Welcome to Essex County RFU web pages.
In the Begining
Our records show that Essex County rugby was founded at Chelmsford in October 1885, with several clubs within the County boundaries already in existence. Southend [1870] London Hospital [1875] and the Port of London Authority. [1875] meeting together. This was some 5 years before the formation of the Eastern Counties Rugby Union 1890.
The Suffolk Union had been founded one year earlier in 1884, and provided the first ever fixture for a representative Essex side, that played and lost at Chelmsford on 21st February 1885. The County officials must have taken this defeat seriously, as the following season the first county trial was held at Upton Park in December 1885. This provided sufficient talent to ensure a win against Suffolk when the fixture was played again in March 1886.
County fixtures continued into the 1880’s and 1890’s a period that also saw the foundation of further Essex clubs, Wanstead [1892] and Ilford Wanderers [1896]. After the First World War, the development of rugby continued with a number of schools changing code and this gave rise to a further 10 clubs being established across Essex.
County rugby was re-established, after the second world war, during the 1949/50 season with sub county fixtures In the Eastern Counties involving Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridge. This was a period when more schools began playing rugby, established clubs began to field more teams and further new clubs were also formed.
Was this then a time for Essex to change?
Why the 9th December 1954 is so significant
Although up to 1954 the County fielded representative sides, there was virtually no administration, no annual accounts and no constitution or by-laws. Essex was one of the four counties that made up the constituent body of the RFU known as Eastern Counties and each year there was one “General Meeting of Essex Rugby Football Clubs” primarily to elect from their membership, representatives to serve on Eastern Counties (3 for the South and 1 for the North). The minutes of the meetings do not fully reveal the motivation behind the decision to change to the more autonomous running of rugby in Essex and the formation of a County Union, however, it seems likely that various factors combined together in 1954.
There had clearly been an expansion in the number of Essex clubs, Norfolk had already set a precedent by forming a Union in the 1951/52 season and it was apparent that there was some disquiet expressed over Eastern Counties policies although it has to be said, this seemed to centre mainly on team selection.
The decisive meeting was in fact the Annual General Meeting of Essex Clubs held at the Mail Coach on 20th May 1954, under the chairmanship of A.C. Arnold. There were 19 stalwarts present representing 14 clubs and among them were Jim Crowe, Bryan Gates and John Motum who are still involved with rugby in Essex today.
The Minute reads “D.W.Pluckrose reported that in the sub County championship Essex beat Cambridgeshire 6-3 and Norfolk 17-12. The Essex Sevens at Fairlop, the first run by Essex, were a great success, 21 clubs entered and O.Bancroftians beat O. Westcliffians in the final 14-11. These two successes and the interest shown by many clubs in Essex Rugby Football have led to this general meeting and the hope that out of it may spring an organised body to foster rugby football in the County of Essex”
A sub-committee was formed to consider an Essex constitution which was then submitted to a general meeting of Essex Clubs held on Thursday 9th December 1954. This meeting formally adopted the constitution and set the wheels in motion for the formation of the Essex County Rugby Football Union.
We know from RAB Crowe that much midnight oil was burnt and much Wanstead beer was consumed as another group drafted the bye-laws for the Union. Funding was an important issue and Clubs were asked for a “voluntary” donation of one guinea for the season. The first match for Essex as a Union was on the 14th December 1955 and just like 70 years previously, it was against Suffolk and the County lost by 20 – 14.
The first annual meeting of the County Union was on 24th May 1956 and the accounts, show that even without a treasurer (the Hon. Secretary Doug Pluckrose looked after the books) a “profit” of 46% was made!! With 35 clubs in membership a new bye law was passed this time requiring each club to pay a subscription of one guinea.
Youth is the Future.
Alongside the development and expansion of senior rugby in Essex, there has been an ever-increasing programme of youth rugby. Apart from the schools that formed the initial basis for a number of clubs, colts rugby was introduced as early as 1948 at Eton Manor. This was followed by Barking Park Modern OB and later by most of the “town” clubs.
The 1972/73 season saw the first County Colts matches with fixtures against Suffolk, Kent and Norfolk This same season saw the introduction of our first County Colts cup competition, for the Brian Goodchild trophy. Two seasons later a Colts one-day XV-a-side tournament for the Robert’s trophy was introduced. In the 1977/78 season the County recognised it’s responsibilities for mini rugby and John Ross convened the first conference solely for minis.
By the 1993/94 season Youth Rugby was high on the County agenda with increasing demands both for inter-club competitions and importantly, representative rugby. An Essex Clubs Youth Committee was formed. Mini-midi rugby and all age group rugby from Under 13 through to Under 20 are now flourishing with a programme that includes festivals, club competitions which are held at all levels as well as representative rugby which at U16 and U18 is graded to select players for London and SE division and eventually can lead to England representative rugby at these age grades.
EssexRugby has been well served in recent years by youngsters selected for the national development squads at Under 16 and 18 age groups, with several going forward to represent England. Further developments in youth rugby are continuing and the 2004 season has marked the start of a programme of integration between schools and clubs for our County representative sides. Another innovation has been the introduction of girls rugby at U14 and U17.
Constituent Body of the RFU
The most notable step forward in the Annuls of EssexRugby occurred on Sunday 13th July 2003 when Essex County RFU was accepted into the RFU as a Constituent body. This was not without a fight within Eastern Counties. (We still don't know why they wanted to keep us within theier ranks). Previous attempts to seperate from Eastern Counties had been thwarted but it took two years of campaigning to receive the correct majority and support from the clubs in Essex and the Counhites. The occasion was also marked by our entry into the RFU County Championships the following season where we won two and lost two but EssexRugby had finally made its mark.
There are now forty-five clubs who make up Essex County RFU, Though we do not have any clubs above National 2 (level 3) rugby in the county, the game is strong, not only for men but the womens game is also gaining strength with a number of teams attached to our clubs. Some of our players have gained international recognition, some are playing at the highest level in the Professional Rugby Clubs like Saracens, whilst the rest of us just enjoy our Satruday afternoons in a match and Sunday mornings coaching and training the youngsters to follow in our footsteps.
I am entirely indebted to Fred Spencer and Chris Dyer for the information in these notes that were drawn both from their recollections and Fred Spencers article on Essex Rugby written for the Eastern Counties centenary publication and from his archive of meeting minutes.
This article is dated the 1st December 2008
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