Leeds & Hunslet Schools' Rugby League
Trophies
History of Trophies in Current Use
Year 11 (Under 16) : Wilson Cup
The Jas Wilson Cup (donated by James W Wilson, director of William Wilson & Sons Ltd, "perambulator and toy makers of Guiseley", later to become Silver Cross) was first awarded in 1933 to the winners of four-team play-off involving the two two sides in the Leeds and Hunslet leagues. This tradition continued until 1967 when the league competitions were combined. For the next five years the cup was contested by the top Leeds team and the top Hunslet team. From 1974 until 1998 it was awarded to the Under 16 league winners, from 2014 until 2020 to the Under 15 cup winners and from 2022 to the Under 16 cup winners.
Year 10 (Under 15) : Harrison Shield
Named in honour of Thomas Vernon Harrison, a teacher at Christ Church School, Hunslet, the first chairman of the new association and also the first chairman of LSRFU back in 1903, the shield was purchased by the new Hunslet SRFU in 1922, to be presented to the winners of the senior league. When the Hunslet and Leeds leagues combined in 1967, the trophy was competed for by the top two Hunslet teams in the Leeds league. From reorganisation in 1972 it was used for the Under 15 knock-out competition and from 2014 until 2020 for the Under 14 competition. From 2022 the trophy was returned to the Under 15 competition.
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Year 9 (Under 14) : Lee Trophy
The fourth and final trophy presented by the Leeds Rugby League Supporters' Club, named in memory of Ken Lee, a trustee of the club. The trophy was presented to the Under 13 champions from 1980-81 to 1999-2000. From 2004-05 it was presented to the winners of the Under 14 "sevens" and from 2007-08 to 2012-13 the winners of the Under 14 "nines". From 2022 it has been presented to the winners of the Under 14 knock-out competition.
Year 8 (Under 13) : Goldthorpe Cup
It is thought that the Goldthorpe Cup is the oldest trophy, still being competed for, in schools’ rugby league. The minutes of 15th January 1904 record that: Mr T V Harrison, on behalf of the Hunslet Cricket Football and Athletic Club, presented to the Schools’ Union the handsome Goldthorpe Trophy. Whilst on 19th February it was unanimously agreed that: The Goldthorpe Trophy be the challenge cup of the Union, and the draw containing 23 teams was made. The eventual winners were Bramley National (now Bramley St Peter’s) who beat Burley Lawn (closed in the 1960s, but at that time on the corner of Cardigan Road and Burley Road). The final was held at Parkside, with Albert and Walter Goldthorpe (two members of the legendary family, after whom the trophy was named) being asked to act as touch judges for the game. As Albert Goldthorpe was the greatest player of his generation, this would seem nowadays to be an unbelievable match official appointment! Albert’s wife presented the trophy. The Leeds SRFU Handbook of 1908-09 lists Hunslet Carr as the winners of the Goldthorpe Cup in 1902-03, beating Jack Lane in the final. Presumably, however, this was a retrospective honour.
When Hunslet schools broke away in 1921, to form their own association, there was disagreement over the Goldthorpe Cup: the Leeds Union said it should be theirs, as it had been presented to their association; the Hunslet Union said it should be theirs, as it had been presented by the Hunslet Club. The matter was finally resolved, when the cup became the property of the Hunslet Union in 1925.
The Goldthorpe Cup has always been awarded at Under 13, which was the school leaving age when it was introduced. It has usually been contested as a knock-out cup, but for 15 years after the Second World War it was used as a league trophy. In recent years the trophy has been presented at finals by Stephen McGrail, the great-grandson of Albert Goldthorpe; Stephen has set up a very informative web-page about the trophy:
In 2018 the Goldthorpe family decided to support a competition for girls with the aim of giving the name of Leeds' first sporting superstar, and his brothers, further links to the present day game and to a new generation of players and supporters. To reflect the history of the Goldthorpe Cup, and to mirror as far as possible the boys’ competition, the girls’ cup is played for at Under 13 age-level.
