The idea of a history of Redditch Rugby Football Club was first mooted by former club chairman Archie Moore, who thought it might be a good idea to produce a book, with deep research, lavish prints and superior bindings, which would grace the coffee tables of Redditch and beyond. Archie wanted a lasting memorial to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the re-founding of the club after its dissolution for the 2nd world war.

The enormity of such a task was soon realised as Archie’s ideas were thrown about by interested parties, and it came to pass that a page or two on the web site might be something that players and supporters, past and present, could read, enjoy, criticise and add to over the years, so that we had a living history rather than a onetime snap shot, limited by space, time and cost.

The task is still enormous but can be broken down and added to as the years go by. Just like Wikipedia there will be mistakes, omissions and memory failures. Just like Wikipedia these can be rectified provided that people with the correct information come forward and allow it to be published.

The club is fortunate in having Brian Carr who has a bulging attic full of club memorabilia. Brian is a compulsive collector and has never been known to throw anything of the remotest interest away. He is also a keen photographer and has a myriad of memories and photographs to share. Brian has also collected Committee Minutes covering many years and these tell the story of the club from another perspective.

Archie himself takes pride in having every fixture book since the clubs re-founding and these have provided an invaluable source of information.
Mike Lewis was treasurer on the first committee of the club and he has kindly agreed to provide us with his recollections of those early days. With Liam Kirwan and David Eley, Mike is one of the few survivors who can give us information, because he was there.

This record will not list huge playing triumphs nor vast numbers of playing honours as Redditch is not a club that has ever reached the dizzy heights or set the world on fire. We hope though that it will bring back memories for those who survive, honour those who have passed through the club and inspire the youth of club to keep it going for another 50 years.

Skippy
Aka
Steve Hindson
Honorary Secretary
Redditch RFC
January 2015