In August 1962 an advert was inserted by Mr Bill Hughes the landlord of the Beeswing Vaults in the the Leamington Courier asking for anyone interested in forming a rugby club in Southam to come to a meeting at the Beeswing Vaults (Now The Courtyard).

At this meeting (the minutes of which are displayed in the club) it was voted that a Southam Rugby Club be formed and A.Bowen was voted chairman and Barry Cox captain. This was actually a reform as the original Southam Rugby Club disbanded 43 years before.

The first match was away v Coventry Sphinx 3rds winning in fine style 17 - 3. The team was (we think) :-

15 David Taylor

14 Colin 'Squeak' Taylor 13 Barry Cox 12 Alan Bowen 11 Ed Sturley

10 John 'Spike' Thorn 9 Mick 'Eggie' Batchelor

1 John Hughes 2 Frankie Balsom 3 Adrian Watkins

4 Clive Wright 5 Nick Fox

6 Dave Thorne 8 Mick Lee 7 MJ Amos

The first two and half years were nomadic with all games being played away, but then we secured the use of the ridge and furrow field, Browns Meadow, along the Banbury Road (now the Total Garage) and after the game they went on to the back room of the Black Dog. For home games the players changed in the Southam Football club garage and the baths were two old farm troughs. In the 1968/69 season the club wandered to Offchurch and secured 22 victories.

(The picture above right is from about 1968 - more pictures here )

If you have any pictures / documents please send them to Mike Haville