Year 7 (Under 12) : Gilston Cup
The trophy was presented to the Hunslet SRFU in 1921 by Councillor W H (“Billy”) Gilston, who had been a founder and captain of the Hunslet Club in 1883. Originally a knock-out cup, after the Second World War it was used for a number of different competitions. From 1967 until 1985 it was used as the Under 14 knock-out cup and then re-introduced for the Under 12 competition in 2014. The trophy bears the inscription: For the annual competition amongst the boys of Hunslet to encourage a love for Healthy Outdoor Sports.
Year 6 (Under 11) : Watson Trophy
The Reg Watson Trophy began life as an Under 13 league trophy in 1959-60; in 1962-63 it became the Under 11 knock-out cup, as it still is today. It was the first trophy donated to Leeds SRL by the Leeds Rugby League Supporters’ Club and was followed in the 1970s and 1980s by the Joe Wager, the Arthur Jewson and the Ken Lee Trophies, all named after stalwarts of the Supporters’ Club. Individual presentation events were organised for each trophy in the Supporters' Social Club. Reg Watson was a founder member and the first secretary-treasurer of the Leeds RL Supporters' Club in 1948.
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Year 5 (Under 10) : Burton Trophy
The famous Leeds tailoring company presented two trophies to Leeds SRL. The original trophy (Burton Cup) began life as the senior Leeds knock-out cup in 1926. After the Second World War it was used as a trophy for the intermediate (Under 13) leagues. During the middle school years, it was awarded to the Under 13 league champions (1972-1980) and then the Under 10 league champions (1981-1992). From 1996 it was used for the Under 10 knock-out cup competition. Following irreparable damage to one of the handles, in 2012 the original trophy was replaced by a new one. The second trophy (Burton Trophy) was first presented in 1953-54. It was used for the intermediate leagues until 1972 and for the Under 10 league from 1972 until 1981.
The original Burton Trophy
The original Burton Cup
The new Burton Trophy
Culley Trophy (Primary School “Sevens”)
In 1977-78 Hunslet SRL organised an Under 9 competition for the Culley Trophy, presented by John Morgan of the Yorkshire Evening Post and the family of John Culley who had been a Hunslet player between 1901 and 1906 and a lifelong supporter of the club until his death in 1973 aged 98. From 2002 a new version of the trophy has been used for the primary schools Under 11 seven-a-side competition. In recent years the trophy has been presented at the tournament by John Culley’s grandson Brian and his family.
​​​​​​​​​Ben Bateson Award (Primary Schools)
Named after a former chairman of Leeds SRL, Harold “Ben” Bateson, who was the driving force behind the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 1952-53, the trophy is awarded to a school or team for its effort and sportsmanship, rather than necessarily for its success. A range of primary, middle and high schools have won the trophy since its inauguration in 1981-82. Following the introduction of the John Ahm Award in 2015-16, the Ben Bateson Award is now only awarded to primary schools.
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John Ahm Award (High Schools)
Named in memory of a former chairman of Leeds & Hunslet SRL, who also gave great service to Hunslet SRL and Leeds SRL, the John Ahm Award was first presented in 2015-16 and is awarded to a high school or team for sportsmanship and fair play.
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History of Trophies No Longer in Use
Sheldon Shield (Leeds)
Along with the Goldthorpe Cup, the Sheldon Shield is the oldest trophy in the association's history. It was originally known as the Leeds FC Shield and the engraving on the shield attests to this: Leeds Public Schools Rugby Football Challenge Shield Presented by the Leeds C F & A Co Ltd. It was first played for in 1903-04 and awarded to the league champions. The trophy was first referred to as the Sheldon Shield in the Leeds SRFU minutes of a meeting in September 1913, although there is no reason given as to why it took on that name. Research shows that the Chairman of Leeds C F & A Co Ltd in 1903 was Joshua Sheldon, who subsequently passed away in 1910; perhaps the trophy was renamed in his memory. The trophy was awarded to the senior league champions until 1972-73, from when it was presented to the Under 15 champions until 1999-2000, when high school leagues were discontinued. Whilst the original engraving still remains, a comparison of early photographs to the trophy as it is now would suggest that the wooden mounting part of the shield was replaced in the 1930s.
