Jimmy Greenwood

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
09-11-1884
N/A
13-10-1908
Wigan
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
03-10-1908 v Barrow
Rochdale Hornets
1912- Halifax
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1908-1912
124 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
51
13
0
179

Biography of Jimmy Greenwood



HERITAGE NO : 176
Jimmy Greenwood by Alex Service and Dave Dooley

There have been several instances in the past where Wigan's loss has been Saints' gain! In the case of Jimmy Greenwood, the Hebden Bridge born centre could not make the First Team at Central Park and chose to try his luck with St.Helens in 1908-09. It was a successful move for this classy player who could play with equal effectiveness in either centre position. A player with all-round skills, capable of scoring tries himself and putting his centre away with well-timed passes. His debut against Barrow at Knowsley Road on 3rd October 1908 began the successful partnership with flying winger Jimmy Flanagan. Both left-centre Greenwood and Flanagan scored tries in the 26-5 victory.

His form at left centre was superb and he was a model of consistency during the 1909-10 campaign when he made 31 appearances and scored 14 tries, with his wing partner Flanagan notching an incredible 30 touchdowns. Flanagan played for Lancashire on the strength of Greenwood's skill as his centre and was unfortunate not to make the inaugural Australian tour squad in 1910!

Jimmy switched to the right flank for the 1911-12 campaign, when he himself scored 24 tries from 29 appearances ' a phenomenal achievement. An occasional goal-kicker, he was joined at Knowsley Road by his cousin Harold and Jimmy was appointed Club Captain in the 1912-13 season. Unfortunately he played for just over half the campaign, when he played his final game for the club against Rochdale Hornets on 21st December 1912. Whether his career was ended by injury, we are not sure, but he remains one of the Saints' Greats of the pre-First World War era.

From the St. Helens Newspaper and Advertiser 15th November 1910

Serious Accident to a Footballer

J. Greenwood's Grave Condition

James Greenwood, who was playing centre threequarter in the match against Merthyr Tydfil on the Knowsley Road ground on Saturday had the misfortune to meet with a very serious accident about ten minutes after the commencement of play. He was taking part in a passing movement and Hill gave a high pass. He was reaching up to take the ball when one of the Welsh players tackled him. Unfortunately he came into contact with the pit of Greenwood's stomach with his shoulder and Greenwood dropped to the ground in great agony. He was attended to by the Trainer but it was at once seen that he was seriously injured and he was removed to the dressing room. Dr. Wilson was telephoned for, and by his orders he was removed to the St. Helens Hospital in the ambulance. At the hospital he was seen byu Dr. JS Fox, the Club Doctor. He appeared to be in a grave condition at that time suffering from extreme shock and internal haemorage. After consultation with the club officials, Dr. Fox called in Mr. Larkin, the eminent Liverpool Surgeon to see him. By this time Greenwood had picked up wonderfully. Mr. Larkin said he did not know what they might have to do but he decided there was no necessity for an operation then.

Although Greenwood is not out of danger yet, his condition was more hopeful yesterday and his many friends in the town will join in expressing the hope that he will have a speedy recovery.

I am asked to say, however, that while Greenwood and his relatives and friends appreciate very much the kindness which prompts the inquiries, the staff at the hospital are too busy to attend to all the telephone messages etc. and the officials of the club would be greatly obliged if inquiries were made off them instead of the hospital.

After his final match for the Saints in December 1912 Jimmy joined the Halifax Club where he was a permanent member of the team from New Years Day to the End of the season.

Outside rugby Jimmy led a full and very active life. His father, Eli, was a tailor and cutter out. Growing up Jimmy had two brothers and three sisters. It would appear that the family moved house regularly but always remained close to Hebden Bridge and Hepton.

As an adult Jimmy was a joiner but could turn his hand to anything physical.He married Ethel Greenwood on the 3rd of May, 1910 at Hebden Bridge Parish Church. Ethel was a machinist and no relation to Jimmy before marriage.It was not uncommon to marry another Greenwood in the area, the surname was so common.They had two daughters, Margaret and Ethel.
,br>We were contacted by Jimmy`s great, great nephew Alasdair Whiteley in January 2023. Alasdair provided some interesting details about Jimmy. He informs us that Jimmy lived at Whynbrae in Hurst, Hebden Bridge in later life. Indeed that was his address on the 1939 Census return. Apparently, Jimmy built the house himself. Furthermore, he quarried and shaped the stone himself, what a chap!

Jimmy died in Hepton on December the 9th, 1969 aged 85. The obituary kindly forwarded by Alasdair paints a perfect picture of a man living life to the full.

Further, Jimmy continued his involvement with rugby league by refereeing matches after Mr James Greenwoodr the First World War.

Many thanks Alasdair.

OBITUARY

The cremation takes place on Saturday at Parkwood, Elland of Mr James Greenwood Whynbrae, Hurst Road, Hebden Bridge who died on Tuesday at the age of 85.

