The playing surface was expected to have its critics as it was not as level as many had desired. However, there was one blessing, for in the week leading up to this momentous occasion the heavy rains had confirmed that the Kingsholm playing surface was one of rapidly drying nature. This, added to the fact Gloucester Rugby Club were able to announce during the week that they would be able to field their strongest XV, boded well.
Burton were the opposition, it was decided that when they arrived at the ground they would be told to proceed immediately to the Spread Eagle to change. It was from there that the two teams along with the Committees of the home club would be driven to Kingsholm in brakes provided by a Mr Symonds.
Once there, they would be met at the entrance to Kingsholm by the Directors and Officials of the Company who would be waiting to hand over the ground to the care of the Committee for the season. When this ceremony was complete Mr T. Robinson, Member of Parliament, would start the match with a kick off with a ball presented to the Club by Mr W.A. Woof for the occasion.
The inaugural meeting at the Spread Eagle Hotel, Gloucester, on 15th September 1873, was held for the purpose of enrolling members of a football club for the City. Forty-five gentlemen attended with Mr Frank Hartley who was elected as captain and Mr J.P. Riddiford as Hon. Secretary. It had taken 18 years before Gloucester Rugby Club moved to Kingsholm from the Spa. The length of a player's career in those days were not expected to last longer than five years. So, within those 18 years there had already been personality changes among the players estimated to have been four times.
It is well documented that in its initial days, Gloucester Rugby Club played at the Spa, although the first match, under the captaincy of Hartley, took place in Dean's Walk when the College School were the opponents. Subsequent matches with Worcester and Hereford were also played there. Early playing records of the club were not readily available. It was not until the season of 1879-1880 that documentation confirmed a playing record. In that season there were 16 matches of which fourteen were victories. In fact by the time the club vacated the Spa to move to Kingsholm they had played a total of 229 games. Of those 156, had been won, 24 were drawn and 49 lost.
In that period of 12 years 256 goals and 407 tries had been scored. The club's opponents had a lean time with 64 goals and 118 tries, exactly a quarter the number of goals and little more than a quarter of the tries that Gloucester Rugby Club had accumulated. It must be remembered that club records only dated from 1879. The fixture list of those days in residence at the Spa is totally alien to those of today. However, they make interesting reading: - Hereford, Worcester, Cheltenham, White Cross, Swindon Rangers, Moseley, Cheltenham Training College, Rockleaze, Stroud, Ross, Cheltenham College, Royal Agriculture College of Cirencester, Handsworth, Irish Rover, Clifton, Newent, Cardiff, Newport and the College School.
It is interesting to note, that Newport, who were the eldest of the Welsh clubs were first played in the autumn of 1878. Eventually other fixtures were obtained with other Welsh clubs, Llanelli and Swansea. Can you envisage Huddersfield, Swinton and Wigan on a fixture list? Well they were in the 1888-89 season.
All of these dates, fixtures and names preceeded that memorable day of the 10th October 1891. When the actual day dawned, the city dwellers were greeted by heavy rain. Apparently, there was no prospect of the inclement weather abating and some were beginning to cast doubt as to whether the match with Burton would take place. At midday it was still raining heavily. However, it did not deter the expectant fans as they made their way towards Kingsholm. Flags and bunting were spread just above the Spread Eagle Hotel and similar decoration in Kingsholm Road. Meanwhile, a large number of people were seen to be waiting at Gloucester Railway Station for the arrival of the Burton team.
At four o'clock the hundreds that had gathered at Kingsholm let out an appreciative roar when it was announced that both teams were coming down Kingsholm Road in the brakes supplied by Mr Symonds. The teams were greeted at Kingsholm by the Gloucester Rugby Club Officials Messrs T.G.Smith and H.W.Bennett (Hon. Sec), S.S.Starr (Hon. Treasurer), H.J.Boughton, A.W.Vears, H.S.Simmons, C.E.Brown, G.Coates, W.C.Bailey, G.F.Dere, F.E.Jones, N.Phelps, J.W.Goddard and E.Pickford who constituted the Club Committee.
The Kingsholm ground was officially opened by Mr T.Robinson. MP who congratulated the new Directors of the Company for working so hard to get the pitch and ground into its present condition, he stated that he could easily recall its recent deplorable state.
First Kingsholm Team
The Gloucester team that took to the hallowed turf of Kingsholm for that first match was as follows:
A.F. Hughes; T. Bagwell (Captain), W. Jackson, T.B. Powell, W.H. Taylor; W. George, S.A. Ball; H.V. Page, A. Cromwell, A.E. Healing, C.Williams, A.Collins, J.Williams, A.Henshaw, T.Collins
First Kingsholm Opposition
The Burton team lined up as follows:
J.P. Ward; G.A. Marsden, W.S. Lowe, F.M. Sadler, F. Evershed, J.C. Gorton, E. Evershed, J. Glitherhow, H. Magger, W.N. Greenwell, A. Gorton, F. Lloyd, J. Robinson, F.Browne
First Kingsholm Match
The match ended in a comfortable 18 points to nil victory. The honour of being the first player to score at Kingsholm came five minutes after the kick off. The scorer was S.A. Ball who scored the club's first try. Walter Jackson converted. Tom Bagwell, Walter George and T.B. Powell added tries with Jackson converting Walter George's try. The receipts from that inaugural match were £46.7s.3d. At the 3d entrance £22.7s.3d was received which represented 1,789 persons; in the enclosure and pavilion £4.10s.6d was taken; A total of £19.9s.6d was received at the 6d entrance which represented 679 spectators and making a grand total of 3,168 spectators attending the game. This was considered to be satisfactory considering the weather.
The new home of Gloucester Rugby has continued to inspire the teams that have represented the club down the decades. Kingsholm is full of echoes of the past and Gloucester players are imprinted on the memories of anyone who has seen them play. It is impossible today to compare teams from different eras, the game has changed beyond recognition in the 114 years from 10th October 1891 but these were the pioneers of this great club. The tactics, team preparations and laws of the game differ from that time. For the citizens of Gloucester there has always been huge warmth for the Club. It has always been a very moving experience.
(Provided b David King, January 2006)
