96:
77:
840:"English: Old Dunstonians Sports Ground, Beckenham. This sports ground lies in Park Langley, between Wickham Way, St Dunstans Lane and Hawksbrook Lane. It is home to the OD CUACO Cricket Club, which resulted from the merger in 2002 of Old Dunstonians Cricket Club and CUACO (The sports club of Commercial Union Assurance Company). It is also home to Old Dunstonian RFC"
142:
London. Despite having no ground, it proved popular and by 1902 the club was simply known as the ‘Ludgate Circus Club’. The company purchased land at
Ravensbourne Kent and laid out a sports ground and erected a Pavilion. By 1905 it had become one of the finest private athletic grounds near London. By the summer of 1911 the sports club had over 600 members.
214:
in 1977, the club was renamed Thomas Cook Sports and Social Club. The
Ravensbourne playing fields and pavilion were purchased by the Goan Association and used as a sports facility until tragically the old Mock-Tudor clubhouse opened by the founder's grandson seventy-six years earlier, was burnt down
141:
Established in 1897, initially known as the ‘Ludgate Circus
Athletic Club’, (after the company's first London Head Office) when the existing football and swimming clubs amalgamated. The new club had four sections – football, swimming, cricket and tennis – and the playing facilities scattered across
401:
Abbotstonians, Anchorians, Askians, Beccehamians, Caterhamians, Cestrians, Colfeians, Creightonians, Dunstonians, Elthamians, Elysians, Esthameians, Hamptonians, Hermits, Isleworthians, Ignatians, Loughton, Masonians, Mitchamians, Purleians, Olavians, Shootershillians, Tottonians, Woolverstonians
601:
During book research for the club's history, a small band of 'old' players had been found and all agreed to attend the club's 100th anniversary in
November 2010. The venue selected was The Clarence Pub in Dover Street, off Piccadilly in London. Once a watering-hole of TCRFC. Attending were Hugh
618:
in
Mayfair was selected. Just around the corner from the old Cook's HQ in Berkeley Street. The group consisted of Brian Martin, Jim Munnick (-d.2015), Dale Tarrild-Ball, Bob and Jacky Gould, Harry (1940-2015) and Ann Masterton-Smith, John and Maggie Dann, Roy Butcher, Hugh Dalzell.
481:
AEC, AEI (Woolwich), CAV, Decca, Firestone, Ford, GEC, Harrodian (Harrod's
Department Store Knightsbridge), Hoover, Lensbury (Shell), Lyons (J.Lyons & Co.), Meadhurst (British Petroleum), Unilever, Smiths Industries (Clocks), Siemens, Standard Telephones, V.C.D (Vickers)
118:
It ceased playing during both World Wars, and like many ‘house’ rugby clubs it no longer exists. At its most popular the club ran two XV's until it closed in 1966. During its lifetime the club played against well over 100 different clubs in London and the South East.
101:
Back Cover copy:" Four years after the Sports Club was formed – around the time of Edward VII’s
Coronation, Thomas Cook was reckoned to be among the ‘three most competent organisations in the world’ the other two being the Roman Catholic Church and the Prussian
226:
During the war years (1939-1945) the ground was requisitioned by the army and the site used for anti-aircraft guns. Nearby at Crab Hill, a
Prisoner of War Camp for Italians was established known as Summerhouse Camp 233, part of the Beckenham Place Park estate.
