Origin of the Club . . .

The Coopers’ Company’s School, which combined with Coborn School for Girls to form the present school, started playing rugby in 1933 after Masters led by Frank Coles, decisively won a pupil referendum to move away from soccer. The very first Old Boys game was against the School and was played at the Peel Institute on the Woodford Avenue in the 1945/46 Season. Subsequent Old Boys games were played in the back half of the 1945/46 season when Archie Smith, Jimmy Stables and Ken Parks formed the Old Cooperians RFC over a few pints in the “Railway Tavern”. At that time games were played at the Ashton playing fields at Woodford Bridge, the meals provided at “The Village Rest”, run by Mr Grange and we drank in “The White Hart”. Early opponents included Barking Park Modern Old Boys, Woolwich Polytechnic and Old Grammarians. The first Easter Tour took place at Frome, where the School was evacuated during the 1939/45 War.

The Early Years . . .

In the 1950’s the club moved up the road to Chigwell and began using Grange Farm pitches and the Barn (back of a café owned by Bob Repuke) for drinks and meals. The warmth of the reception at the latter, featuring barman Babs and Sid Boorman made Coopers a must for many clubs. The fixtures remained strong throughout most of the decade but, by remaining principally a closed club and running just two regular sides, we began to lose some of our better opponents. The 1951/52 annual subscription was £2.10; there was no match fee, but 7.5p was collected to pay for opponents’ home game “teas”. Very few players had cars, so we met early and travelled by train, which meant a long day as several opponents were based in south west London. A regular feature was the Boxing Day game against our local rivals Eton Manor. The fresh-faced Olly Aldsworth began playing at this time; who would have guessed that Olly would still be donning club colours in the 1990’s when most of his contempories were pensioners! Eastbourne followed Frome for Easter Tours but, when affluence arrived, we began our long association with The Lowestoft Festival.

Throughout the 1960’s we continued to play at Grange Farm and drink in the barn. A loosening of our rules allowed in more non-Cooperians, which enabled us to run a solid three sides. Thanks to one of our players, “Freddie” Mills, who went to work and live in France, the club reached out across the Channel and played the first of several Easter games against Antony (near Paris) RFC. The annual Presidents game was played against the School; this practice was subsequently banned by the RFU during the 1970’s when it became a Club XV against over 30’s.

The 1970’s saw upheaval. We lost The Barn (which is now an up-market restaurant) as well as Grange Farm and dropped two sides. Discussions with another club fell through when it became clear that they were only looking for a one-time increase to their squad and we would lose our identity. After that we played at Bancrofts, Fairlop and Waltham Forest Town Hall. From the late 1970’s visitors were entertained at The Lord Brooke in Walthamstow. Several abortive attempts were made to play closer to the School including an unsuccessful bid to buy adjoining land at an auction. Easter Tours continued and were, as ever, a social success but financial failures. Eastbourne re-emerged as a venue.

The Lord Brooke and the Salisbury Hall pitches, provided throughout the 1980’s, a stable platform upon which to build the club’s playing strength. Additionally the club benefited from a particularly strong 1980’s Colts team. As ever brilliantly led, we decided not to enter the leagues in the initial stages and, consequently, had to start at the bottom when the penny finally dropped! By 1989 we were running four teams and the Easter Tours now included Amsterdam; about which little need be said.

A major road scheme at the Crooked Billet caused us to look around for another venue and until the 1995/96 season Eastbrook School and The Railway Tavern were used. The Club moved steadily up the league tables to reach Essex League 1, winning Essex League 3 in 1993/94 without losing a game. We received a prize of 20 balls as a reward for reaching the quarter finals of the national junior club competition, the Pilkington Shield, in 1992 and won the Essex Presidents Shield in successive seasons. At the beginning of the 1995/96 season the club began using the excellent facilities of the Blake Hall Sports Club, Wanstead and three sides regularly turned out as well as an occasional Vets team.

After 3 seasons at Blake Hall the club were forced to move on and we were fortunate to be able to call on our old friends at Eton Manor where we were made welcome for 2 seasons. At this time an opportunity to move nearer the school arose through the availability of playing fields at Rise Park in Romford. A significant amount of effort was made to develop this opportunity but unfortunately due to the intransigence of Havering council this proved impossible and the club moved yet again to play at Westlands Playing Fields in Romford. We stayed here for 2 seasons drinking initially in The Sun and then The Archers in Gidea Park. The move from the East End had a negative effect on the clubs playing strength and during this period the club was reduced to running a single side and suffered relegation to Essex League 3.

A New Era . . .

Throughout the clubs past many attempts have been made to play rugby at the school but for various reasons this had never proved possible. Following discussions with the governors agreement was finally reached in 2002 to move to the school in Upminster. September [2002] saw the clubs first home game at the school and the clubs closer links coincided with the school reaching The Daily Mail Schools Plate Final at Twickenham in the Spring of 2003. The schools rugby coach Heinrich Zimmerman agreed to join as club coach and as a result the club was able to run a colts team for the first time in over 10 years which won the Essex Colts cup in Spring 2004. As a result of the schools appointment as a sports college, funds were made available to build a sports pavilion to provide additional changing facilities and an “entertainment area” on the first floor. As a result of generous financial pledges made by many “former players” the club provided a kitchen/bar area which is now being used by the school and the club to entertain after our home games.

Today the club enjoys superb facilities at the school and is finally encouraging a steady flow of schoolboys to play during their time at school and as leavers. This is beginning to reflect in the playing standards and the club finished 2005 as unbeaten leaders of Essex League 3.

The Club began to really progress and an influx of new players induced a new excitment and passion for Old Boys rugby. After a closely run 2007/08 season, the Club finally secured promotion to the pinnacle of the Essex Leagues in 2008/9. The promotion to Essex League 1 was secured with the famous Valentines Day Massacre victory at East London, which ensured second place behind an unbeaten Millwall. However, with a complete shake up of the leagues, reducing Essex to 2 competitive Leagues, East London were promoted along with ourselves and Millwall.

After an intensive and successful pre-season, the 1st Team started strong and stunned League 1 teams with 6 consecutive victories parading an appealing, ball in hand style of rugby exploiting the dry conditions. As the winter set in wins became scarce, but the Club battled through to secure 5th place in their first season.

The Club made history in the 2009/10 season fielding a 2nd team competing in the Merit Leagues after a long absence. This emphasised the growth and interest shown in the Club built over a number of seasons.

During the clubs 60 years it has withstood numerous moves, countless bad passes, missed conversions and questionable decisions by referees, but it has scored tries and despite sometimes overwhelming odds it has survived. To understand the reasons for this you only need to look to the schools motto “Love As Brethren”. Players may retire from injury or old age but it is very rare that they leave to join another rugby club. The bonds of friendship enjoyed at school and continued through the playing of rugby for the Old Boys are for life. Long may that continue.

Old Cooperians RFC

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