MEN 1873-1895
MEN 1895-2024
WOMEN 2018-2024
 

Billy Ewan

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
25-12-1869
N/A
1895
Leigh
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
12-10-1895 v Warrington
Oldham
1896-
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1895-1895
25 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
0
0
0
0

Biography of Billy Ewan



HERITAGE NO : 20
Billy Ewan by Alex Service, with additional information from Mike Latham

In November 2015, there was a special ceremony on the site of the former Knowsley Road ground to mark the placement of a plinth and blue plaque, commemorating the first-ever Northern Union game between St. Helens and Rochdale Hornets on 8th September 1895. The Saints team that day contained several players from Cumberland and Westmorland, not least the first try-scorer, Bob Doherty and goal-kicker Billy Cross, who had associations with the Kendal Hornets club. Another former Hornets player was to join the club shortly after the start of this momentous season.

Billy Ewan was a native of Kendal, who cut his teeth with the local club before going south like many of his team-mates. Billy went to Leigh for the start of the 1890-91 campaign, where he made 143 appearances, scored 25 tries and kicked 52 goals. He had good hands and his passing game certainly changed the way his new club played when he became an established first teamer. However, he did not seem to make any appearances in their inaugural Northern Union campaign and subsequently was signed by the Saints. He was the typical half-back of the day, small in stature, but quite durable. He made his debut on 12 October 1895 against Warrington at Knowsley Road at scrum-half. Freddie Little partnered him at stand-off and the Saints came up with a welcome 3-0 victory.

Billy remained the first choice number seven until the end of the campaign. His last match for the club was another home fixture against Oldham on 18 April 1896, when the Saints lost 3-5 to their powerful Lancastrian rivals. In that match he was partnered by Billy Cross and it should be noted that including Ewan, there were five Cumberland and Westmorland players in the blue and white stripes that day, the others being Bob Doherty, Bill Whiteley and James Graham. He played in 25 matches for the Saints overall, but did not score any individual points.

Some further information about Billy Ewan has come to light. The 1881 census tells us that 12 year-old Billy lived in Kendal, where he was one of a family of twelve, six sons and six daughters. His father, Thomas, was a labourer. Ten years later, Billy is recorded as the Head of the family, as a grocer and tobacconist in Chapel Street, Leigh. His parents had moved with him, together with five of his brothers and sisters. To complete the story, Billy left the UK in the late 1890s for South Africa. He was in charge of a government store and farm and passed away in Bloemfontein on 25 august 1928 aged 58, leaving a widow and five children.

Further information about Billy is also forthcoming when he played for Leigh against the Saints, at Knowsley Road, in December 1894. It all goes to show that medical and player care has changed, thankfully, for the best since those somewhat perilous early days! Billy Cross was the landlord of the Duke of Cambridge Hotel, in Duke Street, which also served as the Saints Headquarters at the time, where both teams would change and catch the waggonette to Knowsley Road, play the match and return to take a bath. Unfortunately, the Leigh Chronicle of 28th December 1894 highlights a particularly distressing injury to Billy Ewan: "He was taken to the hotel occupied by W. Cross the Saints captain and the St. Helens officials did all they possibly could for him, Cross putting him into his best bedroom and Mr. Dennett, the Secretary, being very assiduous in his attentions. When Dr. Knowles examined him, he pronounced the opinion that it would be very dangerous to attempt to remove him home as his breast bone was split, and the broken edges might, by the jolting in a railway carriage, penetrate some of the vital organs such as the heart."

Thankfully, Billy made a full recovery, although he had to stay as a guest of the captain for some time before he could return home, presumably after Christmas. Hard times indeed!

After his playing days were over Billy ventured overseas to South Africa to make his fortune. Billy died in Bloemfontein, South Africa in August 1928 at the age of 58.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1895~960 0 0 25
TOTALS:0 0 0 25
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
TOTALS:

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
12th Oct 1895 1
W
 7 Warrington L H 3 0 VIEW
19th Oct 1895 2
W
 7 Hull L H 3 0 VIEW
26th Oct 1895 3
D
 4 Tyldesley L H 3 3 VIEW
2nd Nov 1895 4
D
 3 Leigh L H 6 6 VIEW
9th Nov 1895 5
L
 7 Hunslet L A 0 12 VIEW
16th Nov 1895 6
D
 3 Wigan L H 0 0 VIEW
23rd Nov 1895 7
W
 7 Leeds L H 9 0 VIEW
30th Nov 1895 8
W
 7 Huddersfield L H 11 3 VIEW
7th Dec 1895 9
D
 7 Wakefield Trinity L A 0 0 VIEW
14th Dec 1895 10
D
 7 Oldham L A 0 0 VIEW
28th Dec 1895 11
L
 7 Halifax L A 0 3 VIEW
1st Jan 1896 12
L
 7 Manningham L H 3 8 VIEW
4th Jan 1896 13
L
 7 Brighouse Rangers L A 4 6 VIEW
11th Jan 1896 14
W
 6 Halifax L H 6 3 VIEW
18th Jan 1896 15
L
 6 Stockport L A 3 18 VIEW
25th Jan 1896 16
W
 7 Batley L H 11 5 VIEW
14th Mar 1896 17
L
 3 Leigh L A 3 11 VIEW
21st Mar 1896 18
L
 3 Wigan L A 0 10 VIEW
28th Mar 1896 19
L
 5 Tyldesley L A 10 11 VIEW
4th Apr 1896 20
W
 6 Wakefield Trinity L H 7 5 VIEW
6th Apr 1896 21
D
 6 Brighouse Rangers L H 0 0 VIEW
7th Apr 1896 22
L
 6 Leeds L A 3 15 VIEW
11th Apr 1896 23
L
 7 Huddersfield L A 4 7 VIEW
16th Apr 1896 24
W
 7 Liversedge L H 14 7 VIEW
18th Apr 1896 25
L
 7 Oldham L H 3 5 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 8 | LOSSES : 11 | DRAWS : 6

GALLERY





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