For those of you who are not aware, Martin Slatter has been writing a book on Combination Rugby in Gloucester dating back many years up to present times. The book has now been published and Martin is hosting a launch of this book at Old Cents on Friday 11th of September from 7pm onwards in the front lounge. The title of the book is "The Pride of the West" and features many stories, picture's and history of many local clubs, as well as those who are no longer around, and is on sale for £10.99. It would be nice to see many faces, old and young from around the town, join Martin on hopefully what should be a very enjoyable evening. For more details Martin can be contacted on 310907 or myself(Dave Booth) on 610570. Look forward to seeing many of you there.

Dave Booth

Gloucester is, and always has been, a hotbed of rugby – a city made up of passionate fans who pitch up for their clubs every weekend. A place where sons and grandsons still wear with pride the colours their fathers and grandfathers have boasted in years past.

This book is about the history of rugby in the Gloucester area. It looks at the teams and men who made up the rugby landscape at different times, but also at the history of Gloucester itself, which was instrumental in the development of the teams and players.

The players came from all areas of the working population; engineering workers from big factories such as Dowty or Fielding and Platt, workers from the local aircraft industry, “Deal tumpers” who unloaded timber from the canal barges and developed rock – solid arms and legs. Rugby in Gloucester was also peopled by churchmen, lawyers and doctors. As this book shows, areas changed and clubs fell by the wayside, only to restart elsewhere. Factories closed or moved, but the men who had worked there stayed loyal to their side for the rest of their lives.

This book is an examination of a number of small rugby clubs which have provided sport and a way of life for thousands of Gloucester people for over a century. It is also a social history of an industrial town in the west of England.