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Wynne Trophy (Leeds)
The third trophy to be played for in the early years of the LSRFU was the Wynne Trophy. A rosebowl of handsome design, it was presented to the association by the family of Richard Wynne, who had been headmaster of St Silas School in Hunslet and was keenly interested in juvenile sport. From 1911-12, the trophy was initially used as a knock-out competition trophy for senior sides, excluding top teams, and then as a trophy awarded to the Senior League Division II champions. In 1932-33 it was replaced by the Jas Lyon Trophy, owing to the condition and the cost of renovation.
Bramley National School captain Harold Edmondson, pictured in 1916 with the Sheldon Shield and the original Wynne Trophy. Three years later, on 1st February 1919, Edmondson would become the youngest-ever professional player, when he made his debut for Bramley against Bradford Northern, aged 15 years and 81 days.
The photograph of the Sheldon Shield today suggests a slightly larger wooden mounting.
T H Wilson Cup (Leeds)
First played for in 1925-26, as the premier knock-out cup, once it had been agreed that the Goldthorpe Cup should become the property of the Hunslet schools association. The T H Wilson Cup was donated by a local west Leeds businessman who, for a while, was chairman of the Bramley Club and in 1923 was appointed as a director of the Leeds Club; he remained on the board until 1929, including serving a spell as vice-chairman. The trophy continued to be used as the senior knock-out cup until the reorganisation of schools in 1972. After that it was used occasionally in the 1970s and 1980s, when a trophy was needed for an Under 15 League B.
​Cripps Cup (Hunslet)
The Cripps Cup was presented by a Mr Lazenby to the Hunslet association and named after Mr G H Cripps, the coach of a number of successful Hunslet Carr teams in the 1920s. George Cripps was the first secretary of HSRFU and, for many years, the organiser of the Yorkshire Cup competition; he was also a highly-respected association football coach and match official. The trophy was first awarded in 1923-24 to the winners of Senior League 2. Up until the Second World War it was used for various league and cup competitions. After the war it was used as a junior knock-out cup and then junior league trophy, before being presented to the winners of the Under 10 cup from 1973-74 until the Hunslet and Leeds merger in 1995-96.
Lewthwaite Cup (Hunslet)
The Lewthwaite Cup was named after the Hunslet Club Chairman Mr J Lewthwaite. A Cumbrian by birth, Joe Lewthwaite travelled south in 1891 to play for Leeds. He later moved to Hunslet and remained involved with the club until his death in 1949. The cup was first presented in 1924-25 to the winners of a knock-out competition contested by League 2 teams. Along with the Gilston and Cripps cups, ir was used for various competitions until the break for the Second World War. After the war it was used as the senior knock-out cup until the mid-2010s.
Jas Lyon Cup (Leeds)
Purchased by LSRL in memory of James Lyon, a teacher at Park Lane School for 47 years. Mr Lyon was the first treasurer of LSRFU and (with the exception of one season) continued in this role until his death in 1932. From 1932-33 until 1955-56 the Jas Lyon Cup was awarded to the champions of Senior League 2, and from 1956-57 until 1971-72 to the champions of Junior League 2. It was used occasionally through the middle school years when extra league trophies were needed.
Stephenson Trophy (Leeds)
Donated by the city centre store Stephenson's, this trophy was first awarded in 1933-34 to the winners of the newly-inaugurated Senior League II West, with the Jas Lyon Cup awarded to the winners of League II East. Two years later the leagues were re-structured and the Stephenson Trophy went to the champions of Senior League III until the start of the Second World War. After the war the Stephenson Trophy was the first to be awarded to the winners of the new Junior (Under 11) League. It remained the premier junior league trophy until school reorganisation in 1972-73. Through the middle school years it was used as an Under 12, then Under 13, league trophy. From 1996-97 until 2012-13 it was awarded to the winners of the Under 15 seven-a-side (and from 2007-08, nine-a-side) competition.
