Frank (T. F.) Williams Memories

Thanks to Frank Williams for the following photos.

He was in contact with the club in August 2011, below is his email to Doug Boseley:

Please let me introduce myself: my name is T. F. Williams and I was a member of the Harwell RFC from 1950 until March, 1957.

I very much enjoyed reading about the history of the club on your excellent website. So, with the start of another season just underway, I thought you might be interested in the 3 Word file attachments.

1. The 1950-51 team photo was taken outside the front entrance of Ridgeway House. I had the photo in my possession and added the names based on recollections to the best of my knowledge (I can vouch for the surnames although some of the players' initials may be incorrect!). Incidentally, I get the impression from looking at Google maps of the Harwell site that Ridgeway House has been demolished. I lived there from 1950 to 1957 and retain very happy memories of those years.

2. This is a rather grainy photo of the AERE Harwell team that won the U.K. CIvil Service 7-a-side competition (the Harwell establishment came under the Ministry of Supply in the early 1950s) in April, 1954. I think it was the only time that we ever won anything! We also appeared in the final of the XVs Civil Service Cup on one occasion but lost to RAE Farnborough, a team that always seemed to be our nemesis in those years.

3. This photo of the 1955-56 team was downloaded from a Picasa website collection by Terry Jones and is of relatively high quality. Again I added the names of the players. These pictures include those of some of the players featured in your early history of the club, such as Hugh Roskell, John Morrison, Jack Cameron, John Thresher, Ken Allen, John Roberts, and Hamish Small.

Naturally, I would be very glad to hear from any players of that era. Seeing the 7's photo on your website supplied by Hamish Small set me thinking about the past. I tried sending him an email but the address was probably wrong and never got an answer.

Finally, a word of thanks for your efforts in keeping the club going after all these years. It is very much appreciated by old timers like myself!

With kind regards,

T. F. Williams

1950/51 1st XV Team Photograph

The main entrance to Ridgeway House [Staff Club A, later known as A Mess] is in the background.

1950/51 1st XV Team Photograph

Back Row: F. S. (Frank) Richards (Touch Judge); Bill Howe; D. J. M.(Judge) Bevan; L.O. (Laurie) Brown; Ron Newcombe; Clayton Evans; R. W. P. McWhirter; Bob Batchelor; N. J. D. (Nigel) Prosser; W. E. (Bill) Crompton ( Referee).

Front Row: J. E. (Jack) Cameron; E. (Paddy) Hurley; Hugh Roskell; H. A. (Dai) Roberts (Captain); T. F. Williams; J. G. S. (John) Biram; Hamish Small.

1953/54 UK Civil Service 7's Winners

1953/54 UK Civil Service 7's Winners Team Photograph

D. Collins (Reserve), P.E. Brown, B.T. Bell, T.F. Williams, J.R. Roberts

J.M. Morrison, J.E. Cameron, J.R. Harrison

1955/56 1st VX Team Photograph

At the foot of this page is a grainier version, you will find an inscription at the bottom: "Presented to T F Williams by the A E R E R F C".

This is a scanned copy of the original photo, which hangs on the wall by my desk at home! I was the captain that year. Also at the top of this original you will see AERE Harwell RFC 1955-56 and then at the bottom are all the names inscribed below 1st XV.

1955/56 1st XV Team Photograph

Back Row: Wally Spittle; F. W. K. (Frank) Firk; M. J. (Mike) Blakestone; Gordon Wells; D. J. (Jack) Pulling; J. J. Thresher; Clayton Evans; John Leng; Robin Morgan; John Kirkbride; Ron Marsden.

Center Row: J. R.(John) Roberts; B. T. (Brian) Bell; T. F. Williams (Capt.); Ken Allen; Frank Jagger.

Front Row: Derek Ricketts; Malcolm Adams.