HistoryA

Belgrave St Peter's marched into the 20th Century as
Belgrave Rugby Football Club and before the first world war another Belgrave Rovers team was to come and go.
In the 1900/01 season H. Berrington was elected 1st team captain and L. Bradbury vice-captain, S.A. Anstee 2nd team captain and F. Chapman vice-captain. Sidney Alexander Anstee became club secretary in 1902, a position he was to hold for 50 years. During that time Sid Anstee served on the committee of the Leicestershire Rugby Union. He was also president of Leicestershire in 1926/27. Sid Anstee's son. Herbert better known as "Knibbs" was still and active member of the club up until 198888, serving as vice-president and groundsman marking the pitch out on match days as he had done for the last 30 years.
Belgrave first won the Midland Counties Cup in 1898 and then went on to win it every year up to 1905, eight consecutive times. It was during Leicester's tremendous cup run that Belgrave met them on two occasions. In 1899 Belgrave were really given a lesson in Rugby football losing in the second round game by 68 points to 3. A second meeting, with Leicester in 1903, again in the second round, was to prove costly, losing this time 54 points to nil. Although being well beaten by Leicester, 1903 was by no means a poor season; it was a highly successful one, because that year Belgrave won the Senior Cup, Rolleston Cup and the Leicester Alliance Combination, the first time any club had won all three competitions in the same season.
The club never settled on a permanent ground until 1911 when they managed to obtain the use of Belgrave Pastures where they are to this day. Until then the club seemed to move around from season to season. In 1901 they played on a ground owned by Mr Grewcock and in 1903 rented Mr Gask's field for two shillings and sixpence (12 ½ p) a match. Five pounds a season was the rent paid for Mr Felstead's field in 1904 and that went up to six pounds in 1905. The club returned to Mr Gask's field in 1906 and it would appear that, in an effort to cut rent costs, they started sharing the ground with other clubs, sharing first with Invicta FC and later with Anchor. In 1907 the club played on Mr Geary's field at a rent of six pounds ten shillings. This was almost increased to seven pounds in1910, but after consultation Mr Geary agreed to leave the rent as it was. When the use of Belgrave Pastures was obtained in 1911 it would appear that the rent was a lot more reasonable; the 1913 minutes state "the rent of the pastures will this season be £3 instead of £2".
Although not having a permanent ground until just before the 1914/18 war, their playing record during that period was quite good. They reached the third round of the Midlands County Cup on four occasions. First was in 1908 when they narrowly lost to Oadby by 13 points to 11. The third round game against Rugby in 1910 has already been mentioned and the other third round appearances were in 1913 when Stratford-On-Avon won 27 points to nil and 1914 when Aston Old Edwardians won by 25 points to nil.
Belgrave won the Leicester Alliance Combination two years running in 1902 and 1903 and the senior cup in 1903, 1906 and 1907. They won the Rolleston Cup no fewer than six times in a ten year period holding it in 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1910.
Of all the games played by Belgrave up to the Great War I would like to mention one they lost. It was the policy of the Leicestershire Rugby Union to arrange exhibition and important competition games to be played in the County where no Rugby existed.
This particular game was the Leicester Alliance Combination game against Granville and was played on 27th February 1904 at Anstey. Belgrave, who were the Alliance Combination winners the two previous seasons, were level with Granville on 20 points and travelled to Anstey with a good number of supporters and a lot of confidence. Granville took them by storm by winning the game 14 points to nil and the Alliance Combination with 22 points to Belgrave's 20. A Belgrave supporter at the game wrote a poem entitled "In memory of Dummy Town". Dummy Town is the old nickname for the Belgrave area possibly because of the number of Cul-de-sacs or "Dummies".

In Memory of Dummy Town

We sent our boys from Dummy Town
To Anstey by the Goss
Where Rugby Football was unknown
And all support the Fosse.

We sent them there to win the shield
Which they'd held for a year
But Oh! The Granville mopped us up
We came back with a tear.

We backed our champions two to one
And vowed we'd wipe the floor
With the villains, as at Belgrave
We had done so twice before.

We sent a large contingent there
To shout "Go on my butes"
But that, alas! Won't win a match
We might as well had mutes.

For Granville, though they shouted not
They rubbed it in quite thick
They simply walked round Belgrave boys
For whom they were too quick.

When once they started on the job
They simply "took the bun"
For Blackburn, Shipley, Sharman too
Raised fourteen points to none.

And though we boasted 'fore' twas time
And said what things we'd do
Were sadder, wiser men just now
And looking rather blue.

