History

Stoke Old Boy's were formed in 1921 and has had a long and successful history.

Below is an extract from the Stoke School Magazine from Midsummer 1932 giving an insight into the history of this great Club:

THE "SCS" MAGAZINE “SCHOOL RUGBY FOOTBALL A RETROSPECT”

In this, the first issue of our School Magazine, it is perhaps appropriate to recall to mind the notable achievements of the past thirteen years. No other primary school in the whole country can look back upon such a glorious record.

School sports were suspended during the War, and this article only deals with the period commencing September 1919, when Rugby Football was recommenced at Stoke. Our first Captain was Walter Duckham, now cricket professional for Formby, and in that first fifteen were AlbertGascoigne, the Warwickshire scrum half, and Frank Turner, who has always been such a staunch stalwart of the Stoke XV.

In the following season 1920-21 we started our long list of shield successes in that never to be forgotten final against Broad St when Billy Hall scored a try in the last minute and Wilf Pearce converted from the touchline with an amazing kick, the ball hitting an upright, falling onto the cross-bar and over on the right side for us to win by a goal to a try. That season also saw the resumption of the International Match, England v Wales, and Hall and Pearce were the first Stoke boys to gain the height of every schoolboy’s ambition, an international cap.

Our next season’s XV 1921-22 was the best we ever had, containing as it did, no less than five Schoolboy Internationals, in Alf Wyman, Tom Mayo, and Billy Hall who were capped that season, and Sid Baker and Arthur Rowley who gained their caps in the next year. Also in this team of all the talents were Cliff Wilkinson, who played in the East v West match, and Arthur Gilbert. A glance at the Old Boy’s Rugger notes will show what these seven stalwarts have achieved in senior Rugby.

Space forbids mention of every season’s triumphs, so a summary of our principal successes must suffice:

The shield was won in 1921 W Pearce Capt, 1922 T Mayo, 1923 A Rowley, 1924 A Spicer, 1925 F Prescott, 1927 W H Cutts, and 1932 C Barnett.

Schoolboy Internationals:

1921 – W Pearce, W H Hall
1922 – W H Hall, T F Mayo, A A Wyman
1923 – S T Blake, A J Rowley
1925 – T H Barton, R Cooper, This was the only English victory since the war.
1927 – W H Cutts, L Harper
1928 – W H G Well
1930 – A B Collyer, N A Shortland
1931 – J Proctor, F Blake
1932 – C Barnett