Stourbridge RFC were original formed in in 1876 as a branch of the Stourbridge Cricket Club but as Association Football flourished in the area and rugby lost its appeal the club were forced to disband in 1893.
There was a brief but inadequately supported revival in in 1907-08 and it was not until 1921 that the rugby club was reformed and even then they had great difficulty in finding a ground to play on.
They eventually found a new home at an old soccer ground in Vicarage Road, Wollaston, which was rented from the Church and was to be their home for the next 43 years. During that period the club enjoyed great benefit from the local King Edward’s Grammar School who provided a steady source of players, administrators and supporters to them.
There was a brief but inadequately supported revival in in 1907-08 and it was not until 1921 that the rugby club was reformed and even then they had great difficulty in finding a ground to play on.
They eventually found a new home at an old soccer ground in Vicarage Road, Wollaston, which was rented from the Church and was to be their home for the next 43 years. During that period the club enjoyed great benefit from the local King Edward’s Grammar School who provided a steady source of players, administrators and supporters to them.
In 1965-66 Stourbridge RFC moved to a new 11-acre site at Stourton which was later expanded to 15 acres, which now has four senior pitches and two mini-rugby pitches. Stourton Park was born and in 1996-97 a 450-seater grandstand was built. The club can boast of a very fine two-storey clubhouse and in 2007 floodlights were installed on the First XV pitch.
When league rugby began in 1987 Stourbridge were placed in the National Leagues. Area League North consisted of 11 sides and Stourbridge were to remain in that division until they won promotion to National League Division Two (later to become National One) in season 2000-01. They were always one of the more consistent performers in their division and in their promotion season were unbeaten at home for the first time in their history.
At the end of season 2011-12 Stourbridge were relegated into National Division Two (North) and this is where our brief history with them began. We were just beginning the fourth of our six seasons in the division and in the three seasons remaining we played Stourbridge on six occasions with Stourbridge winning all six of them. Stourbridge retained most of their relegated side for their first season and fully expected to make a rapid return from whence they came, something their supporters maintained they will do every season since then, but which has so far failed to materialise.
Our results against Stourbridge are as follows;
2012-13: Hull 22:36 Stourbridge; Stourbridge 48:15 Hull.
2013-14: Stourbridge 54:0 Hull; Hull 29:38 Stourbridge.
2014-15: Hull 18:27 Stourbridge; Stourbridge 55:22 Hull.
So Stourbridge have won all six games, three very easily at home and three not so easily at The Ferens Ground.
This season Stourbridge RFC have made a very good start to their league campaign having beaten Loughborough Students by 31-10 at Stourton Park and Luctonians by 45-19 on the road. They are currently top of the table with ten points, ahead of newly-relegated Caldy who are on nine points. As Bertie Wooster would have said, ‘we will watch their future career with considerable interest’!!
Norman Angell
HULL RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 