The Rugby League Record Keepers Club have recently launched their website with statistics on all Summer Era games writes Martin Stewart. The members were asked to link any players they knew to be related.

I quickly put together a list of about a dozen l thought were related and then got to thinking about players who might be related since Hunslet was formed in 1883.

In the Rugby League era, l came up with a couple of dozen and a few l was unsure about so l asked the question on the Hunslet Supporters Facebook group. As always there was a great response and we’ve now got around 60.

Peter Jarvis and Steve Calline, as always, have also been a great help.

Peter reached out to our former chairman,(and now director) Neil Hampshire as he thought there was a connection between Kevin Doyle and Luke Hardbottle. It turns out they are great uncle and nephew but Neil tells us he is also related to both – Kevin was Neil’s uncle and Luke his first cousin once removed.

And an interesting one from David Hickes through Facebook – Bill Jukes was David’s grandmother’s brother (so his great uncle?) and Cyril Morrell married her daughter, making Bill and Cyril related through marriage.

I apologise for any I’m mistaken about and if anyone can confirm, tell me I’m wrong. Or to add more please contact me through Facebook or at bigmart56@gmail.com

BROTHERS WHO PLAYED FOR HUNSLET

Early years

  • Batten                  Billy and James. Ernie also played in WW1
  • Fearn                    Charles and Ernest
  • Goldthorpe        Albert, James and Walter plus John and William from the Union Era
  • Hale                       Stan and Trevor
  • Hall                         Joe and Lewis
  • Todd                      George and Sylvestor
  • Tootles                 George and Tom
  • Walsh                    Owen and Tommy
  • Ward                     Charlie and Willie
  • Whiteley              Harry and Jim
  • Wray                     John and Walter

World War Two to demise of Parkside

  • Burnell        Alf “Ginger”and Don
  • Lee               Barry and Steve
  • Nicholls       Frank (Hunslet) and Geoff (New Hunslet)
  • Platt            John and Keith (twins)

New Hunslet to 1996

  • Kemble                Gary and Steve (New Zealanders)
  • McKelvie             Danny and John (Australians)
  • Petch                    Andy and Richard
  • Lunn                      Martin and Peter
  • Nicholson            Ian and Martin
  • Sampson             Ian and Roy
  • Speight                 Darren and Mark

Summer Era

  • Coyle                    James and Thomas
  • Coleman              Jermaine and Jy-Mel (2021)
  • Dobson                Danny and Nicky
  • Freeman              Glen, Lee and Wayne
  • Gibbons               Anthony and Dave
  • Henderson          Anthony and Kelvin “Junior”
  • Ibbotson              Craig and Shaun
  • March                  Dave and Paul (twins)
  • Pennington         Glen and Luke
  • Rayner                 George and Luke
  • Roberts                Dean and Shaun
  • Shickell                Andy and Marc

RELATED PLAYERS FOR HUNSLET

Fathers and Sons

  • Batten                  Billy and Eric
  • Bradbrook           Dave and Neil
  • Brogden               Jimmy “Titch” and James
  • Buck                      Harold and Ken
  • Clarkson               Bill and Des
  • Croft                      Two Davids
  • Murrell                 Bryan and Gareth
  • Nicholson            Steve and Matt
  • Place                     Herbert and Johnny
  • Rowse                   Martin and Danny
  • Southernwood    Graham and Cain
  • Tate                       Dennis “Tango” and Ronnie
  • Traill                      James and Ken
  • Warrener/ Broughton     Stan and Brooke
  • Wilson                 Warren and Aston

Others

  • David Brook/Bryn Powell              Second Cousins
  • Kevin Doyle/Luke Hardbottle     Great uncle/great nephew
  • Geoff Gunney/Karl Gunney        Grandfather/grandson
  • Charlie Sage/David Brook             Grandfather/grandson
  • Charlie Sage/Bryn Powell             Great grandfather/great grandson
  • Steve and Waine Pryce                 Cousins
  • Martin and Gary Rowse             Cousins

Not Sure

  • Edward and William Billington           1930s               Brothers?
  • Michael Gibbons                                 2005                Related to Anthony and Dave?
  • Gareth and Richard Greenwood         2000s               Brothers?
  • Barry W and Peter Lee                       1970                Cousins?