The history of the club:
C1860 Rugby Union Football was introduced to Brixham. At this stage there were few laws and it was essentially a type of mob football mainly played by the fishing community on Furzeham Common.
1874 The Rev. George Bayfield Roberts arrives from Oriel College, Oxford, as curate of All Saints Church. He was a keen rugby man and knew the laws having played under ‘Cheltenham Rules’, whilst at Cheltenham College, These rules being absorbed into RFU laws as the game became properly codified.
1875 On Thursday, 7th October 1875, a meeting at the Bolton Hotel instigated the formation of Brixham and Churston Football Club. The Rev R B F Elrington was chosen as its President, Rev George Bayfield Roberts captain and Dr Searle hon. Secretary and treasurer.
1877 The Devon R.F.U. was formed and Brixham became one of the founder members of which only 6 clubs are now left.
1878 The steam railway played a major part in getting teams and spectators to away matches.
1896 Brixham start playing at Great Gate Park in Rea Barn Road, our present home. In the Devon Junior Cup Final Brixham lose 3 -0 to Tiverton Heathcote.
You can read a more detailed history of the period 1900 – 1939 here
1905 We win the Devon Junior Cup beating Ilfracombe 24-0 and attain Senior Club status in the process.
1908 Mr. H M Smardon was elected to the Committee of the Devon Rugby Union on which he served for 38 years, being President in 1913 -14 and 1938-9 and also being the longest serving member of the D.R.U.
1909 Devon Junior Cup Winners beating Seaton 12-0.
1914-18 Minimal Rugby was played due to WW1.
1919 We lose to Plymouth Albion in the final of the Devon Senior Cup.
1920/21 A new stand and changing facilities were built with Mr H.M Smardon officiating at the opening ceremony.
1922 We win the Devon Senior Cup for the first time, beating Torquay at Newton Abbot 3-nil; 2000 supporters had travelled from Brixham for the game.
1924 Jack Babb – became the first Brixham International when he played for England Schoolboys against Wales.
1924-1934 After one of the best periods in the Clubs’s history when we won the Devon Cup twice and were runner up on four occasions the Club ran into financial difficulties.
1930 James (Jim) Pitman plays for England Schoolboys in Cardiff against Wales.
1932 Charlo Rowe captains Brixham to another Devon Cup victory, defeating Paignton 5-nil.
1934 Brixham Reserves win Devon Junior Cup beating Withycombe 3-0.
- Two local men Messrs Astley and Smardon purchased the ground and gave it back to the town on the understanding that the Club should play on the ground free of rent and rates for as long as the Club was in existence A privilege we enjoy to this day. Great Gate Park was renamed Astley Park in recognition of the work Bernard A F Astley did for the club in buying the ground.
1940-45 No rugby played at Astley Park.
- Rugby recommenced under the captaincy of Jimmy Merchant, who had played for Plymouth Albion and Torquay and now returned to his home club.
You can read a more detailed history of the period 1945-1969 here
1947-50 Brixham became one of the strongest teams in the West of England.
1952 Following his death a memorial for Henry Smardon was built and the gates and payboxes erected at the club would be known as Smardon Gates.
1952 Saw the arrival of HMS Squirrel in the town with a certain Naval Rating by the name of Danny Irvine on board. This turned out very fortuitous for the advancement of rugby in Brixham and this lasted several decades.
1958 Brixham secured their own bar, with a Red Formica server about two meters long at the end of the passage from the old sunken communal bath.
1962 Ben Tribble Memorial game, the club’s Presidents XV v Brixham (Torbay District) XV, this was to be the start of a sequence of games where Brixham would take on sides picked from other clubs in the Bay and further afield, the proceeds from this game went to “The Laywell Old Peoples Home”
1964/66 Various extensions and improvements were made to the ground and clubhouse. This entailed the formation of new long narrow changing rooms under the existing stand. First, the bath was filled in, then new showers were built, extra changing rooms under the stand, and the bar removed and combined with the Tea Room to form the new Bar and club room.
1965 During the 1960s although the club’s fortunes were once more at a low ebb This year in his report club President wrote: There was a sense of pride in what has happened at Astley Park during the past season. To come back from being written off as a rugby football club to one running 5 or 6 sides is surely a success story of no means small proportions.
1965/66 The formation of the SPRATS XV for under 16’s was the formation of the youth section
1974 Floodlights installed, which increased success both and off the pitch which demanded a larger clubhouse.
1975 Our Centenary year with Raymond Gardner as captain, his father Ralph as President. Ralph was to write the first 100 years history of the club.
- Fishermen’s Cup established for rugby between U16s of South Devon Clubs
- Brixham won the first Fishermen’s Cup and Mini Rugby was introduced to Brixham.
- Development of an ambitious new clubhouse begins, and we enter a period of growth. Not unusual to have 60 players at each training session The old clubhouse was demolished and the present facilities were constructed at a cost of £180,000.
- Brixham Youth RFC formed and the club introduced Youth Rugby Week for Boys & Girls 8-16. We lose to Torquay in the Devon Cup Final 15 – 8 at The Rec in front of a large crowd.