With the advent of the Great War in 1914 club activities ceased until 29th August 1919 when a general meeting was held and the club officials for the following season elected. Walter Buckler was elected captain and Mr Arthur Voce vice-captain. Walter Buckler and his brother William were both capped by the County.
The club's first game that season was a friendly played on the 20th September 1919 against Medway Athletic, which they won 8 points to 3. The following week they lost to South Wigston by a try to nil. The club were on the winning trail in 1920 winning the Senior and Rolleston Cup and finished the season as Alliance Combination Champions. They won the Senior cup in 1924 and again in 1925 when once again they finished the season as Alliance Combination Champions.
The 1926 season saw them as Alliance Combination winners, Senior Cup winners and Rolleston Cup finalists, losing to Lutterworth by 5 points to 3. The following year the club were again Alliance Combination winners; They also won both the Senior and Rolleston Cup, winning the Senior Cup in convincing style scoring six tries to nil against Leicester Police. They did not have things all their own way in the Rolleston Cup final when they played South Wigston on a rain swept Leicester ground. After extra time the score was still a try each and a replay was played on Stoneygate's ground, which at that time was on the Aylestone Road. This time Belgrave won 3 tries to nil.
1927 was the club's best ever season. By winning the County's three major competitions they equalled their own record breaking season of 1903 and even improved on this by finishing the season with no less than five cups in all. This is believed to be a record in local Rugby to this day.

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Refferee's Test Card 1896

George Ward

Sid Anstee with Medals

For J.W. Garner this was the start of an exciting rugby career. He captained Belgrave St Peter's the following season and again in 1894/5 and was the first Belgrave player to win a county cap. He joined Leicester and was a member of the first Leicester team to win the Midlands County Cup in 1898. He was captain of Leicester in 1902 when they won the Midlands County Cup for the fifth season in succession.
The following season Belgrave St Peter's played in the senior cup competition and in 1897 met Leicester A team in the Senior Cup final. After the game had to be replayed on the direction of the Leicestershire Rugby Union, the cup was awarded to Belgrave St Peter's who were also winners of the Rolleston Charity Cup that year. The captain of this particular year was T. Patrick.
On the 4th September 1895 Belgrave St Peter's received a deputation from Belgrave Rovers Football Club with a view to amalgamating. After discussion at Belgrave St Peter's Annual General Meeting it was decided to leave the proposal until "Rovers" had been consulted further.
Nothing further was done until 1899 when on 13th May a committee meeting held at the Melton Hotel considered the possible amalgamation of the two clubs. Considerable discussion took place especially relating to the finances of the respective clubs.
It was proposed and seconded that
(a) In case of amalgamation taking place the name of the club in future should be BELGRAVE RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB.
(b) That the meeting be adjourned till 16th June, in the meantime both clubs to call a meeting of its respective members to discuss the proposed amalgamation.
On 16th June 1899 Mr. J.W. Clayton reported on the committee meeting of the "Rovers" FC and, the finances of the respective clubs having been satisfactorily secured, Mr H. W. Vann proposed that the amalgamation should take place, the club to be called Belgrave Rugby Football Club and a General meeting be called at an early date to select officers.

George Ward

A History Of Belgrave R.F.C.

