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1113 - The Junior Cup: History & Records

   
   

The Junior Cup was first put up for Competition in 1887 – 1888 season and after over a 130 years of service, the original Cup has been replaced in 2021 with a new trophy.  It was played for initially by the 1st XVs of clubs which had not at any time been members of the County Union.  A condition of winning the Cup was that the winners must apply for admission to the Union and would not be classed as “Junior”.  The arrival of the Competition was welcomed by the then Junior Clubs who generally were in a lethargic state but pressing for change in the Rugby Union locally.

The first decade of the competition matches were not settled by points but by Goals, tries and Minors and it were not until 1897 that a point’s only decision would be agreed on. The rule to enforce cup winners becoming Senior Clubs,was counterproductive and amended in 1895 to allow winners to enter in the 2nd Teams Cup and apply for Senior Status if they won. 

Some information is missing although research is ongoing to complete the record, any information you may have would be appreciated, please email to chrismcl@btinternet.com  with details.

Geographic and History note.

The Game has been played in many areas of Durham by many now largely forgotten clubs/teams, and the only evidence of their existence is on the cup plinth or faded photographs and in newspaper files. Readers will like to know the whereabouts or background to some of the clubs as follows:-

Blackhill: part of Consett District and a fore runner of the present Consett & District club.

Bensham: a Gateshead club and fore runner of the present Gateshead club, there was a earlier Bensham club around 1876.

Chopwell: from N W Durham,formed in 1909 by City & England player Harry Imrie & N C Nielson from                       Sunderland RFC.

Empress Rovers: a Pyman League club from Hartlepool named after a theatre in Northgate!

Furness Athletic: based in Haverton Hill on the Furness shipyard.

Greenside : A colliery based club from near Ryton

Henderson’s Creelers: a factory side that played on Factory Field, Durham City,on what is now the Swimming Baths at Elvet Bridge. Hendersons was a carpet factory taken over as Hugh Mackay in 1905. They went defunct in 1894, presumably not wanting to be a Senior Club.

Heortensians: a Pyman League side from Hartlepool, name taken from one of a number of  ancient spelling of the name of the District around Hartlepool.

Mount Pleasant: one of several clubs in the Gateshead area, folded in 1894 as they had no ground to play on, probably did not want to be a Senior CLub

Old Bedans: the former pupils of Bede G.S. Sunderland, folded in 1964

Seamen's Institute: from Hartlepool, based at the Mission Hall on the Town Wall,which still stands as a                       private dwelling.

Sherburn House: a colliery side, east of Durham City, based on Sherburn Colliery.

Sleetburn: a colliery side, west of Durham City, based on the New Brancepeth Pit.

South Shields St Pauls - One of the many junior clubs based in Shields/Jarrow. They joined the original Rugby League in 1901, one of only two Durham clubs to do so. 

South Shields 4th Durham Howitzer Battery (played on the toughest pitch, probably, in the country – at Trow Rocks, which had minimal top soil cover – if any!)

Southwick Rangers: a Sunderland Club.

Stargate (Rovers) : a colliery side in Ryton/Blaydon.

Stranton Vulcans: a Pyman League side from West Hartlepool played at Foggy Furze, probably New Stranton Celtic under a new name, they lasted only two seasons.

Throston Wanderers: a Hartlepool side, one of several Throston Township Clubs

* G.T.M. in the list below refers to goals, tries and Minors. A goal was when the ball went over the bar between the posts, Try for a touchdown, you were allowed to try for goal! and a minor occurred when for instance, your opposition conceded a five metre scrum on your own line, similar to conceding a corner in soccer!

Season

Winner

*G.T.M.

Runners Up

*G.T.M.

Venue

1887/88

Hartlepool Y.M.C.A.

1

St.Cuthberts Durham

nil

Hendon Parish Church

1888/89

Throston Wanderers

2.2.4.

Sherburn House

0.0.1.

Victoria Grnd West Hartlepool

1889/90

South Shields Y.M.C.A

1.0.2.

West Hartlepool West End

0.0.6.

Holy Drift  Durham

1890/91

West Hartlepool West End

1.0.4.

South Shields Holy Trinity

0.1.1.

Ashbrooke 

1891/92

Sherburn House

1.2.0.

South Shields Holy Trinity

0.3.0.

Ashbrooke 

1892/93

Mount Pleasant

1.0.0.

Henderson’s Creelers

0.0.0.

Ashbrooke 

1893/94

Henderson’s Creelers

2.1.0.

Hartlepool Wanderers

0.0.0.

Park Rd Jarrow 

1894/95

Hartlepool Old Boys

2.1.0.

