Seniors - Club history

 

FAMOUS PLAYERS

GEORGE CULLENWing/centre.Magnus Grammar School, Newark, Leicester, Bedford, England Triallist.
GRAHAM PULFREYFull back.Magnus Grammar School, Newark, Leicester.
W.H. "DUSTY" HAREFull back.Magnus Grammar School, Newark, Nottingham, Leicester, England, British Lions.
ANDY SIMPSONHookerMagnus Grammar School, Newark, Sale, England B, England Tourist.
JOHN WELLSFlankerMagnus Grammar School, Newark, Leicester, England U23, England B.

CLUB HONOURS

NOTTS, LINCS & DERBYS CUP1983, 1988, 1990
POWERGEN MIDLANDS 3 EAST (NORTH)2003
MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIV. 2 (EAST)1988
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE CUP1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1996.
UNDER 19 CUP1977, 1978, 1984, 1999, 2002
LEA GREEN INTER COUNTY CUP1970.
TOM OLLERHEAD TROPHY (2ND XV)1978, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995.
JOHN PLAYER PENNANT (1ST XV)1987
JOHN PLAYER PENNANT (2ND XV)1981
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SHIELD (2ND XV)1988, 1991

SIGNIFICANT DATES IN OUR HISTORY

Dec. 19th 1891 - A Newark XV played Nottingham and won 8-0, the first match for which there is a record.

1891 -1919 - Several matches were played but records were not kept. Opponents included Nottingham, Worksop and Mansfield. In 1913, G. Ransome (of A. Ransome & Co. forerunner of N.S.K..) arranged a match between the company and the Magnus Grammar School. In 1914, a Newark team arranged some dozen fixtures but, sadly all local sporting events were cancelled because of the Great War.

July 26th 1919 - Rev. H. Gorse, Head of the Magnus Grammar School, convened the meeting which led to the founding of the Newark Club. The club affiliated to the Rugby Football Union, transferring to the Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire R.F.U. on its formation in 1926.

1919-1922 - Matches played at the Magnus Grammar School. Opponents included Burton on Trent, Doncaster and Chesterfield.

1922-1930- Matches played at Newark Cricket Club. Changing rooms were at the Royal Oak in Castlegate, where the Club had its headquarters until 1964.

1930-1939 - The Club rented a field on Muskham Road, formerly the Ransome and Marles Sports Ground. Many more clubs had been formed and the fixture card would seem familiar to present members including, as it did, Old Paviors, Scunthorpe, Lincoln, Southwell, Casuals and Grimsby.

1939-1945- Around 100 matches took place during the war years, including several against local services who also provided many players for the Club. Unfortunately, there are no accurate records of this period.

1947 - In May, six acres of land were auctioned. The club authorised Bob Wilkinson to bid up to £500. He had to go to £520 to beat off the other bidder, William Hare, Dusty's grandfather.

1950 - The new Kelham Road ground was officially opened with Newark playing a Leicester XV. The facilities at the Royal Oak were improved and the Club had its own bar cum dining room.

1964- An old Army hut had been purchased for £420 at auction, dismantled carefully and then re-erected on the Club's ground. This was the new Clubhouse and changing rooms and is still a major part of the greatly extended building.

1968 - Electricity having been laid on in 1966, full floodlighting was installed, the first in the Three Counties, and Newark became the home of the county side.

1973 - Mini Rugby was introduced for boys between the ages of 9 to 13.

1985 - Major extensions to the Club were undertaken, helped by an enormously successful fund raising effort.

1995 - Floodlights erected on number 2 pitch.

 

 

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