Blackheath F.C.

English rugby union club, based in Eltham, London

51°27′29″N 0°02′46″E﻿ / ﻿51.458°N 0.046°E﻿ / 51.458; 0.046

Rugby team

Blackheath

Full name| Blackheath Football Club
Union| Kent RFU, Middlesex RFU
Nickname(s)| Club
Founded| 1858; 166 years ago (1858)
Location| Well Hall, Eltham, Greenwich, London, England
Ground(s)| Well Hall (Capacity: 1,650 (550 seats))
President| Rory O'Sullivan
Captain(s)| Ed Taylor
League(s)| National League 1
2022–23| 1st (promoted to National League 1)

Team kit

Official website
blackheathrugby.co.uk

Blackheath Football Club is a rugby union club based in Well Hall, Eltham in south-east London.

The club was founded in Blackheath in 1858, and is the fourth-oldest rugby club in continuous existence in the world, after Dublin University Football Club (1854), Liverpool St Helens F.C. (1857) and Edinburgh Academical Football Club (1857). The Blackheath club also assisted in organising the world's first rugby international (between England and Scotland in Edinburgh on 27 March 1871) and hosted the first international between England and Wales ten years later – the players meeting and getting changed at the Princess of Wales public house. Blackheath, along with Civil Service F.C., is one of the two clubs that can claim to be a founder member of both The Football Association and the Rugby Football Union.

The club currently play in National League 1, the third tier of the English rugby union system, with matches played at Well Hall, after a move from Rectory Field in Blackheath at the end of the 2015–16 season.

## History[edit]

### Early history[edit]

The institution was founded as "Blackheath Football Club" in 1858 by old boys of Blackheath Proprietary School who played a "carrying" game of football made popular by Rugby School. When the old boys played against the current pupils, supporters would shout for either "Club" or "School" accordingly. This is why to this day supporters of BFC shout for "Club", not for "Blackheath". In 1863 the club developed the tactic of passing the ball from player to player as an alternative to the solo break and the "kick and follow-up".

Blackheath FC team of 1862

Blackheath is the fourth-oldest rugby club in continuous existence in the world, after Dublin University Football Club (1854), Liverpool St Helens F.C. (1857) and Edinburgh Academical Football Club (1857), but asserts it is the "oldest independent Rugby club, meaning that it was not attached to any institution such as a military establishment, hospital, school or college."[1]

In 1863 Blackheath was a founder member of The Football Association which was formed at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen Street, on Lincoln Inn Fields, London 26 October 1863 with the intention to frame a code of laws that would embrace the best and most acceptable points of all the various methods of play under the one heading of "football". Francis Maule Campbell, a member of Blackheath, was elected treasurer. At the fifth meeting Campbell argued that hacking was an essential element of 'football' and that to eliminate hacking would "do away with all the courage and pluck from the game, and I will be bound over to bring over a lot of Frenchmen who would beat you with a week’s practice."[2] At the sixth meeting on 8 December Campbell withdrew Blackheath, explaining that the rules that the FA intended to adopt would destroy the game and all interest in it. Other rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the Football Association. In this way the great divide between association football and rugby took place.

In December 1870 Edwin Ash, secretary of Richmond Football Club published a letter in the papers which said, "Those who play the rugby-type game should meet to form a code of practice as various clubs play to rules which differ from others, which makes the game difficult to play." On 26 January 1871 a meeting attended by representatives from 22 clubs was held in London at the Pall Mall Restaurant. As a result of this meeting the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was founded. Three lawyers who had been pupils at Rugby School drew up the first laws of the game which were approved in June 1871. The Club is one of seven of the original twenty-one clubs to have survived to this day.

### Later history[edit]

Blackheath playing Oxford University in 1905

Blackheath initially played its matches on the Heath (meeting and changing at the Princess of Wales public house) but occasional interruptions from spectators led the club to move, initially to a private field (Richardson's Field) in Blackheath before moving to the Rectory Field in 1883.

On 27 March 1871, England (captained by Blackheath's captain and with three other Club players in the 20-strong side) played Scotland at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, losing by one point. This was the first international rugby union game in history. Richardson's Field hosted the first England v. Wales fixture on 19 February 1881, which England won, again with four Club players in the side. In 1982 Blackheath joined the list of winning teams at the Glengarth Sevens at Stockport R.U.F.C.

Blackheath were one of the opponents for The Original All Blacks on their 1905–06 northern hemisphere tour, the first-ever New Zealand rugby union tour outside of Australasia. The touring side ran out 32–0 victors.

