Halifax RUFC

(Photo: JP Horrocks-Taylor playing Yorkshire RUFC -v- Cumberland and Westmorland at Headingley c 1967/8, stood back row, next to the Ref. Also featured Ian Booth - third from left front row; GPS - front row , second from the right)

Halifax RUFC benefitted mightily from local rugby footballing talent in the years post WW2 and earned a compelling reputation for powerful forwards and skilful three quarters. They were halcyon days. Heath Grammar School provided a significant number of talented players who needed no persuasion to join the Ovenden Park ranks. Amongst those numbers the remarkable skills of J.P. H-T.became very apparent, inspiring other up and coming players.

H.-T. was born (the youngest of one girl , Pamela , David and himself) on 27 October 1934 and attended Parkinson Lane Junior School. With the 11 Plus examination overcome, he graduated to Heath Grammer School in 1945, joining brother David there . He soon demonstrated his sporting abilities - and was no mean scholar. He played cricket for the School and was a member of the first eleven but he excelled throughout at rugby, captaining the first XV in his final year and playing for the Yorkshire Schools XV in his last two years. The rugby dominance of the School in this era is shown by their outright victories in the Ilkley Sevens Tournament on seven occasions (and runners up twice) in the period 1950 – 1962.

A State Scholarship in Physics and Chemistry took him to Cambridge University but he chose to take up first, his National Service obligation at Catterick with the Royal Corps of Signals. Bearing in mind the then reputation of the RCS, it was no coincidence that he was recruited to their ranks - in his words as “ an opportunity to play rugby and nothing else“ With such rugby league icons as Billy Boston, Phil Jackson and Brian Gabbitas in the team no wonder they won the Yorkshire Cup and the Army Cup. The rugby skills of H.-T. were ever sharpening!! Thence to Cambridge where he, in his second year, was awarded his “ Blue “ and according to him, played some of his best rugby ever.

In the ensuing years until 1958, he played for HALIFAX RUFC on 43 occasions scoring 14 tries, 13 penalty goals, 5 drop goals and three conversions. Otherwise he flourished as he played for Wasps, Leicester, Yorkshire RFU (61 appearances), England (9 caps), Barbarians ( -v- England 1958) and the British and Irish Lions (New Zealand 1959). After a period of employment in the Midlands, he moved to Middlesbrough where he was soon back in the game as he (and from where he played twice for England) played, captained the Club and served as Chairman, Chairman of Selectors and Vice President over the years.

Sadly H.-T. died on 11 February 2021, aged 85, leaving his wife Julia, his two married daughters and their families.

He will be greatly missed .

GPS March 2021