Bulls trace 1907 committee descendants

Correspondent

The Bradford Bulls are keen to trace descendants of the original committee which met in 1907 to form the new Bradford Northern Rugby Club.

The Club celebrates its centenary this year and the Rugby League Heritage Project in partnership with the Bulls aim to mark this milestone with a number of events reflecting the history of the club over 100 years culminating with a major exhibition at the Bradford Industrial Museum in the autumn.

Heritage Development Officer John Downes said, “We have pulled together a list of names of the original provisional committee from various sources and although we know a certain amount of information about some of them we are keen to put flesh on the bone.”

The meeting in May 1907, held in the Mechanics Institute and attended by around 300 people marked a break away from the original Bradford rugby club, set up in 1863 which broke in 1895 from the English Rugby Union. That club subsequently went on to play Association Football under the name Bradford Park Avenue.

The new rugby club in due course marked the difference by renaming themselves Bradford Northern to indicate that they would be continuing to play in the Northern Union which subsequently became the Rugby Football League.

The club are keen to hear from either people related to the founder members or anyone who may have photographs, biographical information, or any other artefacts connected with this momentous event.

The provisional Committee was made up of: Messrs Cephus Rhodes; E.R. Halford; J.E. Dobson; R. Robinson; S. Whiteley; W. Murgatroyd; C. Rhodes; W. Bayliss; T.E. Riley; F. Crowther; W. Peel; W. Rawson; R. Fitzgerald; W. Banks; W. Robinson; R. Hinchliffe

John added, “ We are sure there are people still living in Bradford sitting on a wealth of information which will be invaluable in helping us to piece together a historic link in the history of both the Club and the city.”

Any one able to help can contact John Downes on 01274 762332 or by email john.downes@bradfordbulls.co.uk.