big THANK YOU to Ray Evans for the above information.

 

 

 

65-daniell-ken.jpg (710102 bytes) Rugby Relics were delighted last week to help out Ken Daniell, the former Gloucester centre three-quarter with a programme of a match in which he had played. Ken appeared in the cherry & white hoops of Gloucester for three seasons following the second world war. The illustrated programme and newspaper cuttings are of a match at Richmond where Gloucester defeated the home side 15-3. Ken had an exceptionally good game scoring the only try of the match. His tackling was also noted in the Sunday Times report "Much of the tackling particularly that of K Daniell in the Gloucester centre was excellent. The headline 'brilliant play at stand-off' relate to one of Neath's favourite sons Willie Jones, who was stationed near Gloucester while in the RAF. We wish Ken & Mrs Daniell continued good health as they approach their diamond wedding anniversary.

 

 

FOR INFORMATION ONLY - not in our collection 

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"Concanen's opening lines 'I sing the pleasures of the rural throng / and mimick wars as yet unknown to song" indicate that in writing a long poem about a football match, he was breaking new ground [.] The ball, we are told, was constructed of 'three folds of bullock's hide with leathern thongs bound fast on either side' and stuffed with hay. There were goals at either end of the pitch constructed by sticking two willow rods in the ground some feet apart, bending them towards each other and tying the ends together so that a semicircle was formed".

8vo (128 x 198 mm). (4), 44, (4) pp. Bound with six other poetical pamphlets: - 1) Sewell, [George]. Poems on Several Occasions. London, E. Curll & J. Pemberton, 1719. VII, (1), 76, (4) pp. ESTC T72201 OCLC 745130780. - 2) [Poems on several occasions: viz. Waller's Anniversary on the Government of the Lord Protector, Anno 1655. A Pastoral Courtship, &c. London, J. Roberts, 1717.] (2 [instead of 4]), 64 pp. Case 302. ESTC T65281. - 3) [Wesley, Samuel]. The Battle of the Sexes: a poem. The second edition. London, J. Brotherton, 1724. XIII, (1), 32 pp. OCLC 557368259. - 4) [Amhurst, Nicholas]. Strephon's revenge: A satire on the Oxford toasts. The 4th edition. London, R. Francklin, 1724. VIII, 54, (2) pp. Foxon A211. ESTC T129063. - 5) [Ralph, James]. Clarinda: or The fair libertine. A Poem. In four cantos. London, John Gray, 1729. (6 [instead of 8]), 64 pp. Foxon R14. ESTC N27118. - 6) (A. B.). The Happy Bride: a Poem. In three canto's. London, D. Browne, 1730. (2), V-VIII, 55, (1) pp. Foxon H39. ESTC T496. Contemporary half calf with worn gilstamped spine title. First London edition of a very early account of "foot-ball", a precursor to modern day Association Football, Rugby, and Gaelic Football, which were not separately codified until the mid-19th century. "Concanen's opening lines 'I sing the pleasures of the rural throng / and mimick wars as yet unknown to song" indicate that in writing a long poem about a football match, he was breaking new ground [.] The ball, we are told, was constructed of 'three folds of bullock's hide with leathern thongs bound fast on either side' and stuffed with hay. There were goals at either end of the pitch constructed by sticking two willow rods in the ground some feet apart, bending them towards each other and tying the ends together so that a semicircle was formed". The first edition appeared at Dublin in 1720. An early work by the Irish poet and lawyer Concanen (1701-49), who was appointed attorney-general of Jamaica in 1732, a post he held for over sixteen years. - Some light staining and browning. Light wear and soiling to binding. Provenance: John Mills (erased inscription on title of "A Match at Foot-ball"); Lloyd Kenyon (1696 - ca. 1773; inscription on first title); Roger Kenyon (1735-1796; various inscriptions throughout). ESTC T39033. Foxon C328. OCLC 39646791. Seller Inventory # 56680

 

 

ORANGE FREE STATE v BRITISH LIONS 1974

This was the 14th match of the Lions Invincible tour and they almost came unstuck against a fiery Free State XV. Early exchanges in the match saw a Mervyn Davies try, against a drop goal and a penalty goal for the home team. Without a recognised kicker, the Lions first employed JPR Williams then Ian McGeechan, both of whom missed kicks. Next up was Stewart McKinney whose wide angle penalty hit the mark to take the Lions into a 7 - 6 lead. A further penalty goal by the Free State left the Lions with a two point deficit. Then in injury time one last effort saw JJ Williams score the winning try. 

The World Rugby Museum are proud to present Stewart McKinney's personal copy of the Orange Free State programme. The Dungannon man played eight matches, his only score of the tour was the crucial penalty he scored against the Orange Free State.

(WRM-Ref: 0591)

 

 

03-1906-sa-front.jpg (155594 bytes) 03-1905-nz-back.jpg (84071 bytes) Continuing on the theme of Giant Postcards, it looks as though the 'News of the World' jumped on the bandwagon with a Giant postcard of the 1906 Springboks. WRM-0597