427:, King Edward VII Nautical College, Kingston Tech, Northern Poly, College of St Mark & St John, Southall Technical College, University Coll. London, Woolwich Poly, Centymca (Central YMCA), Fairbairn House (East-End Boys Club), Toch H
88:
149:
a new pavilion was built in 1922 opened by Thomas Cook's eldest grandson, the club's president Frank Henry Cook (1862-1931). The rugby club changed its name to Thos. Cook & Son's RFC in 1926 after the company moved to its new
346:
No fixture lists for these periods survive, with the exception of some details from the 1925–6 season. It records the club played 19 games, 10 won, 8 lost, with 1 drawn. It also records a match against Bart's
Hospital (see
474:, Civil Service, Customs & Excise, Foreign Office, London Fire Brigade, London Transport, National Coal Board (NCB), PLA (Port of London Authority), Vet Lab (Government Central Veterinary Laboratory),
929:
Company archive: The Thomas Cook
Archive has been transferred to the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland in Long Street, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire, LE18 2AH as of January 2020
412:, Ealing, Esher, Grasshoppers, Hendon, Merton & Morden, Osterley, Rochester, Ruislip Shirley Wanderers, Sidcup, Streatham, Sudbury Court, Twickenham (Exiles), Wanstead, Westcombe Park, Wimbledon
125:
in 1958 playing RC Hilversum. which helped to promote Dutch rugby during the 1960s. The original tour fixture was filmed for Dutch cinemas and television in front of crowd of over 2,600 at the
963:
327:
Roy Dangerfield (1953–56); Don Keston (1956–58); Hugh Dalzell (1958–61); Mike Lidbetter (1961–62); Bob Maidment (1962–63); Dave Isaac (1963–64); Mike Lakin (1964–65); Jim Munnick (1965-66)
538:
The club was amongst the first English clubs to tour the Netherlands with a match against RC Hilversum in 1958. It was such a 'novelty' that it was filmed by Polygoon Profilti -
713:
589:
The club officially closed at the end of the 1965–66 season. In the summer of 1966 the official governing bodies were notified by Hon. Secretary Derek Bascombe (1929-2001).
542:
as a newsreel for Dutch cinemas and television to promoting the game through the Netherlands, it was a great success. See film clip of first overseas tour to Holland 1958:
544:
The first RC Hilversum overseas tour was to Ravensbourne in 1959, containing some Dutch Internationals, Feike (Frits) Frankfort, Jan Van Altena (107 caps) and Jan Rosman.
263:
Little archive material survives, but records show: Bayliss, Biddell, Crawley, Foster, Landsberry, were amongst the original team players for the first season 1910–1911.
106:
Thomas Cook’s amateur Rugby Football Club was founded in 1910 as part of a wider sports club established by the company in 1897, with the ground at Ravensbourne in
187:
It had been a long established tradition in rugby circles to hold an end of season club dinner or supper. The only club record appears in August 1926 when the
367:
The following list of clubs played (many since closed) within London and Home Counties - shows an astonishing range and diversity - probably impossible today.
191:
Tottenham Court Road, hosted the dinner. Coussens and Higgins were awarded their honour caps. Post war this dinner became less formal and often held in a pub.
362:
In the post war period - fixtures in the amateur game (before the formalized RFU league system introduced in 1987) was arranged by club fixture secretaries.
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909:
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958:
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637:
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A new pavilion was built in 1922. In all internal communications the 'pavilion' was referred to as the 'club-house' by the rugby section.
166:
Probably an incomplete list, this was an established award to players for distinguished performance, discontinued after Second World War.
788:
158:. During this time the annual summer Sports Day was held at Ravensbourne which became a popular date in the company's social calendar.
953:
684:
581:
Between 1957 and 1964 the club took part in the end of season North Kent Sevens, Eastern Banks Sevens, and Business House Sevens
424:
112:
The first club president was Frank Henry Cook (1862-1940 -eldest grandson of the company founder), who had played his rugby at
839:
820:
273:
409:
364:
They would meet by custom on an 'ad hoc' basis once or twice a year in a London pub, The Phoenix, Cavendish Square, W1.
925:
Thomas Cook's Archives, Westpoint, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FZ, Archivist: Paul Smith
438:, HMS President (London Div. RNR), Metropolitan Police, U.S. Marines ('wanderers XV' based at their London Embassy)
199:
The club sports ground had been purchased and laid-out around 1903 and established in 1905, at Ravensbourne in Kent.
334:
Dennis Beal (1958–59); Don Keston (1959–61); Derek Sells (1961–63); Mike Lakin (1963–64); Dave Keeling (1964–65);
287:
910:
https://www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/products/thomas-cook-s-rugby-club?_pos=1&_sid=422b6ad70&_ss=r
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770:
348:
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Chartered Bank of India, Bank of London and South America, Bank of West Africa, Standard Bank of South Africa
644:
213 pages, highly illustrative, with full appendix, this hardback now represents the definitive club history.
