1934-1935 ANECDOTES

1934-1935 ANECDOTES -PRESS REPORTS

24/9/1934 BATH V CAMBORNE

“The game was one of the hardest of the bunch, for the Cornishmen who work in foundries or mines are as tough as the native granite from which they draw their livelihood.”
“…a distinction to beat men of this calibre, the first they have sustained…..”
“Dick James gave an impressive display, kicking a long touch; and his try was a gem. Hancock shone; he has jumped back into form, and had a hand in three of the tries. Gerrard’s genius was noticeable in all he did. His play was a treat to the crowd who were not slow to appreciate it. Leslie Matthews lived up to his reputation; Merrett was forceful and dashing.”

It was not all hard work – after all – they were ‘On Tour.’ The weekend included a trip to Logan Rock (The rocking stone), St. Michael’s Mount and Porthcurno. It took two coaches and ten cars to move the party around, as they were joined by the Penzance Committee and several players.
A story was told that an army officer, with help, had once moved the stone. He had been forced to return it to its original spot, at a cost of several thousand pounds. But then again – tales abound in Cornwall! Some went fishing, others visited nearby resorts in pursuit of their individual pleasures. The evening concluded with a dance. There was ample fun.
“A trip with the Bath club is an education in leg-pulling.” Cyril Bailey was the arch-fun maker.

25/9/1934 v Penzance, Away Won 19 – 0. Team:- H T F Buse, L G Matthews, E A Merrett, R A Gerrard, R W James, C E Gough, H Davies, J Wilkins, H Oak, S Weeks, B C Barber, D Wilson, A Francis, L W Moore, H Davies. Bath wound up a successful tour with a win by 2 goals and 3 tries to nil, and a weekend aggregate points total of 45 points to 6. Bath try scorers:- Matthews, Gerrard (2), James, and Barber. Oak converted two. In the second-half, Bath gave a wonderful exhibition of open play, with eleven players handling the ball in one glorious round of passing.

Their Cornish friends were wonderful hosts, and two charabanc loads journeyed to the station for a final send-off: “cheering crowds speeding the party on their homeward way.”
“It was a tour that will live in the memory fore the fine rugby we saw and the outstanding kindness of the Penzance Club.”

VINCENT COATES KILLED BY FALL FROM G.W.R. EXPRESS

Th Chronicle and Herald headlined the tragic death, aged 45, of Bath’s former International and Doctor at the Royal Mineral Water Hospital. He also ran an exclusive private practice at Bath, where his knowledge of, and work on rheumatic diseases had gained him world-wide acclaim.
He was on his way back to Bath and was discovered on the track-side near Maidenhead.
A signalman had noticed that one of the carriage doors was open and a search discovered the doctor, lying critically injured. It was understood that he had asked the guard to give him a call when the train reached Bath. What happened next is only conjecture, but it seems probable that at a time when the train was checked, he had looked up at some nearby lights and mistakenly thought the train was standing at Bath Spa station. He apparently stepped out into the worldliness.
He was awarded the Military Cross in the War. He was a pupil at Monkton Combe Junior School, and then moved on to Haileybury, where he eventually was made School Rugger Captain. He entered Caius College Cambridge in 1907 and was a Light Blue whilst only 18 years of age. Previously playing for Bridgwater and

Somerset, he moved with his family to Hopecote, Combe Down in 1910, and Vincent’s association with the Bath Club began in partnership with his brother Norman.
His football and academic career had been a ‘crescendo of success.’ How tragic that a brilliant life should end this way.
The side most regularly appearing for Bath in his time, was made up of such players as E C Hartell, N Coates, A Blanchard, A F Kitching, W Fear, A Hatherill, S Head, A Ford, F J Cashnella, S Harris, A Carpenter, W H Royal, B Fisher and E Russell.

It is appropriate to observe that the majority of these players came from working class backgrounds, when class appeared to matter. Vincent Coates was a comrade and friend to each and every one of them. Despite outside privations, good companionship prevailed, and it was perhaps, the happiest period in the Club’s existence – to which he was a major contributor.

The following lines were penned to his memory, from a former patient:-

Brilliant upon the football field,
Brave on the field of war,
Beloved and honoured in his work,
Why had death closed the door?

So strong of frame, so frank of face,
So generously gay,
Quick, resolute, yet truly kind,
He went his healing way.

At first that steadfast, searching gaze
Through to the soul he’d send,
Questioning, noting all, and then
He’d smile and be your friend.

A faithful friend, a sturdy friend,
And bracing too at need,
In pain or grief a gentle friend
And comforting indeed.

His kindly clasp, his cheerful words,
His look, and merry smile –
Oh! It is only fit and right
To mourn him for a while!

Yet – “Keep a stout heart” – at the door
He’d sometimes pause to say;
And “Keep a stout heart” echoes still –
Tho’ he is gone away.

