During the early part of 1959 a group of young men used to congregate around the fire of the snug in the Spread Eagle Hotel. The beer in the Spread at that time did nothing to inspire the lads and one evening, when it was particularly bad, the conversation once again turned to how the matter could be rectified and someone came up with the brilliant idea of forming a drinking club.
Shortly afterwards four of the men, including Martin Hampson and Peter Holt, attended the Bowdon 7’s. As the day progressed, they were amazed to find that the bar remained open and they decided there and then that this abuse of the licensing laws was the answer to all their problems.
Sports clubs could legally sell beer to their members and rugby clubs seemed to consume beer in great quantities but first of all they needed a team. As the winter nights of ’59 started to draw in, the plans began to formulate. An advert was placed in the Warrington Guardian requesting anyone interested in forming a rugby club to attend a meeting at the Spread Eagle on the 27th November 1959.
The response was excellent and an inaugural meeting was held at the same venue on the 14th January 1960. Twenty one people attended and their names are as follows:-
J Alexander, Ron Fairs, Roger Roberts, John Kermode, Bill MacMutrie, D. Storey, Peter Matthews, F. Normington, C. Clark, D. Ravenscroft, M. Clough, Fred Totton, D. Marshall, O. Connally.
The following were elected officers:-
Mike Thomason (Chairman), Peter Holt (Treasurer), Martin Hampson (Joint Secretary), Dick (Jesse) James (Joint Secretary). Ian Pitchford, Edgar Welbourne and Barry Sutton were also elected as committee members
Adult Sporting & Social Club Membership
Join NowFormed in 1960, we are still a relatively young club in rugby terms but in that time we have made our mark in more ways than one. Dave Berry’s excellent book ‘Out on a Lymm’ chronicles the history of the club from its foundation to season 1989/90.
Only a few copies now remain but it can be found at local Warrington Libraries. At the time of its publication, the club was going through a difficult period financially and serious thoughts were being given to selling up and moving. Thankfully this didn’t happen and we are still here at ‘Beechwood’, a club house that is dear to the hearts of all members past and present.