1951-1952 ANECDOTES

1951-1952 ANECDOTES
AGM 14TH June 1951, with President, Arnold Ridley presiding. Alec Lewis re-elected as Captain.

MANCOM 25/6/1951
West Stand re-building license again refused.

MANCOM 9/7/1951
Red House to supply players teas at 2/3d per head.

IT’S QUICKER BY TRAIN!
There was news that the team would no longer travel by road for the London fixtures. There was the advantage that the players could return home independently from a selection of at least three train times. On the outward journey, there was a move to avoid the hiring of private transport from Paddington to the London grounds.

MANCOM 10/9/1951
Agreed to obtain names and addresses of disabled pensioners who wished to attend home matches.
Mrs Molly Gerrard suggested that the true club spirit exhibited at all times by Alec Lewis, was appreciated and should be put on record.
A bell which had mysteriously disappeared from the Clubroom, had since re-appeared.
The R.F.U. had recommended, that whenever possible, the full forty minutes per half should be played.
PRESS PRESSED
Chronicle to be asked to send a replacement to Committee meetings, on occasions when Mr. Matthews not available.

27/10/1951
The Bath and District Rugby Supporters’ Club had changed its name to “Bath Rugby Supporters’ Club” Their revised aim was to devote their energies to the support of the Premier club. Invoking the new policy, there was an immediate donation of £50 to the Bath Football Club. They also inquired as to how they could be of further assistance. One of their suggestions was that they would be willing to provide half-time oranges to the United and ‘A’ XV’s.
Bath Chronicle 9/11/1951 reported on the severe flooding in Bath. Notably, scaffolding under the centre arch of Pulteney Bridge had collapsed and was forced down river. All sorts of wooden debris found its way to the Rec. and the centre of the pitch was awash with a collection of spectator benches.
MANCOM 17/12/1951
Congratulations extended to Alec Lewis upon his selection for England v the Springboks on January 5th. He was to be greeted
PROGRAMME NOTES following Quins game:- It was good to hear on Monday that Bath’s injured were going on well and might be available this week. It was all very unfortunate and probably no one remembers so many injuries in one match. Wenyon especially unlucky for he was only called on to play in the morning when Brian French cried off and came to the ground highly delighted with the chance to do so, and he was doing remarkably well! Off course no one knows what the result would have been had these misfortunes not overtaken us, but many keen supporters will tell you they do. Anyhow, we must congratulate those who were left on the splendid manner in which they stuck to it to the end, especially the six forwards who were led by John Roberts. The pity was that Bath did not score in the last quarter of an hour. They certainly deserved to.
GOOD RUGBY ON ICE!
Played out in bitterly cold weather, on a snow-covered pitch, it was difficult to string together any sort of quality rugby. Added to this misery, there was a plethora of penalties – 18 in the first half and 11 after the interval, with a ratio of 2:1 against St. Mary’s. Bath played to their forwards and Fred Hill easily won the hooking duel. However, when the ball occasionally reached the backs, it was covered in a film of ice, and dropped passes were inevitable.
MAN OF THE MATCH
“Alec and Trevor Lewis were well to the fore, leading the pack in fine dribbling runs in attack, and covering up excellently in defence. In the loose, Allan Todd and D M Mattingley were prominent – the latter played a grand game- and John Dingle worked hard in the line-outs. And of course, John Roberts and Tom Smith played their steady best.
But the man-of-the-match as far as Bath were concerned was undoubtedly full-back Porter.
Never have I seen him give a better performance, His touch-finding, catching and tackling were excellent, and he capped all this with two brilliant penalty goals.”

THE COST OF CRIME
Fred Hill played ‘policeman’ on the 6-30 out of Paddington. The players had quit their reserved compartments and gone to the Restaurant Car. While they were away scarves and gloves belonging to Norman ‘Curly’ Halse, and Robin Hambly were stolen by two Bristol youths. Fred then searched the train and found the two lads, took them back to the compartment and questioned them as to ‘what the were about.’ The police were contacted at the station and all but one pair of gloves were eventually recovered on the railway lines near Chippenham. It was a petty offence, which ended in fines of £3 each, plus £2 18s 9d costs.
FIRE IN THE STAND – REF’s ENFORCED SHOWER
On the 9th February 1952, the Bath Chronicle reported on another small fire in the North Stand.
The blitzed relic had been restored by using timber from the ‘flower-pot’ stands, and there were gaps in the planking. Repeated warnings, failed to stop careless spectators throwing down cigarette ends that had not been stubbed out. Not for the first time, the flooring caught fire. Groundsman Helps, extinguished the blaze with several buckets of water.
“There was a humorous side to this. The water went through into the referee’s dressing-room, and swamped the referee. Fortunately, at the time, he was not dressed. Actually he had just got out of his bath! He got back into the bath to remove the results of this shower!