Sleetburn

0.0.0.

Park House,

Sherburn

1895/96

Spennymoor Park Rovers

3.1.0

West Hartlepool Vulcans

0.0.0.

Dairy Lane

Houghton 

1896/97

West Hartlepool Vulcans

1.3.0.

Stargate

1.0.0.

        Boldon 

1897/98

South Shields      St Pauls

10 pts

West Hartlepool Hornets

0 pts

Houghton

 a.e.t.

1898/99

Sleetburn United

11

Boldon

0

Houghton 

1899/00

Houghton Nomads

15

Boldon

0

 

Hollow Drift a.e.t. 

1900/01

Boldon

13

West Cornforth Rovers

             3                   

Hollow Drift after a 3 all draw at Ashbooke

1901/02

Empress Rovers

6

Hetton O.B.

3

Hollow Drift 

1902/03

Hetton O.B.

6

Croxdale Wanderers

0

Hollow Drift a.e.t.

1903/04

Winlaton Vulcans

8

West H'pool Nomads

0

Hollow Drift

1904/05

Blaydon Wanderers

6

Hartlepool Crusaders

4

Westoe

1905/06

Hartlepool Rangers

6

West Crusaders

4

The Friarage

1906/07

Stranton Vulcans

7

Gilesgate

0

Ashbrooke

1907/08

Hartlepool Rangers

8

Gilesgate

3

The Friarage

1908/09

Greatham

10

Ryton

8

Ashbrooke a.e.t.

1909/10

Ryton

3

Tudhoe & Ferryhill United

0

Ashbrooke a.e.t.

1910/11

Chopwell

 11

Shields 4th Howitzers

Winlaton 

1911/12

Hartlepool Red Rose

6

Hartlepool Nomads

0

The Friarage

1912/13

Southwick Rangers

14

Blackhill & District

0

Westoe 

1913/14

Bensham

9

Blackhill & District

3

Blaydon Haughs a.e.t. 

1914/15 to 1921/22 Competition suspended owing to the Great War

1921/22

Greenside

11

Furness Athletic 

3

The Friarage

1922/23

Throston Wanderers

8

Hartlepool Red Rose

6

The Friarage

1923/24

Hartlepool Red Rose

14

Heortensians

5

Clarence Road

1924/25

Heortensians

8

Furness Athletic 

0

The Friarage

1925/26

Seamen’s Institute

26

 Chopwell

3

Westoe

1926/27

Consett & District

4

Horden

3

Stella Blaydon

1927/28

Darlington Railway Athletic

8

Billingham

0

Clarence Road

1928/29

Horden

3

Southwick Rangers

0

Clarence Road

1929/30 to 1933/34 Competition suspended

1933/34

Winlaton Vulcans

8

West Hartlepool S.S.O.B.

3

North Durham

1934/35

Sunderland Hornets

8

West Hartlepool E.R.O.B.

0

Houghton

1935/36

West Hartlepool E.R.O.B.

12

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

6

Clarence Road

1936/37

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

15

Sunderland Rovers

0

Clarence Road

1937/38

Southwick Rangers

3

Reyrolles

0

Gateshead Fell

1938/39

Reyrolles

11

Sunderland Rovers

0

Ashbrooke

1939/40 to 1947/48 Competition suspended due to Second World War

1947/48

Darlington G.S.O.B.

11

Winlaton Vulcans

             4 

Hollow Drift after a 3 all draw at Houghton

1948/49

Winlaton Vulcans

21

Bede College

3

 

1949/50

Bede College

 

Sunderland Technical College

 

 

1950/51

West Hartlepool G.S.O.B.

6

South Shields Marine School

0

Houghton 

1951/52

Old Bedans

6

South Shields Marine School

0

Ashbrooke 

1952/53 Competition suspended

1953/54

Bede College

15

Old Bedans

0

Durham 

1954/55

Old Bedans

6

Bede College

3

West Hartlepool 

1955/56

Old Bedans

21

West Hartlepool G.S.O.B.

0

Stockton 

1956/57

Old Bedans

25

Horden

6

Durham City

1957/58

Bede College

14

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

0

New Friarage 

1958/59

Bede College

13

West Hartlepool G.S.O.B.

3

Billingham 

1959/60

West Hartlepool G.S.O.B.

16

Horden

11

Horden

1960/61

Horden

 14

Bede College

 10

North Durham

1961/62

Horden

11

Bede College

8

The Friarage

1962/63

Horden

3

West Hartlepool G.S.O.B.

0

Clarence Road

1963/64

Winlaton Vulcans

 

West Hartlepool G.S.O.B.

