Wigan Album
Wigan Rugby Team
14 CommentsPhoto: Keith
Item #: 25556
Back row, left to right:-
Gordon Innes (a centre), mentioned in a recent posting, a New Zealander and a teacher at St Michaels -153 matches and 60 tries
Ian Crockett, (a loose forward) and another New Zealander who sadly passed away 18 months after this photo, This was his first game for the club, his remains were sent back to New Zealand - 4 matches and 1 try
Harold Edwards (prop forward), a Welshman, transferred to Bradford Northern in 1937 -
144 matches and 8 tries
T Trevor Thomas, (second row) another Welshman, made his debut a month previous to this photo, he was later transferred to Oldham - 144 matches 8 tries
Joe Golby (hooker), signed from Dewsbury at the time they were short of money, - 182 matches 10 tries
Reg Hathway (second row / loose forward) - 71 matches 2 tries
Alf(red) Ellaby (winger) a favourite at St Helens, before spending two seasons with Wigan where he was also a favourite before returning to Saints in 1936, 102 matches 790tries
Front row, left to right:-
Albert Davis (front row / second row) another Welshman, after his playing days were over I would occasionally see him tending the gardening requirements around the Grammar School as a workman employed by the Council - 180 matches 8 tries
Charles Henry (Harry) Banfield (centre / stand-off), another Welshman, 26 matches 5 tries - transferred to Leigh in 1938 - a knee injury sustained while serving with the Welsh Guards finished his career.
James (Jim) Sullivan, (full back), another Welshman and a legend in the game, aged 17 when he signed in 1921, Jim achieved everything in the game including world record goal kicking feats - he retired on February 23rd 1946 aged 42, having played - 774 matches 83 tries and astoundingly kicked 2,317 goals!
Hector Gee, (scrum half / stand-off), an Australian who after 12 seasons at Wigan transferred to Leeds in 1944 before becoming licensee of The Fox at Roby Mill, and later the Holland Hall Country Club at Up Holland before settling in the Lake District - 351 matches 71 tries
Gwynne Davies (centre) another Welshman, ran a Newsagents I believe in Wigan Lane after his playing days were over and it’s now run by his grandson I understand - 351 matches 71 tries.
James (Jim) O’Sullivan, (centre / wing) an Irishman from Munster and had played for Cork - transferred to Hunslet in 1937 - 7 matches 2 tries
Blimey Charlie, that winger knew where the try line was. Almost 8 tries per game. No wonder Saints wanted him back
I know Alf Ellaby was a great player but he wasn't quite THAT good! It should read 79 tries not 790!
It appears Reg Hathway was also a Welshman making 7 in this Wigan side.
Keith, did,nt Gwynne Davies own West Lancs Cabinet Co. at Rose Bridge after the war ?
AB, personally I don't know but he's described as a businessman in Jim's book so it's quite possible and perhaps the Newsagency followed later.
Oops! Yet another typo from me, I should have written "Jack's" book - apologies.
Jack Morley was an almost ever present in the Wigan team but missed this one, if he'd played it would have been 8 Welshmen in the side.
Thanks Keith, always wondered what the great Jim Sullivan looked like.
Dav, Jim was not just a fantastic rugby player, but also a first rate golfer and I understand considered turning professional at one stage - he was keeping down the position as first choice full back at Cardiff RU aged 16 which is simply staggering - he also represented Wales at Baseball, was a great snooker player etc., etc., he must have had unbelievable hand, eye, brain co-ordination and being a bull of a man helped the physical side of his game. He was able to kick the ball with wonderful accuracy and terrific power - a simply amazing athlete. He was also a domineering personality, in short a leader. My father knew him well, played alongside him in the same team, notably the 1938 Lancs Cup win, and for Wigan when Jim managed the team after the War, my father like Jim was Welsh.
Wished I could have seen the great Jim Sullivan and all this team play.
Dav, There may be no film footage of this particular side but if you go to http://www.britishpathe.com/video/rugby-league-cup-final-1/query/rugby+league
you'll glimpse the Wigan team of 1929 including Jim - it's only 2 minutes in length and is silent but shows the nature of the game then - it reveals how dangerous it was to play the ball with opponents legally hacking at the ball, with hands and arms all fair game - possibly why when you were playing the ball in your own half it was so prevalent to kick the ball downfield as far as possible, which is where Jim came into his own.
Hi Keith would it be possible for you to email me this photo? Joe golby the hooker was my late great grandfathers brother still have a couple
Of aunties who hold the family name golby joe hailed from street house an old pit village of wakefield sure the family would be very interested to see this photo
Hi Keith could you email me this photo joe golby was my late great grandfathers brother they hailed from a place called streethouse an old pit village in wakefield I am sure my family would like to see this photo