ABOUT OUR CLUB

The Old Halesonians Association comprises Rugby (Senior, Colts, Mini/Junior), Hockey and now the reformed Cricket Sections. The social side is very active where the club house is open every day with paid full time Centre Manager support. We can trace the association back to 6 October 1925, then the past pupils of Halesowen Grammar School held cricket and tennis matches, together with amateur dramatics and also whist drives!
Old Halesonians Rugby Football Club was formed in 1930. Annual subs were 1 shilling (5 pence today). Matches were put on hold during the war years, but in 1943 a Mr Cooper promised to keep a field for us near to the Halesowen Grammar School. We then played rugby into the mid 1960’s on the famous ‘Newfields pitch’ with its wooden shed for changing and tin bath for bathing (with open gas burners to heat the water).
Back in 1946 the Association embarked on a major initiative; it was decided to raise money for a memorial to old scholars who lost their lives in the two great wars. The ultimate objective was to obtain the ‘Memorial Playing Fields’. A sum of £685-14-8d was raised at the time.
By 1954 despondency of ever finding land had set in, even though the above sum with interest had risen to £1,000. Then in that year a tremendous breakthrough occurred. An Old Halesonian, a Mr Ron Goodman, sold to the Association 12 acres of sloping land for £920, running off Quarry Lane down to the brook feeding the River Stour (The Halesowen by-pass now bisects this land, Huntlands is on one side, a field to the brook on the other).
The next concern was the amount of money needed to develop the new ‘Huntlands’ land, which needed to be levelled. Then another twist in the story, in June 1961 we were contacted by A & J Mucklow Builders, (where we had contacts!), who had an option to buy land at Wassell Grove, Hagley. They exercised this option and then exchanged the land with us for our ‘Huntlands’ piece (above the bypass). Mucklows then laid a cricket square, two rugby pitches and a hockey pitch for us at ‘Wassell Grove’. They also provided £10,000 such that we could build a clubhouse.
The official opening was on 21 April 1965 and named: Old Halesonians Memorial Playing Fields. This was an exhilarating time for the Association and tremendous efforts were made by the three sections to develop the facilities. With the pavilion and changing rooms built, much work by members went initially into creating a 120 metre hard-core drive, without tarmac. Grass cutting and hedge cutting done on a voluntary basis. Numerous working parties existed, often led by the dear Bob Stevens.
Many alterations have occurred within the club house over the years. A ‘Members Lounge’ was created in 1969, and further updated in 1983. The premises were also extended on our south side giving a gymnasium, a larger cellar (for the Banks’ which was great then) and more space downstairs.
Also, a new external entrance was made to upstairs, plus better toilet facilities, kitchen and committee room. Barry Adams was very involved in the improvements and to this day continues to give total support to the progress and development of the club as OHA President.
From the onset in 1965 we knew that our 13.5 acres of land were very wet, being on a heavy deep clay base. In fact the lane was originally known as Broad Marsh Lane before being re-named Wassell Grove. Many man hours and large sums were spent over the next 20 years improving drainage and playing surfaces.
Then in 1987 Lord Cobham sold us 7.5 acres for 3 more pitches and cricket table. Capitol costs of land work over the years exceeded £80,000, so now the 1st team pitch with its stand (Donated by one member BA) is an outstanding facility for us. Finally £100,000 was raised and spent on the ‘Wychbury Room’, new kitchen, refurbished toilets and enclosed stairs in 2003. We then ventured on a refurb of all changing room and storage facilities on the ground floor, another £130,000.
The Rugby Club, now operates 4 Senior Team + Colts, run a thriving Mini & Junior section providing rugby from 4 to 17 year olds, and in 2016 we launched a girls section, which is the quickest growing girls rugby section in the UK; now operating squads at Under 13, 15 and 18’s. This season we have re-launched our senior Ladies team.
We have facilities to be proud of and owned by every member, enjoy for the benefit of current and future sports people, and enjoyed by the local community.