1979 We play host to the Touring New Zealand Cantabrians, losing narrowly to a side containing 8 former All Blacks. We reach the final of the Devon Cup losing away to Torquay. Our 2nd XV were beating other clubs 1st XV’s
- Our first major overseas tour to the U.S.A. Described as The Trip Of a Lifetime’), costing each tourist just £250.
1982 Brixham Presidents XV v Wellington RFU ( NZ) included All Blacks Stu Williams, Bernie Fraser, Jamie Salmon, Murray Mexted as well as New Zealand Moaris Paul Quinn, Mike Clamp, Tu Wyllis and Scott Crichton.
1982 Brixham Under 16s reached the final of the Fishermans Cup
1984 Brixham v Sydney ( Australia) included a number of Internationals including Simon Poidevin, Nick Farr Jones, Phillip Cox, Gary Ella, Lance Walker and Peter Lucas. Brixham were well beaten in this game 65-9
1984 Brixham had 40 players banned by Devon and England RFU from March ‘84 to the remainder of the season (11 games in total ) due to allegations of violent play following complaints from a number of South West teams. All players that had played more than one game for the 1st XV that season were banned, however, matches continued to be played by members stepping up and putting on the black and white shirts to represent the club.
- Brixham beat Bath Rugby 9-6 who had been undefeated in England for 18 months. The Bath team contained 11 Internationals.
Torbay Invitation XV v New South Wales (Australia) A team made up from 11 Brixham, 3 Paignton and 7 Torquay players captained by Brixhams Len Harvey beat NSW 18-6
1987 The formation of The Courage National Leagues places Brixham RFC in South West 2 in Level 6 of the RFU structure.
- Finalists in the Devon Cup gained entry into the National Cup Competition. Winning the first two rounds and eventually being beaten by Gloucester 28-4 at home in the third round.
1990 Brixham Ladies Rugby was formed.
1992-95 Brixham reach the final of the Devon Cup each time playing Exeter and losing.
- U16s win the Fishermen’s Cup beating Ivybridge in the final
1996 Seven Brixham players played for Devon in a County Championship match.
1996-97 We enter the era of professional rugby. Relegated from South West1to SW2. Colts reach final of Devon Colts Cup.
1998/99 Relegated back into South West 2. The Colts make it to the Devon Final. The Ladies team make it to semi-final of the NationalCup
2001 First & Colts XVs enjoy best season for 10 years.
2000 The club celebrates 125 tears in existence and Tours Canada in May
2001 The 1st XV lose away to Barnstaple in the Devon Cup Final.
2002 Again we lose at home to Barnstaple in the Devon Cup Final.
2003 Colts become Devon County Champions beating Sidmouth Colts 7 Brixham Colts 11 at Sidmouth.
Ladies become National Champions winning against Lutterworth
Reserve XV win West of England Second XV Merit Table. U15s win Lovell Cup.
2003 Club Tour to South Africa playing 4 games
2005 Club granted CASC status.
2006 Reserves, Albion and Colts XVs win Devon Merit tables competitions. U15s & 14s win Devon RFU Plate Competitions.
2007 First XV in play-off for SW 1, Colts win Devon Merit Table. Colts lose Devon Colts Cup Final to Exeter. Under 15s win Devon RFU Plate competition.
Reserves (Second XV) renamed Crusaders.
2008 Extension completed and on 6th Sept was opened by President RFU Mr B Williams assisted by Mr T Brown. President DRFU.
2010 Brixham reach final of Devon Senior Cup losing 28-25 to Barnstaple Crusaders and Albion XVs win Devon Merit Table competition.
2012 Brixham promoted to National 3 South West. Crusaders win Devon Devon Merit table competition. Brixham play Exmouth in Devon Cup Final and loste18-28. Brixhams Mr Rugby Danny Irvine passes away. A great loss to the club.
2015 After over 80 years Brixham win Devon Senior Cup v Newton Abbot 39-31 at Newton Abbot. A proud day for the club.
2017 Brixham win Devon Senior Cup v Okehampton 35-20 at Astley Park.
2018 Formed Brixham RFC Ltd Company.
2019 Brixham Ladies Sirens rugby team reformed plus three youth girls sides set up.
2020 New entrance built with proceeds from the “Club Together Appeal”
Brixham win RFU Team of the month for February having won 6 games in a row. The season was cut short in March by Covid with the 1st XV in 5th place and potentially a Devon Cup Final v Barnstaple but this did not happen.
2022 Under 16s win Fishermans Cup Shield beating Withycombe in the final. 1st XV finished 7th in South West Premier League.
2023 First XV finish 5th in the Regional 1 South West League and losing Devon Cup Finalists. Lost to Devonport Services 33-27. The Crusaders are relegated to Counties 3 Tribute Devon South & West.
2024 First XV finish 4th in Regional 1 South West League and are semi finalists in the Devon Cup. The Crusaders finish 4th in the league. Eight players represented Devon in the County Championship side which won the cup at Twickenham. Four players represented Devon under 21s.
Historical Notes:
The Club colours black with a 6 “ white band. and black stockings are those of the Fishermen in the early Nineteenth Century. White smock, black jersey and white seaman’s stockings.
The Club Flag has the letters and numbers of a Brixham Trawler BM 15. The orginal registration document is displayed in the club.
Founded 1874.
Ground Astley Park. Rea Barn Road. Brixham.TQ 5 9 ED: Telephone 01803 882162:.
