The question of “reward” or redress for “broken time” had been a source of contention within the Game in the North from its earliest of times, with the matter being raised at RFU AGMs from 1886, the question came to a head in 1893 when the RFU declined to pass a motion to allow “broken time” payments. By 1895 a group of clubs from Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire met in Huddersfield to form the Northern Union to form what became the Rugby League – initially they applied to join the RFU as a body, but their requests were declined.

Clubs in the North East largely decided to stay with the RFU, but the split must have had a big effect on major clubs such as Rovers, as can be gauged from the clubs listed in the Rovers v South Shields programme (see below), that would no longer be available. Several clubs from our area followed the Yorkshire, Cheshire, and Lancashire clubs in joining the NRU, including South Shields and the Wallsend club only to find they were out of business in a short time.

The Robert Wood collection contains several items that also show how the arguments on money were current at the time, an Address from Fred Alderson covering many aspects of the “modern” problems in the game is in this Gallery. In addition, a letter from Arthur Hill, then County Secretary, sets out the process for Testimonials, another area that by the late 1890s produced fears within the RFU that the Welsh Union may join the Northern Union!

It is also of interest to compare the two Balance Sheets on this site, one from 1890, the second just a few seasons after the split in the Game, the former lists how the various gate monies, both inward and outward, were disbursed to/from clubs. The latter from 1898, only has gate monies received plus a list of guarantees for the Rovers, Welsh, and South Western tours.

 The immediate effect of the formation of the Northern Union can also be gauged from comments in Rovers 1896 AGM when they noted the cancellation of game with Hunslett, St Helens, Halifax, and Oldham. They succeeded in arranging alternative games with Pemberton (Manchester), Jedforest, Edinburgh Wanderers, Aspatria (Cumbria) and Leicester but the burden was great as Rovers were obliged to pay heavy expenses and large guarantees to the visiting clubs. The Leicester match poster from this season is also included on this site along with a few Clubs from Scotland who also made their visits in the seasons following.

The appointment of West member, William Humphreys as County Secretary and the sweeping policy changes in the County Union from 1894 marked the start of the rise of West and this gallery shows series of images especially from the “J.T.” (Jack Taylor) era at West Hartlepool, a period that saw the player and his Club achieve national prominence in the Game.  Jack Taylor (1876- 1951) came to the Club from Castleford in the summer of 1897, the year in which he made his debut for England, the first of 11 appearances for his country, he also captained the side and also held 10 North Caps. 

 His International career lasted until 1905 when he played in the game against Scotland that year, the Scotland XV also containing a West player in Leonard West.

He captained the Club from 1898-1908 and was a prominent member of the Durham County XVs during their great era, playing for Durham 44 times and for Yorkshire on 18 occasions, before he joined Winlaton Vulcan’s, and when not on the Rugby field was Landlord of the “Good Intent” in Stockton Street, which stood where the former M & S store Car Park is today.

These various images illustrate just some of the many successes of the period at every level of the Game at Club, County, Representative and International level, but against this background there was a decline in interest in Rugby in the towns allied to calls for a professional Association Club in town, West also had to scotch rumours in 1898 that they were about to join the Northern Union! 

By May 1908, the club was in financial difficulties and reformed to create Hartlepool’s United to see Soccer on the Victoria Ground. Many of the Rugby players went on to Greatham RFC who enjoyed their finest and final seasons before West Rugby restarted in September of 1911. A number of the star  players had by this time made the move to Winlaton Vulcans, North Durham or Durham City which saw rise in the fortunes of those clubs, this move by town players to the clubs in the North West of Durham was experienced by Rovers as well.