After 158 years it was announced that the 2015–16 season would be the last playing at the historic Rectory Field as the club had made the difficult decision to move to their training ground, Well Hall in Eltham, for the 2016–17 season to maximise matchday revenue and to continue developing for the future.[3][4] Blackheath played their last game at the Rectory Field on 30 April 2016, beating Blaydon 45–17.[5]

## Current standings[edit]

|  | 2023–24 National League 1 Table |

* v
* t
* e

|
|

|  | Played  | Won  | Drawn  | Lost  | Points for  | Points against  | Points diff  | Try bonus  | Losing bonus  | Points
1 | Chinnor | 15 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 533 | 244 | 289 | 11 | 2 | 61
2 | Rams | 15 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 465 | 356 | 109 | 12 | 2 | 58
3 | Plymouth Albion | 15 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 430 | 320 | 110 | 9 | 3 | 52
4 | Rosslyn Park | 15 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 452 | 398 | 54 | 8 | 2 | 46
5 | Sedgley Park | 15 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 389 | 417 | -28 | 6 | 2 | 44
6 | Birmingham Moseley | 15 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 397 | 394 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 43
7 | Richmond | 15 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 416 | 427 | -11 | 10 | 5 | 43
8 | Darlington Mowden Park | 15 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 338 | 369 | -31 | 7 | 3 | 38
9 | Blackheath | 15 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 358 | 345 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 37
10 | Cinderford | 15 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 317 | 423 | -106 | 2 | 2 | 32
11 | Bishop's Stortford | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 352 | 427 | -75 | 7 | 4 | 31
12 | Leicester Lions | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 301 | 434 | -133 | 4 | 3 | 27
13 | Taunton Titans | 15 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 414 | 528 | -114 | 11 | 4 | 27
14 | Sale FC | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 288 | 368 | -80 | 3 | 3 | 26

* If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

1. Number of matches won
2. Difference between points for and against
3. Total number of points for
4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places.
Updated: 13 January 2024

Source: "National League 1". RugbyEngland.

## Modern club[edit]

* Blackheath FC's first team currently plays in National Division 1 in England, but the club fields many sides.
* The mini and junior sections have their own home ground, based at Kidbrooke Road, Well Hall, London, SE9.
* The club also has two women's teams, the first XV winning the Championship South East 2 League back to back in seasons 2015–16 and 2016–17.
* The club provides sections ranging from under-6's right through to under-18's, and has experienced success at all levels.
* The mini section ran its first Mini Rugby Festival at Eltham College on 25 November 2007.
* The club also runs a rugby academy, which started in its current format in 2013, for boys who wish to continue their academic studies alongside playing rugby. The academy is also based at Well Hall.

## Notable players[edit]

See also Category:Blackheath F.C. players

* David Allen – openside flanker who played at Club for 13 seasons between 2004 and 2016, scoring 147 league tries from 274 appearances and becoming the all-time top try scorer in tier 3. Gained 8 caps for the England Counties XV as well as appearing for the Barbarians.
* Harold Dingwall Bateson.
* Thomas Batson
* Norman Bruce
* Mike Bulpitt
* George Burton (rugby union)
* Mike Campbell-Lamerton.
* Charles Arthur Crompton, played in England's first international
* Walter Michael Dickson
* John Douglas
* Hector Forsayth
* Edward Fraser
* C.B. Fry
* John Gallagher, All Black and member of the team that won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
* Stephen Gray, played for Canada 1987,91,95 World Cups.
* Thomas Gubb
* Stan Harris
* Dhani Jones
* Aadel Kardooni, England A
* JEC 'Birdie' Partridge
* Alexander William Pearson (born 1854)
* Charles Pillman. Played for England 18 times before WW1.
* Robert Pillman. Charles Pillman's younger brother who played for England against France in 1914 and was killed in Belgium in 1916
* Hamish Scott
* E H D Sewell sports writer and cricketer
* Charles Sherrard (1849–1938), played in England's first international
* Joe Simpson.
* Mickey Skinner "The Munch".
* Graham Standing
* Frederick Stokes (1850–1929),[6] the first captain of the England national rugby union team.
* Lennard Stokes (1856–1933),[6] former captain of the England national rugby union team.
* Henry Taylor (rugby union)
* Rob Webber.

### Fictional players[edit]

* Dr. Watson, character from the Sherlock Holmes stories

## Honours[edit]

* Middlesex Sevens (2): 1932, 1958
* Gala Sevens (1): 1957
* Kent Cup (16): 1891, 1972, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1996, 2003, 2009, 2013
* Glengarth Sevens Main Event (1): 1982
* Glengarth Sevens Davenport Plate (1): 1983
* National Division Three South (1): 2003–04[7]
* National League 2 East (1): 2022–23

## See also[edit]

* Rugby union in London

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Our history". Blackheath Rugby. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
2. ^ Richard Holt,Sport and the British: A Modern History, Oxford University Press, 1990 ISBN 0-19-285229-9, p. 86
3. ^ "BFC Executive Statement 9.12.15". Blackheath Rugby. 9 December 2015.
4. ^ "Blackheath to leave the Rectory Field". Rolling Maul. 10 December 2015.
5. ^ "The Big Match: Blackheath v Blaydon". Blackheath Rugby. 29 April 2016.
6. ^ a b Steve Lewis, One Among Equals, 2008, pp9-10 (Vertical Editions:London)
7. ^ "National Division Three South - 2003/2004". Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.