551:, Naarden, ASRV_Ascrum, (Amsterdam Student Club), Delftsche Studenten Rugby Club (Delft Student Rugby Club)
528:
458:
254:
Ludgate Circus XV: Hon. Sec. R.G. Smithard 1911–2 season, Committee Chairman, N.M. Smith, 1925–6 season,
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King's College Hospital, London Hospital, Royal Dental Hospital, Royal Free, University College Hospital
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Bank of England, Barclays, Lloyds, National Provincial, Westminster, Forex (London Foreign Exchange)
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1923–4, Copson, A., Johns, A.C., Murrell, E.D., Trend, W.G. 1925–6, Coussens, R., Higgins, E.J.K.,
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633:
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Annual tour matches were played alternatively between the Netherlands and England until 1965.
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Resident stewards: Annie & William Dyer (1953–56), George & Gladys Gladdy (1956–75)
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Great Western Railways (GWR), London Midland Scottish Railway (LMS), Southern Railway (SR)
146:
126:
434:
Battersea Ironsides (ex.42nd Royal Tank Regiment Cadets XV), HAC (Hon Artillery Company)
351:) in aid of the Hospital Comfort Fund, losing 0–3. It was noted that Bart's had won the
450:
602:
Dalzell, Roy Butcher, John Dann, Roy Bannister (1928-2014), Robin Garrett (1935-2018).
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387:
188:
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Availbable through Amazon, etc or direct from publishers 'Great British Book Shop;
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256:(renamed) Thos. Cook & Sons RFC: Hon. Sec. J.G.C. Perrett Young, 1926–7 season
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After the publication, further research found more 'old players' who agreed on a
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240:
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The rugby section was established in 1910 as the Ludgate Circus XV. After the
696:
391:
204:
Location: Ravensbourne Avenue, Beckenham, Kent Telephone: RAVensbourne 6713
130:
510:
Silver Wings (BEA-British European Airways), Speedbird (BOAC), Swans Tours
927:
The company ceased trading in September 2019, and the archived moved to,
216:
753:"The Goan Association (UK) | A Voluntary Organisation Founded 1966"
87:
679:
Thomas Cook-The Holiday Maker, Jill Hamilton, Sutton Publishing, Glos.
155:
76:
54:
853:
219:
Council – now called Summerhouse Playing Fields as part of the wider
151:
91:
Club Jersey, Royal Blue, white collar, Gold hoop with brown key lines
16:
Defunct English amateur rugby union club, based in Ravensbourne, Kent
94:
86:
892:
107:
50:
893:"Langan's Brasserie - London's Historic Dining Spot in Mayfair"
632:
by John Dann, Fastprint Peterborough, revised Hardback edition
614:
reunion in September 2014. This time the legendary restaurant
467:
821:"The Phoenix, Bustling Central London Pub & Events Space"
726:
Thomas Cook's Rugby Club, 1910-1966 published 2013, page 33,
630:
Thomas Cook’s Rugby Club’ its life and times 1910 – 1966,
571:
1964 - England - Dave Isaac (1938-1983), later Jim Munnick
752:
239:Frank Henry Cook (1862-1931) – Grandson of founder
70:
60:
45:
27:
964:Travel and holiday companies of the United Kingdom
121:It also established a regular Easter tour to the
292:Kent Society of Rugby Football Union Referees
215:in 1998 due to vandalism. It was then sold to
742:Thomas Cook's Rugby Club, 1910-1966, page 170
8:
829:Thomas Cook's Rugby Club, 1910-1966, page 55
416:Colleges, Polytechnics, Youth organisations:
22:
875:"The Clarence in London - Nicholson's Pubs"
573:1965 - Netherlands - Jim Munnick (-d.2015)
567:1962 - no fixture - Mike Lidbetter (1936- )
559:1958 - Netherlands - Don Keston (1923-2005)
210:After the company moved its Head Office to
810:Thomas Cook's Ruby Club 1910-1966, page 36
423:, Borough Polytechnic, Goldsmiths College
316:E.D. Murrell, 1923–4, W.G. Trend, 1925–6,
21:
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300:The appointed supplier was the retailer
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706:
672:
561:1959 - England - Hugh Dalzell (1933- )
371:Major 19th c. established rugby clubs
180:1927–8, Dunworth, P.R., White, P.J.,
7:
486:Hospital Medical and Dental schools:
478:Manufacturing & Business Houses:
455:Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation
771:"Inferno Destroys Sports Clubhouse"
607:2014 - Langan's Brasserie London W1
470:(British Broadcasting Corporation)
398:Old Boys (ex Grammar School Clubs):
563:1960 - Netherlands - Hugh Dalzell
14:
569:1963 - Netherlands - Bob Maidment
547:Other games were played against:
270:Stanley Adams, Chairman (1953–59)
801:Thomas Cook's Rugby Club page 45
493:UK Banks & Foreign Exchange:
425:Goldsmiths, University of London
75:
944:Rugby clubs established in 1910
534:Easter tours to the Netherlands
154:Head Office in Berkeley Street
565:1961 - England - Hugh Dalzell
500:Overseas Banks (London based):
464:Government & Institutions:
1:
716:– via www.facebook.com.
