User:Phattractor/sandbox

History of the Club

The concept of a rugby club in Crowborough began with a letter appearing in the Kent & Sussex Courier early in 1936. The response must have been encouraging as CRFC was formed and the first game, played in March 1937, was against Cranbrook RFC. Unfortunately CRFC lost. A radical change came with the opening of the 1948/9 season. CRFC joined with the ex-members of the old Tunbridge Wells RFC, who were without a ground of their own, to form a new club Crowborough & Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club which soon became known popularly as the “Borough” The club was affiliated to the Sussex RFU. Dr H. Oswald-Smith, a past-president of the Scottish Rugby Union, became the “Borough’s” first president. “Mickey” Barnes was elected chairman. The new club played its first match on 24 September 1948 at its recently rented site at Steel Cross, playing against Old Azurians (Worthing). CRFC returned to independent status for the 1953/4 In October 1954 CRFC purchased the freehold of its present ground at Steel Cross, being formally opened by the President of the Rugby Football Union, W.C. Ramsey in 1955. In 1962 the existing clubhouse was built with an estimated life of 20 years! In addition, the club was one of the first clubs in Kent and Sussex to establish a Mini section for the Under 7 to 12s. In 1987 with the establishment of “League Rugby”. CRFC found themselves in Sussex 1 and, apart from one season when they were relegated, there they stayed until 2006 when, on winning the league, promotion to London 3 was achieved.

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