GERRARD ON TRIAL
At the request of the England Selectors, Gerrard played at full-back. He attempted a drop-kick from the half way line and a later penalty attempt fell short. “Gerrard’s touch finding soon improved in length, and one hereabouts gained a lot of ground, but although Bath got the ball from the ensuing line-out, the passing broke down in the middle and spoilt a guilt-edged chance. “One of the best touches of the afternoon by Gerrard, won a heap of ground.” Unfortunately, Bath’s movements fizzled out, being too orthodox in nature, and therefore – easily marked. There was a brighter effort by the ‘threes’ which allowed Gerrard to break away on the right wing, but the kick on was not properly anticipated.
At last, a flash of genius: “It happened like lightning, changing the fortunes of the game in a trice.
The forwards, with the ball at their feet, with Weeks, in the van and Moon in attendance, covered 30 yards before serious obstacles began to present themselves.
Then Davies quick-wittedly picked up and gave to James. He ran straight and true, passed to Matthews under challenge and the latter tipped the leather over to Wynne-Jones, whose speedy burst got the opposition on the wrong leg.
He ran up to Boase and an astute pass to Matthews enabled the right centre to crash over for as stirring a try as one could wish to see. Gerrard’s kick from wide out was unsuccessful.”
“Matthews, Wynne-Jones and James, as well as the ever -active Gerrard, took part in further thrusting movements, which were far more convincing than most of them hitherto.”
Bath won, but it was a bit of a struggle.
“Go on playing at full-back” was the advice of C N Lowe, the English selector……”

MANCOM 21/1/1935
Hearty congratulations to R A Gerrard on his gallant act in rescuing a boy from the River at Batheaston.
Editor’s Note: “It is amazing how many rugby players were involved in River or Canal rescues over the years. Gerrard here in 1935, Bill Hancock and Dan Thomas in 1933. A rescue of a mother and daughter from Widcombe lock.
In the modern era, Steve Hall’s, Old Edwardians R.F.C., dramatic rescue of a canoeist from Pulteney Weir. Finally, Roger Spurrell’s attempted rescue, again at the weir. (This last one could not be revived)

BACK AND FORE
In the second half there was a brilliant movement involving the Bath backs and Gerrard warmed up the crowd with a glorious try. The game continued: “from end to end in fine style – full of incident and thrills galore.” Then Blackheath’s Black scored a try, Kemp added another and Black was back to add the conversion. Bath played the game out in robust style but were not able to add to their score.

OPEN YERS EYES REF!
Certain of the referee’s decisions had displeased a section of the crowd, and he left the field amid some booing. “Purely as a precaution, a police officer walked with him to the dressing room. An excitable young woman spectator raised an umbrella as though intending to hit Mr. Llewellyn, but actually no blow was struck.
At no time was the referee molested, as one version of the rumours alleged; neither was there a ‘scrap’ between spectators.
The whole affair was quickly over, and amounted to no more than an ‘incident,’ such as often occurs on sports grounds after an exciting match.
During the game there was some booing and sardonic cheering, due to one or two decisions of the referee which did not find favour.
One was the disallowing of a try by Leslie Matthews on the ground that he had first struck the corner flag.
We understand that the flag was actually struck by the man who tackled

The Chronicle 29th April 1935, contained a report on a mysterious fire at Norman Coates, the former Bath centre’s hotel in Oxfordshire.

A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE DISASTEROUS OUTBREAK, A STATUE OF BUDDHA, WHICH HAD BEEN IN THE FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS, WAS MOVED TO FORM THE CENTRE-PIECE OF A CABERET DANCE, DESPITE THE ASSERTION THAT SUCH AN ACT WOULD BRING ILL LUCK. FEARS WERE LAUGHED AT AND THE STATUE MOVED; BUT A FEW HOURS LATER FIRE BROKE OUT AND THE HOTEL WAS BURNED TO THE GROUND.

“In his niche Buddha, with fire playing all around it, appeared to be calmly contemplating the havoc which was being wrought.”
Indeed, the only articles to survive were a piano – AND THE STATUE OF BUDDHA!
Norman Coates might well have asked -Did the Buddha play a sinister part in the conflagration?

On a less flippant note, it will be remembered that his brother Vincent had died in November 1934 in a tragic accident on the railway.

Extracts from Chronicle Report 18th May 1935

A BLOT ON THE GAME!
Speaking at the Dinner of the Bath Ex-Schoolboys, Dr. Scott Reid decried the “rise of the winging forward and his destructive effect on the game.”
The doctor, Chairman of the Bath Football Club, is one of the best- informed men in the game in the West, and his words are always carefully weighed.”
AN EXCRESCENCE!
“What was wrong with rugger? It was the wing forward; he was a blot on the game. He was more than that, an excrescence. Instead of making the game better he was making it definitely worse. Ninety-five per cent. of their games were ruined as a game by the so-called winging forward.

Something must be done about it. Everybody is crying out for better and brighter Rugby, and all sort of suggestions were put forward, but the simple and obvious remedy was to annihilate the wing forward.
If eight forwards get down to their traditional job of shoving, heaven help the side that carried two wing forwards.
The remedy to him seemed simple, and no one must take his head out of the scrum till the ball was heeled.”.
As first President of the Ex-Schools, The Doctor was presented with an inscribed trophy.

8th June 1935
The 1934-35 Annual Report announced a profit of £27 1s 2d on the season, which was an improvement on the previous season’s £94 17s. Gate receipts had fallen from £1565 to £1514. £100 had been paid off the Stand.