## External links[edit]

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Rules of Blackheath Football Club (1862)

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

National League 1

2023–24 teams|

* Birmingham Moseley
* Bishop's Stortford
* Blackheath
* Chinnor
* Cinderford
* Darlington Mowden Park
* Leicester Lions
* Plymouth Albion
* Rams
* Richmond
* Rosslyn Park
* Sale FC
* Sedgley Park
* Taunton

Former clubs|

* Ampthill
* Askeans
* Aspatria
* Barking
* Bedford
* Birmingham & Solihull Bees
* Blaydon
* Bracknell
* Bradford & Bingley
* Broughton Park
* Caldy
* Camberley
* Cambridge
* Canterbury
* Clifton
* Cornish Pirates
* Coventry
* Doncaster Knights
* Ealing Trailfinders
* Esher
* Exeter Chiefs
* Fylde
* Halifax
* Harrogate
* Hartpury College
* Havant
* Henley Hawks
* Hull
* Hull Ionians
* Jersey
* Kendal
* Launceston
* Leeds Tykes
* Liverpool St Helens
* London Scottish
* London Welsh
* Loughborough Students
* Lydney
* Macclesfield
* Maidstone
* Manchester
* Metropolitan Police
* Morley
* Mount's Bay
* Newbury
* Nottingham
* Nuneaton
* Old Albanian
* Old Elthamians
* Orrell
* Otley
* Preston Grasshoppers
* Reading
* Redruth
* Rotherham Titans
* Rugby
* Sheffield
* Southend
* Stourbridge
* Tonbridge Juddians
* Tynedale
* Vale of Lune
* Wakefield
* Walsall
* Waterloo
* Westcombe Park
* West Hartlepool
* Wharfedale
* Worcester
* Worthing Raiders

Seasons|

| National Division Three|

* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97

|

National League One|

* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000

National Division Two|

* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09

National League One|

* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* ~~2020–21~~
* 2021–22

National League 1|

* 2022–23
* 2023–24

* v
* t
* e

National League 2 East

2023–24 teams|

* Barnes
* Bury St Edmunds
* Canterbury
* Dorking
* Esher
* Guernsey Raiders
* Henley Hawks
* North Walsham
* Old Albanian
* Sevenoaks
* Tonbridge Juddians
* Westcombe Park
* Wimbledon
* Worthing Raiders

Former clubs|

* Blackheath
* Rochford Hundred
* Westcliff

Seasons|

| National League 2 East|

* 2022–23
* 2023–24

|

* v
* t
* e

Founding Clubs of the RFU

* Addison1
* Belsize Park1
* Blackheath2 3
* Civil Service2
* Clapham Rovers1
* Flamingoes1
* Gipsies1
* Guy's Hospital
* Harlequins4
* King's College Hospital
* Lausanne1
* Law1
* Marlborough Nomads1
* Mohicans1
* Queen's House1
* Ravenscourt Park1
* Richmond3
* St Paul's School
* Wellington College
* West Kent1
* Wimbledon

* 1Defunct club
* 2Founder club of The FA
* 3 Currently playing in National League 1
* 4 Currently playing in the Premiership Rugby

* v
* t
* e

The Football Association

Founder members|

* Barnes
* Blackheath
* Blackheath Proprietary School
* Civil Service
* Crusaders
* Crystal Palace
* Kensington School
* Leytonstone Forest
* No Names Club
* Perceval House
* Surbiton

Presidents|

* Arthur Pember
* Ebenezer Morley
* Francis Marindin
* Arthur Kinnaird
* Charles Clegg
* William Pickford
* The Earl of Athlone
* HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
* HRH The Duke of Gloucester
* The Earl of Harewood
* HRH The Duke of Kent
* HRH The Duke of York
* HRH The Prince of Wales

Chairmen|

* Charles Clegg
* A. G. Hines
* M. Frowde
* Amos Brook Hirst
* Arthur Drewry
* Graham Doggart
* Joe Mears
* Andrew Stephen
* Harold Warris Thompson
* Bert Millichip
* Keith Wiseman
* Geoff Thompson
* Lord Triesman
* David Bernstein
* Greg Dyke
* Greg Clarke
* Debbie Hewitt

Secretaries|

* Ebenezer Morley
* Robert Willis
* Robert Graham
* Charles W. Alcock
* Frederick Wall
* Stanley Rous
* Denis Follows
* Ted Croker

Chief Executives|

* Graham Kelly
* Adam Crozier
* Mark Palios
* David Davies
* Brian Barwick
* Ian Watmore
* Martin Glenn

Treasurers|

* Francis Campbell
* James Turner
* Robert Graham
* Alfred Stair
* Charles W. Alcock
* Arthur Kinnaird
* C. E. Hart
* Daniel Woolfall
* Arthur Kingscott
* Harry Huband
* L. C. Tyte
* Denis Follows
* Sidney Donaldson

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