1952-1953 ANECDOTES

1952-1953 ANECDOTES
MANCOM 7/7/1952
Finance Committee to invite quotations for provision of teas from:
Sedan Chair, YMCA, Christopher and Pratts Hotel and the Red House.
(Red House tender for plain teas @ 2/6, and 5/6 for meat salad or fish and chips
accepted)
MANCOM 21/7/1952
Admission prices fixed at £2 2s 0d Members, Enclosure 1/9, Ground 1/-
and all transfers at 9d.
Old Players’ tickets at 10/-, but carrying no voting powers.
MANCOM 11/8/1952
Suggestion to procure a punch ball for training purposes abandoned.
Tom Smith to be Vice Captain.
Mrs Molly Gerrard and Mr. Jones to check whether there are plans afoot for P
compulsory purchase of the ground.

SERVICEMEN SELECTION
In 1952-1953, R.A.F. Rudloe Manor/Box had won the R.A.F. Shield knock-out competition, and the side included Roger Hosen (later of Northampton and England fame), Terry Deavall (later Cheltenham), and Bob Little (later St. Helens) and Peter Hall, who both joined Bath. One or two others played for Chippenham.
There was an on going debate, over Bath’s selection policy of including National Service players. The main criticism was that it ignored local talent. However, few can argue that it provided for an influx of a long succession of players, many of whom continued to associate with the Bath Club. Few, who remember the superb R.A.F. Yatesbury and Compton Bassett Seven-a-Side teams, would argue against their upgrading influence of local Rugby generally.
These were all very fit young men, just out of the rugby playing Grammar, County Schools etc., brimming over with testosterone, that even the ‘alleged’ bromide in the tea, could not suppress!

H.M.S. Wave
There was a particularly memorable end to the Tour, but not for rugby reasons.

HEADLINE – Late at Dance Then
Early To Rescue: Bath Old Players Rugby Tour Adventure
On the Saturday night, the team had attended a dance at the Penzance – Hotel Royale, and after arriving back at their St. Ives Hotel at 3-30am, there were some thick heads and late risers on the Sunday morning. Whether in bed or at breakfast, all of them were shattered by deep double bang, as the Coastguard Maroons went up. They joined the locals on the quay to see Fishery protection Vessel (a former deep sea minesweeper) HMS Wave, broadside on, after her anchor cable had parted, and wallowing about 100 Feet from St. Ive’s Westcott’s Quay.
Strong winds were throwing up 40 foot waves; rocks had ripped a fair size hole and oil was pouring out.

A breeches buoy was strung from the stern to the slip-way and the local men women were holding on desperately as the ship pitched and rolled. The first off had a particularly bad passage, as at one point the line was taut and dragging the folk down the slippery stonework, only for the ship to whip over and leave the line slack. As a result, the unfortunate mariner was dashed on rocks and came in wet and bloody. Despite this effort, only two thirds of the crew were off by 3.30pm that afternoon.

All this was quite an amazing experience for the Tour Party, but they were not allowed to spectate for long. Obviously, help was needed and spontaneously, they were all in there hanging on to the 100 yard-long ropes slithering up and down like a tug-of-war team!
The reporter for this article remembers that he was wearing a brand new overcoat, which was covered in thick dirty brown oil in the struggle. Committee members Jack Arnold, Eddie Simpkins, Arthur Foster, Stan Bailey, Harry Slade, Charles Burrough and Jack Beazer joined the players to add weight.

It was still: “ blowing great guns” when the team were due to leave, and the Admiralty still had : a ticklish job on their hands!” There was local comment that the skipper should have set out to sea to ride out the storm, but we did not learn of the final outcome.
To add to the drama, the team witnessed a Greek ship breaking up on the cliffs at Pendeen.
After all this excitement, the match venue at Camborne had become a morass and so the game against St. Ives was called off.
A memorable tour – but a wet one’
MANCOM 6/10/1952
Application for licence to re-build the West Stand refused.
It was agreed that as the St. Ives fixture could not be played (The H.M.S. Wave incident), they should be asked to pay Bath £25 instead of the agreed guarantee of £50.