MANCOM 11/2/1952
Letter from the R.F.U.: “In consequence of the death of His Majesty the King George VI, all clubs are asked to cancel the playing of matches until after the funeral; in addition your committee expresses the hope that clubs will find it possible to postpone dinners and social functions.”
Agreed to have two extra policemen for the Bristol match.
Agreed that all Kingswood schoolboys, wearing school caps, be admitted free to the match on the 16th.
Agreed that there be a French Tour in 1954-55 season.
Agreed that Old Edwardians could play Birmingham O.E.’s on the Rec., subject to arranging a suitable date.
Adapted from Bath Chronicle (1/3/1952) –
BATH R.F.C. OLD PLAYERS MAKE MERRY

This first “Smoker” was held at the Angel Hotel after the Bristol game, and this eminently successful evening saw the coming together of some 165 past and present players.
For entertainment, the ‘Crazy Gang’ were in attendance, with Cyril Bailey as leader of the band – dubbed as the ‘B.C.B. Seemphoney Orchestra,’ with such virtuosos as John Tolman, J Bevan Jones, Bert Anderson, Charlie Gough, Stan Bailey and Victor Smith (piano).
“There were ‘straight’ acts – songs by John Tolman and Leslie Moores, magic by George Cooper of Bristol, and monologues by Charlie Gough and unforgettable ‘feats’ of ‘weight’ lifting, and the Indian rope trick and the Bailey Brothers (the Barnums and Baileys of the evening).
It was the forerunner of many more Old Player Smokers, at which the Old Players made their own fun – and oh what great fun it was!

At the Management Meeting on 3/3/1952
FIRST OLD PLAYERS’ SMOKER
Chairman asked Mr Jack Arnold to convey hearty congratulations on the great success of the Old Players’ Association’s first Smoking Concert.

MANCOM 10/3/1952
Letters were received from the Civil Service, Chippenham and Oldfield Old Boys Clubs, stating that members from their clubs had been selected in Bath Club teams contrary to the Rules of the Bath Combination.
Congratulations to Tilley of the Bath Schools Union on his England selection.

No less than seven players in the Bath 1st XV squad around this time were destined to become Club Presidents:
1985-87 J W P Roberts
1987-89 N P Halse
1989-91 A O Lewis
1991-93 L A Hughes
1997-99 A J Meek
1999-2001 R A Berry
2001-03 P G Hall
MANCOM 5/5/1952
The Hon. Sec. was instructed to write to Somerset County, expressing our regret that the matter of a demonstration by part of the crowd at the Moseley match was mentioned by the Hon. Sec. of the Somerset Referees Society at the dinner of Minehead club.

10/5/1952
Mr. I J Pitman, M.P. for Bath made a Commons plea for a reduction in entertainment tax duty on sporting activities. Mr. Pitman could speak with conviction, as he had played rugby for Bath, the constituency which he represented.

MANCOM 16/5/1952
After a number of meetings, the Finance Committee sought further talks with the Recreation Ground Company, regarding possible purchase of shares.
Agreed to try to obtain photographs of Bath’s other internationals, to be hung in the club room with that of Alec Lewis.
“The social committee have already presented to the club one of the latest to be capped, Alec Lewis; and they intend to add R A Gerrard, S G U Considine, I J Pitman, Vincent Coates and ‘Buster’ Soane.”

News that Alec Lewis had just joined the Territorials – the R.A.S.C.. “Starting at the bottom, he is now a lance-corporal (unpaid!). He is off to camp shortly.”

Friday 30/5/1952 – First Annual Meeting of the Bath Football Club Old Players’ Association, held at the Angel Hotel at 7-30pm. The idea of an Old Players’ Association was first suggested at an Old Crocks XV ‘get-together’ on the Rec in April 1951. Mr. Arnold Ridley, the then Club President and Mr. J Bevan-Jones again suggested the idea and a meeting was held on 18th May 1951, and with some 70 present, the association took its original formation. In 1952 the membership stood at 216 former players. Mr. I J Pitman, M.P., was the founding President, and Alderman W F Long the Vice President.
Social activities were initially confined to skittle matches.
MANCOM 5/5/1952
The Hon. Sec. was instructed to write to Somerset County, expressing our regret that the matter of a demonstration by part of the crowd at the Moseley match was mentioned by the Hon. Sec. of the Somerset Referees Society at the dinner of Minehead club.

10/5/1952
Mr. I J Pitman, M.P. for Bath made a Commons plea for a reduction in entertainment tax duty on sporting activities. Mr. Pitman could speak with conviction, as he had played rugby for Bath, the constituency which he represented.

MANCOM 16/5/1952
After a number of meetings, the Finance Committee sought further talks with the Recreation Ground Company, regarding possible purchase of shares.
Agreed to try to obtain photographs of Bath’s other internationals, to be hung in the club room with that of Alec Lewis.
“The social committee have already presented to the club one of the latest to be capped, Alec Lewis; and they intend to add R A Gerrard, S G U Considine, I J Pitman, Vincent Coates and ‘Buster’ Soane.”

News that Alec Lewis had just joined the Territorials – the R.A.S.C.. “Starting at the bottom, he is now a lance-corporal (unpaid!). He is off to camp shortly.”

Friday 30/5/1952 – First Annual Meeting of the Bath Football Club Old Players’ Association, held at the Angel Hotel at 7-30pm. The idea of an Old Players’ Association was first suggested at an Old Crocks XV ‘get-together’ on the Rec in April 1951. Mr. Arnold Ridley, the then Club President and Mr. J Bevan-Jones again suggested the idea and a meeting was held on 18th May 1951, and with some 70 present, the association took its original formation. In 1952 the membership stood at 216 former players. Mr. I J Pitman, M.P., was the founding President, and Alderman W F Long the Vice President.
Social activities were initially confined to skittle matches.