In the beginning ... there was ...

It is fascinating to delve back into the early years of Gloucester Rugby Club and see how humble beginnings of the 19th century led to what we know today, as the Kingsholm Club being widely regarded as one of the premier clubs, not only in England and Great Britain but also in European rugby.

In 1900, the followers of the Club had barely a quarter of a century to reflect upon. The following report was published in the Gloucester Citizen on 6 January 1900.

The Gloucester Football Club - A Glimpse into the Past

The Club was started in 1873, a recent year in ordinary reckoning but a very long time ago in the history of football. Mr Francis Hartley, an ex-captain of the Flamingoes, one of the best London teams of that day, was mainly instrumental in starting the game, and he got up a scratch team to play against the College school which 25 years ago was in a flourishing condition.

Curiously enough that match was played on the present Kingsholm ground, though it was then a playing field for the college boys.

The match was considered such a success that games were arranged with Hereford and Worcester but Mr Hartley and his colleagues were ignominiously defeated.

The devotees of the game, however, were not daunted by these severe thrashings, and steps were taken to start a club. Messrs Hartley, H.J.Boughton (now President of the County Union) W.A.Boughton, E.T.Garden (the present Clerk of the Peace for the County) and Riddiford were the moving spirits in the movement and after a couple of meetings the Club was successfully launched ...