The club's first known secretary was Edgar Smith, who was secretary in 1889 and 1890. He and J.W. Mawby were the two club delegates representing Belgrave St Peter's in September 1890 when the Leicestershire Rugby Football Union had a meeting of the Leicestershire clubs at the Old Horse Hotel on London Road. As well as electing the Leicestershire Union committee at the meeting, a sub-committee was also set up to revise the Union rules.
One of the three men appointed to serve on that sub-committee was Edgar Smith. In the 1890's Mr Smith played in the second team at full back. Living at 6 Shirley St in Belgrave he was the next door neighbour of Mr T. Noble who became club secretary in 1891.
H.G.Vann is a name worthy of a mention. He was club vice-president in 1894 and treasurer in 1895/96, 1896/97 serving on the committee up to the amalgamation with Belgrave Rovers in 1899. He was still a committee man in 1900, being elected club vice-president for seasons 1900/01, 1901/2 and 1902/3.
Doctor Alfred Wilson Emms was without doubt, the club's longest serving president. Born in Surrey around 1850, he was living at the top of Loughborough Road in 1881 with his wife, daughter and two teenage girls who were employed respectively as the family's maidservant and cook. Dr Emms, who later moved further down the Loughborough Road to live on the corner of Roughton Street, was involved in all aspects of community life, serving later as a Justice of the Peace. Dr. Emms was President of Belgrave St Peter's in 1894 and there is a strong possibility that he served as Club President before then. In 1895 when Lord Edward Manners was elected Club President, a position he was to hold for five years, Dr. Emms served as vice-president, becoming club President again in 1900, a position he was to hold until 1920.
The club's earliest records go back to the General Meeting held 1st May 1894 when Dr. Alfred Wilson Emms was unanimously elected Club President and the following gentlemen were elected vice-presidents: - Messrs L.A. Clarke, C. Bowles, C. Fowler, C. Scotney, A.E. Dunkley, H.W. Vann and the reverend R.W.L. Clark.
On the proposition of Mr E. Morley, who had been 1st team captain the previous season, J.W. Garner was unanimously elected 1st team captain and after a vote T. Steedon was elected vice-captain. L. Bradbury was unanimously elected A team captain and after another vote W.Taylor, A team vice-captain. Mr F.Warner was appointed club secretary, Mr E. Richardson assistant secretary, Mr J. Garner treasurer and Messrs Pole, Patrick, Morley, Dunkley, Baguley and Cotton as members of the club committee.
One of the first items on the committee's agenda was the securing of a playing field for the coming season. They made several enquiries and at the cost of three pounds for the season they obtained the use of a field along the Birstall Lane. The field was owned by a Mr. Watts. It was also agreed to pay Lewis Bradley two shillings and sixpence (12 ½ p) to mark out the field on Saturdays.
The club's headquarters at that time was the Talbot Inn on Thurcaston Rd, where the players would change before having to walk up the Birstall Lane to play. Bill posters advertising the game and team selected would be posted around the Belgrave area the week prior to the match. In 1894 the club charged twopence for men and a penny for boys for admission to the ground for 1st team matches, a penny to all classes for A team matches, two shillings for season tickets and free admission to ladies. It was also usual to have a policeman on duty at the game for which the club received a bill. On such bill received by the club on 22nd October 1894 was four shillings and sixpence. The gate receipts helped cover the guarantees paid by home teams to out of town visitors to cover their travel expenses. One or two pounds was the usual amount guaranteed. Nottingham Rugby Club for example offered a two pounds guarantee when Belgrave St Peter's travelled to play them in 1898.
At that time it would appear that clubs selected their own players to attend trial matches held by the Leicestershire Rugby Union. In 1894 the following players were selected to represent the club in the trial match held on the 1st September.
Threequarters - A. Inchley and G. Russell;
Forwards - E. Morley, F. Warner, T. Patrick, T. Steedon and J.W. Garner.
Also in 1894 the club joined the Midland Counties Football Union. They paid ten shillings and sixpence (52 ½ p) entrance fee and one guinea (105 p) subscription for 1894/95, entering regularly in the Midland Counties Cup Competition until 1914.

Medals

The club's annual subscriptions at this time were three shillings with no mention of any match fees and like so many teams to date they still had a problem collecting these subscriptions.

Top Row L - R LRU Senior Cup "1924 / 5" LRU Senior Cup "1907" LRU Senior Cup "1902" Rolleston Cup Winner "1905 /
Centre Rolleston Charity Cup Winners "1903 / 4"
Bottom Row L - R LRU Senior Cup "1902 / 3" LRU Senior Cup "1906" LRU Alliance Winners "1907" LRU Combination 1st Div Winners "1902 / 3"
Medals Belonging to the late Sid Anstee of Belgrave (Ex President LRU).

By the early 1890's Belgrave St Peter's was a flourishing club running two teams. Amongst their regular fixtures at the time were South Wigston, Stoneygate, Oadby, Lutterworth, Nottingham, Leicester A, Coventry A, Northampton A and Bedford Wanderers. Other teams that Belgrave St Peter's have played and have since disappeared include Warwick Avon Rovers, Harrison St Albion, Vulcan Rovers, St Johns, St Luke's,
St Leonard's, Burfield Rangers, Old Humberstone, Granville and Crusaders.
Belgrave St Peter's first achievement in the many cup competitions of the time was in 1891 when J.W. Garner captained the side through to the final of the Junior Cup Competition. They beat Wimbledon at home in the second round by 2 goals 8 minors to 1 minor and in the next round won against Aylestone Rd by 6 goals, 1 try 4 minors to 1 try and 2 minors. The final was played at South Wigston on 1st April 1891 against Lutterworth who lost by 1 goal 2 tries to 1 goal. Mr J Parsons was the referee of what was by all accounts a good game. A gate was taken and the cup was presented to J.W. Garner by Orson Wright at the Clarence Hotel before a large crowd. Speeches were made and J.W. Garner was asked to sign for the cup.