Wynne Trophy and Wynne Cup (Leeds)
Not to be confused with the original Wynne Trophy, this second Wynne Trophy was donated by "Watchmaker, Diamond Mounter, Engraver" C Hammersley Wynne, as was the Wynne Cup 20 years later. The trophies are engraved with the names Hammersley Wynne and were sometimes referred to by this full name. The Wynne Trophy was presented to various league winners from 1947-48 to 1971-72. From 1972-73 until 2006-07 it was used for the Under 13 seven-a-side competition, which from 2007-08 to 2012-13 became a nine-a-side competition. Introduced in 1967-68, the Wynne Cup was used for an Under 12 knock-out competition until 1971-72; from 1972-73 to 1999-2000 it was presented to the Under 12 league champions.
The Wynne Trophy
The Wynne Cup
Greaves Trophy (Leeds)
The Greaves Trophy was first presented in 1948-49, when intermediate (Under 13) leagues were introduced. It was named after the former Bramley National teacher-coach J R H "Bert" Greaves, who had served as chairman of the association and was a long-serving vice president at this time. From 1953-54 until 1989-90 the trophy was used for various junior and Under 11 leagues.
Adams Award (Leeds)
At the LSRL committee meeting on 11th October 1949 it was reported that Mr A T N Smith had secured from a private source two small trophies, one gold, one silver. It was agreed that the trophies should be called the Adams Awards. They were named after the former Meanwood and Leeds City Schoolboy Les "Juicy" Adams, who went on to play for Leeds and Great Britain before being killed in action in World War Two. Initially the trophies were awarded to the runners-up in the T H Wilson Cup Final and the runners-up in the junior league competition. From 1953-54 they were presented to the winners of the new junior knock-out competitions. From 1961-62 the trophies were presented to the players of the season in the Senior and Intermediate City Boys teams. Delicate trophies, they required some repair work over the years, as can be seen from the photographs below. Sadly, the senior trophy went missing during the 1970s.
Burley Award (Leeds)
In May 1953, Burley Church of England School (formerly Burley National) presented a replica of the T H Wilson Cup to the Leeds Schools' Rugby League. It was agreed to engrave it as the "Burley Award". It was awarded to the winners of the intermediate (Under 13) knock-out competition until 1971-72. It was also used as an Under 13 league championship trophy from 1977-78 to 1980-81.
Leeds Parish Church Shield (Leeds)
In 1956 a Mr R Dale, presumably from the Leeds Parish Church Sports Club, donated a shield to the LSRL. It was re-engraved to read "Leeds Parish Church Club Trophy" and was presented to the winners of Senior League 2. From 1972-73 until 1999-2000 it was awarded to the Under 14 League Champions. Research suggests that this shield may have originally belonged to the Yorkshire Rugby Union, as Leeds Parish Church's rugby team won their No 2 Competition in 1893-94 and were part of the breakaway of northern rugby clubs in 1895. It may be that the trophy was never played for again and remained at the church until a "sort out" of property occurred in the 1950s.
Park Trophy (Leeds)
When a new junior school trophy was needed in 1959, it was agreed that the trophy should be named after former treasurer and chairman Denis Park, who had passed away earlier that year. From 1959-60 until 1971-72 it was used for various junior leagues; from 1975-76 to 1984-85 it was presented to the champions of Under 11 League B, and from 1988-89 to 1991-92 to the winners of Under 12 League B.