THE CLUB-HOUSE DELAYED
There was continuing frustration following the announcement that the City Planning Committee had “deferred consideration” of the Club’s plans to erect ‘a hut’ to act as a clubhouse, in order to entertain visiting teams and officials. “The idea is to build on the bank which stretches from the North Stand to the riverside gate. It would not be visible from the Grand Parade or the Spring Gardens road. It won’t be very ambitious but will serve at least as a temporary structure. Maybe a more important club-house could be incorporated in the West Stand when – I say ‘when’ advisedly- it is rebuilt.”
John Kendall-Carpenter had a memorable altercation with Alan Grimsdell. Allegedly, Grimsdell had ‘tripped’ over the prone, Kevin O’Shaughnessy. A number of ‘f’ words reverberated around the near empty National Stadium.
Both of these gentlemen were destined to become R.F.U. Presidents.

The Bath Chronicle 29/11/1952 bemoaned the continuing absence of a clubhouse. “The idea of a clubhouse has long been exercising the minds of the Committee. Few clubs of any note are without one. I doubt if there is a club which Bath visit which has not some place to entertain visitors to tea and a drink afterwards.” At an estimated cost of £3000, the suggestion was that funds could be raised by issue of Debentures.
“What a boon it would be! What a meeting place for present and past players,

A GAME TO DREAM ABOUT!
This was a truly memorable game at the Gnoll, with Bath just losing 14-15. Bath found Welsh Internationals Roy John, Rees Stephens, hard to handle in the line-out, but the team put on a great show of open play, combined with a stirring forward effort. Eddie Simpkins described it as the best display ever given by Bath in Wales, during his forty years as General Secretary. “True, they lost by the odd point in 29 – three goals to a goal, a penalty goal and two tries – but it was the sort of rugby we dream about, but all too seldom witness. Rarely was the ball kicked to touch, there were no more than half a dozen loose mauls; for the rest the ball was flung about in great style, forwards joining in as exhilarating an exhibition of passing as one could wish.” Bath scores:-Tries by Wilcox, Stevens and Hill, a conversion by Roberts and a Hambly penalty. A John Robert’s penalty attempt rebounded off the upright. Nevertheless, Bath’s team effort was rightly acknowledged with “three cheers” from the appreciative spectators.

MANCOM 23/3/1953
Very hearty congratulations were extended to the 1st XV on their good performance at Neath.
The District Seven’s Tournament for the Colmer Cup provided lively end of season entertainment, and gave Bath’s local players an opportunity to exhibit their talents on Bath’s premier Recreation ground.
Previous Winners:- 1929 Walcot Old Boys, 1930 Old Edwardians, 1931 Combe Down, 1932 Walcot Old Boys,
1933 Avonvale, 1934 Combe Down, 1935 Combe Down, 1936 Chippenham, 1937 Chippenham, 1938 Avonvale,
1939 Combe Down, 1947 Avonvale, 1948 Old Sulians, 1949 Avonvale, 1950-

Annual General Meeting held at Red House on June 12th 1953.
Proposed G French and Seconded J Vaissiere, “That the creation of a clubhouse be approved and the committee be authorised in their discretion to transfer the sum of £846 6s 2d, or part of it, from the Special Fund to a Club House Fund, and to circularise the holders of the existing 4% £1 certificates, with an offer to convert them into £1 Certificates now being issued in connection with the erection of the Club House.”
Mr. Bert Anderson appealed to lady members to come forward as helpers when the Clubhouse was in being.

Bath players adjourned to their Summer sports:-
Alec Lewis was playing Tennis to a good standard. Mick Hanna was making a name for himself as wicket keeper and batsman. Eric Hopton played cricket for Brislington, while Guy Addenbrooke was in the Robertson’s (Jam) XI. Tom Smith turned out for the R.A.F. Association and Fairfield.