 

Horden

1964/65

West Hartlepool G.S.O.B.

17

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

6

Grayfields,West Hartlepool

1965/66

Winlaton Vulcans

21

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

3

Durham City

1966/67

Durham Constabulary

14

Bede College

5

Durham City

1967/68

Bede College

8

Durham Constabulary

5

Stockton

1968/69

Sunderland College of Education

8

Readheads

3

Westoe

1969/70

Bede College

17

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

0

 

Grayfields,Hartlepool

after 9 all draw at Maiden Castle

1970/71

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

3

Readheads

0

Durham City

1971/72

Sunderland College of Education

12

Readheads

3

Oakleigh Gardens South Shields

1972/73

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

16

Readheads

9

Mayfield Park

1973/74

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

16

Readheads

4

Marine School

1974/75

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

13

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

9

Mayfield Park

1975/76

Bede College

8

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

3

Mowden Park

1976/77

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

15

Bede College

              4 

Brierton Lane, after a 6 all draw at Aycliffe

1977/78

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

15

Bede College

4

Ashbrooke

1978/79

Darlington Railway Athletic

9

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

3

Stockton

1979/80

Belford House

22

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

3

Durham City

1980/81

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

9

Belford House

3

Darlington

1981/82

Belford House

9

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

6

Ryton

1982/83

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

15

Belford House

10

Blaydon

1983/84

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

18

Belford House

13

Stockton

1984/85

Seaham

12

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

9

Winlaton

1985/86

Seaham

12

Bishop Auckland

7

Mayfield Park

1986/87

Seaham

29

Bishop Auckland

0

Grayfields

With the adoption of the League system in 1986/87 and the abandonment of the two-tier membership system in Durham County, the Junior Cup was used as the Challenge Trophy until the beginning of the new century but reverted to the Junior Cup after a few seasons.

1987/88

Bishop Auckland

14

Seaham

9

Winlaton 

1988/89

Hartlepool

7

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

6

Mayfield Park

1989/90

Consett & District

12

Houghton

4

Hollow Drift

1990/91

Darlington

13

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

0

Stockton

1991/92

Seaham

8

Billingham

3

New Friarage

1992/93

West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.

43

Houghton

24

Mayfield Park

1993/94

Seaham

8

Chester le Street

0

Mayfield Park

1994/95

Bishop Auckland

25

Darlington Railway Athletic

22

New Friarage

1995/96

North Durham

14

South Tyneside College

12

North Durham

1996/97

Billingham

15

Houghton

5

Hollow Drift

1997/98

Houghton

11

Consett & District

0

Hollow Drift

1998/99

Billingham

23

Bishop Auckland

17

Hollow Drift

1999/00

Hartlepool

29

Seaton Carew

0

Seaton Carew

2000/01

Hartlepool

33

Seaton Carew

21

Mayfield Park

2001/02

Hartlepool

26

Seaton Carew

14

Seaton Carew

2002/03

Houghton

7

Seaton Carew

6

Mayfield Park

2003/04

Sunderland

16

Winlaton Vulcans

6

Hollow Drift

2004/05

Sunderland

67

Seaton Carew

7

Hollow Drift

2005/06

Sunderland

43

Bishop Auckland

0

Grayfields

2006/07

Ryton

17

Sunderland

13

Gateshead

2007/08

Stockton

35

Barnard Castle

13

New Friarage

2008/09

Ryton

20

Barnard Castle

9

Houghton

2009/10

Sunderland

46

Barnard Castle

24

 

2010/11

Bishop Auckland

30

Barnard Castle

24

Catcote Road

2011/12

Winlaton Vulcans

15

Bishop Auckland

6

Hollow Drift

2012/13

Bishop Auckland

34

Seaham

10

Grayfields

2013/14

Barnard Castle

16

Hartlepool B.B.O.B.

15

Hollow Drift

2014/15

Barnard Castle

35

Houghton

13

Hollow Drift

2015/16

Barnard Castle

40

Winlaton Vulcans

14

Darlington

2016/17

Bishop Auckland

34

Winlaton Vulcans

29

Consett

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

Sunderland

Ryton

Sunderland 

No comp

B. Auckland 

Seaham

20

28

27

 

22

32

Ryton

Winlaton V

Winlaton V

 

Darlington

Houghton

18

18

21

 

21

10

Durham City

Durham City

Gateshead 

 

Darlington

Dairy Lane

 

 

Researched and written by Chris McLoughlin, Hon. Sec. of the Hartlepool & District R.F.U. and Past President & Sec. of Durham County R.F.U.,and Mr John Davison, Gateshead RFC - Durham County R.F.U. 

 

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