Hirst Trophy (Leeds)
The Hirst Trophy was donated by W H "George" Hirst in 1960. At the time George was both a vice president and a life member of the association and would later become the association's first (and so far only) non-teacher chairman. He was also president from 1979 until his death in 1990. In the professional game he served as secretary of Leeds C F & A Ltd and as secretary and treasurer of the Yorkshire County Rugby League. The Hirst Trophy was presented to the winners of Junior League 5D (1960-62) and 5C (1962-72) Throughout the middle school era, and then until primary leagues were disbanded in 2000-01, it was presented to the Under 11 champions. In 1989 George and his wife Stella, who later would also be elected a life member of the association, donated the Hirst Award, which was presented to the player of the season in the Leeds (and later Leeds & Hunslet) Under 11 City Boys side.
Meeks Shield (Hunslet)
The Meeks Shield was introduced in 1960 and was named in honour of Edgar Meeks, who had been both treasurer and chairman of Hunslet SRFU (as it still was then) and was, at the time, president of the association. He also served on the Hunslet Club committee. From 1960-61 to 1971-72 it was awarded to the winners of the Under 12 Hunslet League. From 1972-73 to 1995-96 it was presented to the winners of the city-wide Under 12 knock-out competition.
Headingley Trophy (Leeds)
The Headingley Trophy was presented to the Leeds SRL in 1962 by Leeds Club director Mr A B Sharman, who was also the association's president at the time. From 1961-62 to 1971-72 it was awarded to the winners of one of the junior knock-out competitions; from 1972-73 until 1995-96 it was presented to the winners of the Under 10 knock-out cup.
Burdett Trophy (Leeds)
The Burdett Trophy was awarded to the Leeds Under 14 League B winners in 1961-62.
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Burmantofts Award (Leeds)
The Burmantofts Award was first played for in 1961-62. It it likely that the trophy was donated by Burmantofts School which closed in July 1961, but there is no confirmation of this in the association's minutes. It was used as a junior knock-out cup for a year, before being used for the Under 14 league, and then cup competition until 1971-72. During the middle school era the trophy was presented to different Under 13 league winners, and from 1996-97 until 2003-04 to the winners of the Under 14 "Sevens".
Long Trophy (Leeds)
When a new trophy was needed for a fifth junior league in 1963-64, LSRL purchased a cup which they named in memory of Walter Long, who had passed away earlier that season. Mr Long was a life member of the association and had been chairman in 1938-39, as well as coach for a number of years at Queen's Road. The trophy was used for only four years.
Laycock Trophy (Hunslet)
When a Hunslet junior knock-out competition was first introduced in 1967-68, schools played for the Laycock Trophy. It was awarded only for that one season and was shared by Hunslet Carr and Middleton, who drew 0-0 in the final.
Pease Rose Bowl (Hunslet)
In October 1968, a Mr and Mrs Cunningham presented to HSRL a new trophy, which was to be known as the Allan Pease Rose Bowl. From that season until 1972-73 it was presented to the winners of the junior knock-out cup.
Jewson Trophy (Leeds)
The second trophy donated by the Leeds Rugby League Supporters' Club, named in memory of Arthur Jewson. Arthur had been a hard-working chairman of the Supporters' Club, particularly in the planning of a new Social Club; sadly he passed away in 1971 before the new club was completed. The trophy was presented to the winners of the Under 14 knock-out competition from 1972-73 to 2013-14.
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Clapgate Shield (Hunslet)
Clapgate Middle School held a seven-a-side tournament throughout the middle school years, 1972-1992. Competitions were played at Under 11 and Under 13. It was very much a family affair, with the tournaments organised by Clapgate teacher-coach John Ahm and refreshments organised by his wife Lynda, also a teacher at the school.
Wager Trophy (Leeds)
Donated by Joe Wager, a long-time official of the Leeds Rugby League Supporters' Club. Joe was responsible for organising the majority of the presentation events funded by, and held in, the Supporters' Social Club in the 1970s and 1980s. The trophy was presented to the winners of the LSRL Under 12 knock-out competition from 1973-74 until 1995-96.
Callaghan Trophy (Leeds)
Donated by Tommy Callaghan, a director of Bramley RLFC in the 1970s and 1980s. The Callaghan Trophy was awarded to the winners of a primary school (Under 9) seven-a-side competition from 1975-76 to 1991-92. Early finals were played at the Bramley ground, McLaren Field, with medals presented to the finalists.
