Colonel W.N. Pilkington DSO: First President of St.Helens RUFC
With the formation of the Northern Union 1895* (renamed Rugby League in 1922) Rugby Union had ceased to be played in St.Helens. However, in 1919 this was put right with the formation of ‘St. Helens Old Boys Rugby Union Football Club’, later renamed St.Helens RUFC. Colonel W.N. Pilkington, a member of the Pilkington Glass family accepted the invitation to be the club’s founding President.
Colonel Pilkington had won an England cap against Scotland in 1898, and was a Cambridge rugby ‘blue’ where he was captain in 1898. He also played for St.Helens Recs, Blackheath, Lancashire and the Barbarians. For good measure he was also Public Schools hurdles champion in 1896; and earned an athletics ‘blue’ representing Cambridge in the 100 yards in 1897, 1898 and 1899.
Even more impressive was his military record with the South Lancashire Regiment. He was mentioned in dispatches in 1916, 1917 and 1918. He was also awarded a DSO, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, and later a bar to his DSO.
He became a director of Pilkington Brothers (as it was known then); served on St.Helens Council for 29 years; was Chairman of Rainford UDC; a JP and President of St.Helens YMCA.
Colonel Pilkington’s service to the club did not end with his term of Presidency. In 1930 when the club was urgently seeking a new ground and in financial difficulties he facilitated the move to our present site in Moss Lane (part of the original Pilkington estate) and made donations to the club.
(Abstract from A History of St.Helens RUFC)
With the formation of the Northern Union 1895* (renamed Rugby League in 1922) Rugby Union had ceased to be played in St.Helens. However, in 1919 this was put right with the formation of ‘St. Helens Old Boys Rugby Union Football Club’, later renamed St.Helens RUFC. Colonel W.N. Pilkington, a member of the Pilkington Glass family accepted the invitation to be the club’s founding President.
Colonel Pilkington had won an England cap against Scotland in 1898, and was a Cambridge rugby ‘blue’ where he was captain in 1898. He also played for St.Helens Recs, Blackheath, Lancashire and the Barbarians. For good measure he was also Public Schools hurdles champion in 1896; and earned an athletics ‘blue’ representing Cambridge in the 100 yards in 1897, 1898 and 1899.
Even more impressive was his military record with the South Lancashire Regiment. He was mentioned in dispatches in 1916, 1917 and 1918. He was also awarded a DSO, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, and later a bar to his DSO.
He became a director of Pilkington Brothers (as it was known then); served on St.Helens Council for 29 years; was Chairman of Rainford UDC; a JP and President of St.Helens YMCA.
Colonel Pilkington’s service to the club did not end with his term of Presidency. In 1930 when the club was urgently seeking a new ground and in financial difficulties he facilitated the move to our present site in Moss Lane (part of the original Pilkington estate) and made donations to the club.
(Abstract from A History of St.Helens RUFC)
St.Helens’ first Rugby club, initially known as St.Helens Rangers, was founded in 1873. It was renamed St.Helens Rugby Football Club in 1885. The town’s first International was Jim Pyke of St.Helens Recs, who was capped against Wales in 1892. Both clubs joined the Northern Union in 1895, the forerunner of the Rugby Football League. St.Helens RFC went on to become the famous “Saints” RL club of today.
*