In former days Mr. Greenwood was a well known sportsman, having played rugby league football, local cricket, bowls and was a keen pigeon fancier. He also held the title of world champion billeter.

Born in Luddenden Foot, where his father had a tailoring business, Mr. Greenwood served his joiner`s apprenticeship at Haigh`s, Nut Clough, Hebden Bridge.

He later worked for Mr J A Gibson of Brunswick Works , Hebden Bridge, until his retirement, having worked there 30 years.

During the First World War he served in the Royal Marine Engineers.

Perhaps Mr. Greenwood`s most prominent sport was rugby. A first class three-quarter, he first played with the Glen View and then with the Hebden Bridge club in the 1906-07 season. The following year he went for a trial with Wigan, where he played in the reserve side, gaining a gold medal when the team won the Lancashire Shield and the Lancashire League Championship. For the 1908 he transferred to St. Helens where he made his name in the game. In the 1911-12 season he was the top try scorer and became the St. Helens captain in 1913. At the beginning of the 1913-14 season he moved to Halifax and ended his playing career there.

After the First World War Mr. Greenwood became a referee, being a quailed and regular official of the Northern Union. Later he was a keen supporter of Halifax Rugby Club.

His summer sport was cricket, where he played for Birchcliffe in the Hebden Bridge League and bowls where, as a member of Old Town Bowling Club, he gained several prizes.

In his hobby as a pigeon fancier, Mr. Greenwood won many prizes, exhibiting his birds at the larger show. Mr. Greenwood was also proficient at the game of billets, winning the world championship title from Johnny Sutcliffe. of Mytholmroyd, at the beginning of the 1914-18 war.

Mr and Mrs Greenwood celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1960. Mr. Greenwood is survived by his widow and two daughters.


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1908~09 7 6 0 24
1909~10 14 1 0 30
1910~112 2 0 25
1911~12 24 2 0 29
1912~134 2 0 16
TOTALS:51 13 0 124
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1908~09 0001
1909-102001
1909~10 1202
1911~12 1001
TOTALS:4205