Windsor Trophy (Leeds)
Donated in 1976 by well-known Leeds bookmaker Jim Windsor, who had been a player, groundsman and director with Bramley RLFC, and was at the time a patron of the club. Like the Callaghan Trophy, early finals were played at McLaren Field, with medals presented by the club. For the first three seasons, the 13-a-side competition was restricted to west Leeds schools, before being opened up to all primary (Under 9) schools in 1979-80. The trophy was played for until 1992, when the reorganisation of Leeds schools extended primary schools to include 11-year-olds. From 1996-97 to 2012-13 the Windsor Trophy was used for an Under 16 seven-a-side (and from 2007-08 nine-a-side) competition.
Blenheim Award (Leeds)
Presented to winners of Under 14 League B and Under 13 League C when extra trophies were needed between 1978 and 1982. The trophy may have been donated by the old Blenheim Secondary School, which closed in the 1970s, but there is no record of this in the LSRL minutes.
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Llewellyn Trophy (Leeds)
Donated by Braim Wood Middle School in memory of Idwal Llewellyn, who passed away in 1977 whilst in post as a teacher at the school. Mr Llewellyn had previously coached teams at other schools, including Queen's Road. The Llewellyn Trophy was presented to the winners of an Under 12 seven-a-side competition from 1978-79 to 2006-07, which then became nine-a-side competition from 2007-08 to 2012-13.
Dorney-Sheppard Cup (Leeds)
When an Under 13 knock-out competition was introduced by LSRL in 1986-87, the new trophy was named in memory of Glynn Dorney and Bob Sheppard, both past chairmen of the association, who had served in tandem for 13 years as treasurer and secretary respectively. Both men were well-respected teacher-coaches and later headteachers. When the Leeds and Hunslet associations merged in 1996, the Dorney-Sheppard Cup was presented to the winners of the Under 12 knock-out competition until 2013-14.
Girls' Shield (Hunslet & Morley)
First presented in April 1991 to the winners of a junior school girls' rugby league tournament which was held in Morley until 1997. The trophy was "resurrected" for three years from 2006 to 2009 for a primary school girls' tag rugby competition, and from 2016 it has been presented to the winners of the primary school girls' full-contact tournament. In all "incarnations" the competitions have been played at seven-a-side.
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Crowther Trophy (Hunslet & Morley)
Hector Crowther was a famous Hunslet player from the 1920s and 1930s. The trophy began its life as an Under 11 knock-out cup, presented to the Hunslet & Morley association in 1992. When Hunslet & Morley combined with Leeds in 1996, it was used as a primary school league trophy for the south Leeds league until 2000. From 2014 until 2020 it was presented to the U16 cup winners.
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New Trophies Since 2000
Leeds Rhinos Foundation has introduced a number of new trophies and competitions in recent years. For boys, "plate" competitions were introduced to encourage increased participation in schools not entering the Champion Schools Tournament qualifiers. For girls, qualifying rallies have been held for the Champion Schools Tournaments since the early 2000s. Other local girls' competitions have been organised at Under 12/13 and Under 14/15. Both tag rugby and full contact competitions are organised for primary school girls' teams.
Money from the "Sky Try" initiative allowed the Foundation to organise boys' nine-a-side tournaments at Under 12, Under 13 and Under 14, along with girls' five-a-side indoor touch rugby tournaments at Under 12 and Under 13. These competitions continued through the "Inspired By" initiative and, latterly, simply under the Leeds Rhinos Foundation banner.
In addition, sports partnerships organise various primary school rugby tournaments, some of which lead into a city-wide tag rugby tournament which in turn leads into the West Yorkshire Games.
Jubilee Trophy (Leeds)
From 1992-93 until 1995-96 the Jubilee Trophy was presented to the winners of the LSRL Under 15 knock-out competition.
