1. The Archers
  2. Luck of the Irish!
  3. A Pride of Lions
  4. Festive Fun!
  5. The Old Enemy!
  6. Away to Castleford
  7. The Gaul Brothers
  8. Winlaton Revived
  9. Grand Stand View
  10. Cup Winners
  11. PTE Matthew Hailes
  12. Nathaniel Clarke Neilson
  13. The Winlaton song
  14. Made of Stronger Stuff…
  15. David Harkness Blakely
  16. The Lonely Anzac
  17. Ken Goodall – British Lion
  18. Big Games… Big Crowds
  19. A Durham Quartet
  20. Frank Henry New Zealand Kiwi
  21. Hooligans meet their match
  22. What a Team
  23. John Thomas Taylor – England Captain !!
  24. Big Games Big Clubs
  25. Golden Era for Vulcans
  26. Vulcans in good company
  27. History 1
  1. The Archers

Vickers Armstrong players who re-formed the Vulcans in 1962. Can you spot the very young looking Alan & Bob Archer?

2. LUCK OF THE IRISH!


Winlaton Vulcans’ Irish international No 8 Ken Goodall in action.

3. A PRIDE OF LIONS


Gateshead XV v International XV April 1978. Gateshead borough team made up of players from Winlaton, Blaydon, Ryton, Gateshead Fell and North Durham rugby clubs played at Axwell View, Winlaton. In the International team are no less than seven British & Irish Lions players including Sir Ian McGeechan, Scotland scrum half Roy Laidlaw and Welsh stars Elgan Rees, Steve Fenwick and the legendary Pontypool hooker Bobby Windsor. Anybody know what the result was!?

4. FESTIVE FUN!


December 1936. Winlaton entertain a touring Jedforest team on Christmas Day!

5. THE OLD ENEMY!


February 1908. Vulcans give our friends and neighbours Blaydon a good stuffing!

6. AWAY TO CASTLEFORD


December 1908. Vulcans fixture away to Castleford listed amongst some very prestigious clubs.

7. THE GAUL BROTHERS


June 1940. George Gaul former player and treasurer of the Vulcans killed at Dunkirk and his brother James who also played for Winlaton and was badly injured on the same day.

8. WINLATON REVIVED!


August 1962. News that the Vulcans are to re-form after being defunct for several years.

9. GRAND STAND VIEW!


September 1917. Winlaton Vulcans Committee advertise timber for sale from the wooden stand situated at Hall Garth Farm field, one of several “homes” the club has had over the years including Normans Riding and Axwell View.

10. CUP WINNERS!


Durham County Junior Cup Winners 1933-34. Vulcans cup winning team photo believed to be taken outside of the Vulcan pub in Winlaton.

11. PTE MATTHEW HAILES


Private Matthew Hailes of Winlaton. Matthew was a keen sportsman, having played rugby for the Vulcans and association football for Winlaton East End club. Sadly he was killed serving his king & country during WW1, another in the long list of Vulcans to lose their lives in that conflict which includes David Blakey, William John Vater & Thomas Hunter.

12. NATHANIEL CLARKE NEILSON


Durham County v Devon March 1906. Included in the Durham team are Winlaton players Jack Taylor, Jim Duthie and Nathaniel Clarke Neilson. Nathaniel also played for Sunderland & Northern before joining the Royal Fusiliers at the outbreak of WW1. Corporal Neilson was tragically killed on the Somme on 5th Feb 1916. Image by kind permission of Hartlepool Museums Service/Robert Wood Collection.

13. THE WINLATON SONG!


We are the boys from Winlaton we are,
We’ve just arrived in town, IN TOWN!
We make a show, wherever we go,
We’re in the front line, we’re in the know.

We know all the girls from Winlaton to Swalwell,
We wake up, we shake up, this dear old town.
We are some of the boys.

As we walk down the avenue, doors and windows open wide, OPEN WIDE!
All the girls come out to shout Winlaton boys are knocking about.
We are some of the boys.

Winlaton on the ball, Winlaton on the ball.
Winlaton here, Winlaton there, Winlaton everywhere.
Oh! Colours bright, black and white, always true to form.
The best team on the rugby field, Winlaton on the ball.

Shall we win? YES!
Shall we lose?NO!
W.I.N.L.A.T.O.N. Winlaton!
And let the rest of the world go bye….go floating bye….

14. MADE OF STRONGER STUFF……


George Burrell Winlaton Vulcans and Durham County. There’s a strong possibility that he was one of the original players who formed the club back in 1896. George soon made his way into the Durham team and stayed there for 8 or 9 seasons. He joined the 12th Northumberland Fusiliers during WW1 and is listed as wounded. However he must have been made of stronger stuff as he resumed playing for the Vulcans after the war and there are reports of him still playing first team rugby well into his forties. A remarkable man!

15. DAVID HARKNESS BLAKEY


David Blakey Winlaton Vulcans and Durham County. David worked as miner at Stargate Colliery before joining Leeds Rugby League club in 1913-14 season. When war broke out he returned home and joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers who were recruiting in the area at that time. Sadly, David was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916 at the age of 26. His body lay undiscovered for 97 years until his remains were found by workmen in November 2013.

