Club Accounts (1947-1948)
Whilst clearing out a cupboard in the clubhouse, Douglas Hamilton came across an old book of accounts dating back to 1947. The information in the book provides an interesting insight into the administration of Tynedale RFC in the immediate post-war years and also into life in a small market town.
In March 2000 Douglas summarised the records as follows:-

Whilst tidying the Enevoldson room in Tynedale Rugby Club's clubhouse last week I was interested and amused to come across a small black note-book in which the financial activities of the Tynedale club in season 1947/48 were meticulously recorded. The book must have been the property of T.L.Slater, the Hon. Treasurer of the club at the time, and records of takings and expenditure were faithfully noted before being transferred to the main ledger.

Some of the items were interesting in themselves, but reading behind the bald figures one got a clear picture of how a rugby club operated all those years ago, and also an insight into life in a small market town at the time, just after the second World War. The records also emphasised the vast changes which have taken place, particularly in communications and transport in the intervening years.

It was interesting that the season concerned was 47/48, for that was a watershed in the Tynedale Club's activities. On the field the club won the Northumberland Senior Cup, beating Northern 15-13 after a 12-year gap when the great teams of the thirties were successful in four consecutive seasons - and it was to be 23 years before the club won through to a final, and 40 years before they were to win the competition (in 1988). Off the field, in 1948 Broad Close, adjoining the first team pitch at Hexham, was aquired as a memorial to the 27 players and members who died in the war, and in the following years the old ex-Army hut was replaced by the new clubhouse at Dene Park, where players could assemble for a post-match pint instead of at the Globe. The 1948 season signalled a change in the club's fortunes and aspirations in many ways.

Notable local dignitaries and leading Hexham citizens wre prominent in the list of the club's Vice-Presidents. Col. Clifton Brown M.P. for Hexham and Speaker of the House of Commons; W.L Dix, a master at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and later a life member of the club; T.Slater, headmaster of the Secondary Modern school in the town and father of the Trasurer; two well-known local doctors Dr. McKinnel-Dickson and Dr. J.J Hurley; Lesley Dodd the dentist and B.D Plummer of Hexham Courant and rugby fame.

Players included the Rutherford trio of Hector, Walter and William, Bill Dinning and John Cousin, still going strong today, Drew Richardson who captained the 3rd team to Cup victory that season, Derek Robb and Wilf Young who much later became club groundsman.

The advertisers in the programme read like a roll-call of Hexham's business community just after the war :-
T. Lishman & Son,
R.W. Welch,
Wm Pattinson,
Willoughby & Purvis and F.J. Bloomfields (the two tailors),
Bell & Riddle.

But it is the expenses which are of particular interest. They not only highlight changes in the value of money but each item of expenditure prompts a further question.

- 30 pairs of stockings at 3s 4d (To be sold to players, who also provided and laundered all their own kit)
£5-0-0

- 50 tickets at 7s 6d for the Scotland v England international (Purchased for re-sale - to membersd and players?)
£18-15-0 (£18.75)

- 15 bags of sawdust at 1s 0d (For pitch marking?)
£0-15-0 (75p)

- 20 meals at the Abbey Hotel @ 3s 6d for Selkirk
£3-10-0 (£3.50)

- 20 meals at the Royal Hotel @ 4s 0d for Jedforest (Was there a 1s tip? Why did Jed get the posher meal?)
£4-1-0 (£4.05)

- Ribbon for the cup (Was this bought before the final?)
£0-4-4 (22p)

- Transporting the 1st XV to Westoe (South Shields) by train
£2-4-5 (£2.22)

- 1st XV bus to Jedburgh
£3-0-0

Travel methods and costs have shown the most dramatic changes, Two of the most interesting payments were each of £3-5-6 (£3.27) for rail fares for K.T. Bell (Ken), who was at that time serving His Majesty on National Service, from Southampton for the cup semi-final and final matches. Ken played in the centre as an 18-year-old in those games, although he was later an outstanding Tynedale and Northumberland stand-off half, as well as President of both Tynedale and the County.

Match fees were 2s for the 1stXV, 1s 6d for the second team, and 1s for the thirds, and even in the cup final the players were charged. The little book faithfully reports that £1-8-0 was collected at the final - presumably Ken Bell was excused on that occasion, having travelled from Southampton for the match!

Total takings from the sale of teas totalled £15-3-11, ranging from 4s for the 2nd XV match v Percy Park up to £1-14-0 for the Seghill cup-tie. There was no sale of alcoholic drinks then.

Gate takings raised £148-19-3 in the season and charges were made at both first and second team matches. Income ranged from the 2nd XV v Seaside Rovers total of 2s, up to 15s 6d for the North Shields match. 1st XV gate receipts varied between the £1-18-3 taken against Medicals, up to £17-4-0 v Cleckheaton, although the princely sum of £36-1-0 was taken at the Seghill cup match - with half going to the opposition. A collection in the stand that day raised £2-15-9!!

Programmes were sold at 3d and included prize draw numbers. The prizes showed that wartime shortages were still in effect, for amongst the "luxery" attractions on four separate weeks were - 1 dozen eggs, 1 pair of nylons, 40 cigarettes and sweets. Strange that "sweets" should seem an attractive prize , but not so odd when one remembers that rationing of sweets continued until 1952.

Reminders that the war was not long over are evident from the Memorial Fund appeal, which raised £177-10-5 that season. Contributors included the Albert Edward Club in Hexham.

Whilst the club was successful on the playing side that season, it was even more active off the field - with a bewildering number of social and money-raising events. A garden fete raised £52-15-5, a whist drive £15-15-7, a gooses raffle £5-7-0, a dance at Hexham £27-13-0, a Whitley Chapel dance £10-1-6, and a Christmas raffle a phenomenal £133-8-6.

Only three teams - but what a vibrant club. Will people look back to millennium year at Corbridge and think the same in fifty years time? Who's looking after the little black book now - or is the data on Andrew's computer disk? Will posterity look back with bewilderment when pitches are marked by laser beams, and it is as cheap and easy to transport players from Tonga then as it is from Southampton now?

Douglas Hamilton, 9th March 2000