598:2010 - The Clarence London W1
274:John Elliot (railway manager)
260:Original founder club players
949:Rugby union teams in England
557:Year - Venue - Tour Captain:
410:Brighton Football Club (RFU)
304:of Picadilly Circus London.
33:; 114 years ago
959:Rugby union clubs in London
324:First XV Seasons 1953-1966'
980:
507:Airlines, Travel Agencies:
177:Thos. Cook & Son's RFC
23:Thos. Cook & Son's RFC
954:Rugby union clubs in Kent
577:Seven-a-side competitions
288:Kent Rugby Football Union
431:Military, Naval, Police:
406:Established minor clubs:
349:Barts and the London RFC
343:1910 - 1914, 1921 - 1939
331:A XV Seasons 1958 - 1965
267:Post war Club Presidents
137:Thomas Cooks Sports Club
789:"Prisoner of War Camps"
251:Original Club officials
99:TCRFC Book Front Cover.
854:"Rugby Club Hilversum"
529:London New Zealand RFC
459:Sun Alliance (company)
449:Assurance Co.), Ibis (
162:Honours Cap recipients
103:
92:
775:www.newsshopper.co.uk
656:Thomas Cook & Son
355:the previous season.
276:, Chairman (1959–67)
243:(played his rugby at
98:
90:
897:langansbrasserie.com
858:Rugby Club Hilversum
442:Insurance Companies:
421:University of Surrey
380:London Scottish F.C.
353:United Hospitals Cup
284:Rugby Football Union
236:First Club President
231:Rugby Club Officials
221:Beckenham Place Park
540:Polygoon (newsreel)
184:Formal Club Dinners
24:
791:. Historic England
616:Langan's Brasserie
419:Battersea College
338:Fixture Opposition
104:
93:
661:Thomas Cook Group
525:London French RFC
384:Rosslyn Park F.C.
170:Ludgate Circus XV
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66:Ravensbourne Kent
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842:. 7 August 2005.
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638:978-178456-596-1
623:Club Publication
447:Commercial Union
436:Artillery Ground
245:Mill Hill School
114:Mill Hill School
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777:. January 2000.
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81:Sir John Elliot
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212:Peterborough
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825:The Phoenix
359:1953 - 1966
320:1953 - 1966
313:1910 - 1939
302:Lillywhites
241:Thomas Cook
195:Club Ground
129:stadium in
123:Netherlands
938:Categories
879:Nicholsons
667:References
549:RC 't Gooi
19:Rugby team
514:Railways:
392:Wasps RFC
131:Apeldoorn
62:Ground(s)
650:See also
390:(1876),
386:(1879),
382:(1878),
378:(1898),
217:Lewisham
71:Chairman
46:Location
795:12 June
628:2018 -
521:Exiles:
445:Cuaco (
394:(1867)
156:Mayfair
55:England
36: (
28:Founded
730:
714:"John"
683:
636:
152:London
102:Army."
797:2020
728:ISBN
681:ISBN
634:ISBN
612:last
272:Sir
108:Kent
51:Kent
38:1910
31:1910
468:BBC
940::
895:.
877:.
866:^
856:.
823:.
773:.
755:.
705:^
527:,
457:,
286:,
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53:,
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759:.
699:.
640:.
373::
290:,
116:.
110:.
40:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