16. THE LONELY ANZAC


The Lonely Anzac. Thomas Hunter born in Medomsley, Consett but left school and moved to Winlaton aged approx 14 to work as a miner. Thomas was a founder member of the Vulcans when they formed in 1896. He played for Winlaton and Durham County for a number of years before emigrating to Australia in 1911. When war broke out in 1914 he joined the Australian Expeditionary Force and was sent to fight at Gallipoli where he was injured. Having recovered from his injury he transferred to the western front in France and was again wounded, this time severely, with a bullet in his spine. His injury was so bad he was put on a boat to the south of England then put on a train to go for treatment at a military hospital in Halifax. Unfortunately he was in such a bad state that the train had to be stopped in Peterborough where sadly he died. The people of Peterborough felt sorry for this “Lonely Anzac” so far from home with no family around him that they started a subscription to pay for his funeral and a stone cross to mark his grave. Every year on Anzac Day there’s still a memorial service in Peterborough to pay tribute to this brave warrior. Find out more from the Australia Virtual War Memorial here.

17. KEN GOODALL BRITISH LION


Ken Goodall played for the Vulcans in the late 60’s while studying chemical engineering at Newcastle University. He was an Irish international(his shirt still hangs proudly in the clubhouse)and attained the highest accolade in rugby by being selected to represent the British Lions on their 1968 tour to South Africa. Originally unable to tour due to his exam commitments he finally flew out as a replacement for the legendary No 10 Barry John, although
a back row forward, the Lions management felt they needed more cover in the pack.

18. BIG GAMES….BIG CROWDS!


Durham Senior Cup Semi-final v Hartlepool Rovers March 1920 in front of a crowd of 5,000 at Friarage Field. There are reports of local games attracting crowds of 8 or 9 thousand fans!

19. A DURHAM QUARTET


Durham County v Northumberland February 1909. No less than four Vulcans in the Durham team. Jack Taylor, Nathaniel Clarke Neilson, Jim Duthie and J Whitfield.

20. FRANK HENRY NEW ZEALAND KIWI


Frank Henry Winlaton Vulcans and Durham County. He joined York Rugby league club from Winlaton before emigrating to New Zealand as a lumberjack and went on to tour Great Britain with the New Zealand Kiwis Rugby League team in 1926-27. Frank is pictured third row from back on far right.

21. HOOLIGANS MEET THEIR MATCH!


March 1973. Vulcans have “slight disagreement” with skinheads in Wakefield.

22. WHAT A TEAM!


Durham Senior Cup First Round February 1911.Vulcans team contains England internationals Jack taylor & Jim Duthie PLUS Durham County players J W Whitfield, W Whitfield, George Burrell, Thomas Hunter and David Harkness Blakey! This was also the golden era for Durham County with them appearing in 10 county championship finals in a row, winning 5, drawing 1 and losing 4.

23. JOHN THOMAS TAYLOR – ENGLAND CAPTAIN!


Jack Taylor born 1877 Castleford, Yorkshire – Died 1951 Ashington, Northumberland. Jack represented England between 1897 and 1905. He also captained his country. Originally a West Hartlepool player but joined the Vulcans after that club folded in 1908, possibly with the added lure of employment in the mining industry in the area. Still a very good player when joining Winlaton as he carried on representing Durham County for several years afterwards. Picture by kind permission of Hartlepool Museum Service/Robert Wood Collection.

24. BIG GAMES…BIG CLUBS!


Winlaton Vulcans V Castleford November 1908. Yes…the Castleford. Apparently they didn’t switch to rugby league until the 1920’s.

25. GOLDEN ERA FOR THE VULCANS!


Durham County Senior Cup Final April 1914 Winlaton Vulcans V Westoe. Vulcans team includes several Durham County players such as Blakey, Vater & Burrell. Golden era of the club in the run up to WW1.


26. VULCANS IN GOOD COMPANY!


More proof of the high standard of rugby Winlaton played before World War One. Listed as playing Hartlepool Rovers three times during season 1909-10 they are in such illustrious company as Headingley, Otley and Leicester no less! Image by kind permission of Hartlepool Museums Service/Robert Wood Collection and with thanks to Chris Mcloughlin.

27. HISTORY 1


The Vulcans was first founded in 1896, but was disbanded on no less than four occasions because of the lack of a permanent home and the two World Wars.

It was finally reformed in 1962 when it acquired three playing pitches in the village, on the newly developed Axwell View Playing Fields.

A split level purpose built clubhouse with a spectacular panoramic view of the Tyne valley admired by all visiting sides was erected the following year.

The club comprised of changing rooms and two large plunge baths on the lower floor, with a Bar and Members Lounge on the upper floor for social activities, which resulted in the club becoming the central focal point for all social activities in the Village.

Additions over the years have involved extensions to include a gymnasium on the lower floor, and dining area on the upper floor as well as match standard flood lights on the first team pitch.

The Vulcans have the reputation of being a hard playing side on the field, but most friendly off, a reputation inherited from our founder members, who from a small village mining community were able to supply no less than 10 members to the Durham County side during the 1906 – 1930 period, with over 160 combined appearances.

Three players were selected to play in a joint Durham / Northumberland side against Australia, two against South Africa and one against New Zealand.

J.T Roddam with 40 County appearances, was selected for the Possibles v England trial.

The playing policy of the club is to tour alternate years, leaving the blank years to reciprocate the hospitality received, which has resulted in lasting friendships with clubs throughout the U.K.