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
3rd Oct 1908 1
W
 4 Barrow L H 26 5 1 VIEW
10th Oct 1908 2
L
 4 Broughton Rangers L A 9 19 VIEW
17th Oct 1908 3
W
 4 Widnes L H 11 0 VIEW
24th Oct 1908 4
L
 4 Swinton L A 0 2 VIEW
31st Oct 1908 5
L
 4 Salford L H 8 13 VIEW
14th Nov 1908 6
W
 4 Leigh L H 10 8 VIEW
21st Nov 1908 7
W
 4 Widnes L A 8 5 1 VIEW
28th Nov 1908 8
W
 4 Bradford Northern L H 8 2 VIEW
12th Dec 1908 9
D
 4 Rochdale Hornets L H 13 13 2 VIEW
19th Dec 1908 10
L
 4 Salford L A 14 15 1 VIEW
25th Dec 1908 11
W
 4 Runcorn L H 6 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1908 12
L
 4 Wigan L H 7 22 2 VIEW
1st Jan 1909 13
L
 3 York L A 0 16 VIEW
9th Jan 1909 14
L
 4 Broughton Rangers L H 8 19 1 VIEW
16th Jan 1909 15
D
 4 Rochdale Hornets L A 3 3 1 VIEW
23rd Jan 1909 16
L
 4 Warrington L H 9 15 1 VIEW
30th Jan 1909 17
D
 4 Barrow L A 3 3 VIEW
6th Feb 1909 18
W
 4 Swinton L H 16 10 2 VIEW
10th Feb 1909 19
W
 4 Australia Tour H 9 0 VIEW
13th Feb 1909 20
L
 4 Leigh L A 3 14 VIEW
27th Feb 1909 21
L
 4 Halifax CC1 A 8 15 VIEW
6th Mar 1909 22
L
 4 Oldham L A 0 13 VIEW
13th Mar 1909 23
W
 4 Aberdare L A 45 18 1 VIEW
20th Mar 1909 --
W
 4 Leigh * Fr H 20 6 VIEW
9th Apr 1909 24
W
 4 Wigan L A 8 5 VIEW
25th Sep 1909 25
W
 4 Bramley L H 27 5 1 VIEW
2nd Oct 1909 26
W
 4 Barrow L A 21 9 VIEW
9th Oct 1909 27
W
 4 Treherbert L H 36 12 VIEW
16th Oct 1909 28
W
 4 Widnes LC1 A 10 4 1 VIEW
23rd Oct 1909 29
D
 4 Dewsbury L H 8 8 VIEW
30th Oct 1909 30
L
 4 Swinton LC2 A 0 2 VIEW
6th Nov 1909 31
L
 4 Leigh L A 5 13 VIEW
13th Nov 1909 --
L
 4 Hull* F A 21 33 2 VIEW
20th Nov 1909 32
W
 4 Widnes L H 37 8 3 VIEW
27th Nov 1909 33
L
 4 Oldham L H 5 31 1 VIEW
4th Dec 1909 34
W
 4 Hunslet L A 24 8 VIEW
11th Dec 1909 35
W
 4 Salford L H 7 3 VIEW
13th Dec 1909 36
W
 4 Swinton L A 20 9 1 VIEW
18th Dec 1909 37
L
 4 Oldham L A 6 36 VIEW
25th Dec 1909 38
W
 4 Runcorn L A 13 0 1 VIEW
27th Dec 1909 39
L
 4 Wigan L H 6 7 VIEW
1st Jan 1910 40
W
 4 Broughton Rangers L H 15 8 VIEW
8th Jan 1910 41
L
 4 Salford L A 5 24 VIEW
15th Jan 1910 42
W
 4 Leigh L H 11 3 1 VIEW
22nd Jan 1910 --
L
 4 Coventry * Fr A 11 19 VIEW
5th Feb 1910 43
L
 4 Dewsbury L A 3 11 VIEW
12th Feb 1910 44
W
 4 Warrington L H 18 10 VIEW
19th Feb 1910 45
L
 4 Rochdale Hornets L A 0 6 VIEW
26th Feb 1910 46
W
 4 Barrow CC1 A 15 0 1 VIEW
5th Mar 1910 47
W
 4 Swinton L H 26 5 1 VIEW
12th Mar 1910 48
L
 4 Halifax CC2 A 6 21 1 VIEW
19th Mar 1910 49
L
 4 Widnes L A 3 10 VIEW
25th Mar 1910 50
L
 4 Wigan L A 10 23 1 VIEW
29th Mar 1910 51
W
 4 Hunslet L H 28 15 1 VIEW
2nd Apr 1910 52
W
 4 Bramley L A 33 18 1 VIEW
9th Apr 1910 53
W
 4 Barrow L H 21 5 VIEW
23rd Apr 1910 54
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets L H 20 11 VIEW
7th May 1910 --
L
 3 Turthills Colonials * * Fr W. Whiteleys Tes H 24 42 1 2 VIEW
3rd Sep 1910 55
W
 3 Oldham L H 16 5 VIEW
10th Sep 1910 56
L
 3 Runcorn L A 4 8 VIEW
1st Oct 1910 57
L
 3 Widnes L A 12 28 1 VIEW
8th Oct 1910 58
W
 3 Broughton Rangers L H 31 2 VIEW
15th Oct 1910 59
L
 3 Leigh L A 5 9 VIEW
22nd Oct 1910 60
L
 3 Rochdale Hornets LC1 H 5 11 VIEW
29th Oct 1910 61
L
 3 Warrington L H 9 17 VIEW
12th Nov 1910 62
W
 3 Merthyr Tydfil L H 13 3 VIEW
27th Dec 1910 63
L
 6 Hunslet L A 3 5 VIEW
2nd Jan 1911 64
W
 6 Hunslet L H 24 2 1 VIEW
7th Jan 1911 65
W
 6 Swinton L H 11 10 VIEW
11th Jan 1911 66
L
 6 Wakefield Trinity L A 9 26 VIEW
14th Jan 1911 67
W
 6 Coventry L A 14 2 1 VIEW
21st Jan 1911 68
L
 3 Wakefield Trinity L H 8 18 VIEW
28th Jan 1911 69
L
 3 Broughton Rangers L A 7 14 VIEW
18th Feb 1911 70
W
 6 Bramley CC1 H 26 7 VIEW
4th Mar 1911 71
L
 6 Leeds CC2 H 6 11 VIEW
11th Mar 1911 72
L
 7 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 10 42 VIEW
18th Mar 1911 73
W
 3 Leigh L H 10 3 VIEW
22nd Mar 1911 74
L
 3 Salford L A 6 19 VIEW
1st Apr 1911 75
L
 3 Widnes L H 6 16 VIEW
14th Apr 1911 76
L
 3 Wigan L A 8 25 VIEW
15th Apr 1911 77
L
 3 Swinton L A 9 23 1 VIEW
17th Apr 1911 78
L
 3 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 3 20 VIEW
22nd Apr 1911 79
L
 3 Rochdale Hornets L A 2 17 VIEW
9th Sep 1911 80
W
 3 Warrington L H 10 2 VIEW
16th Sep 1911 81
W
 3 Swinton L A 13 5 VIEW
23rd Sep 1911 82
W
 3 Runcorn L H 25 0 2 VIEW
14th Oct 1911 83
L
 3 Australia Tour H 5 16 1 VIEW
21st Oct 1911 84
W
 3 Salford LC1 H 18 7 1 VIEW
28th Oct 1911 85
L
 3 Coventry L A 8 10 VIEW
4th Nov 1911 86
L
 3 Wigan LC2 A 8 22 VIEW
11th Nov 1911 87
L
 3 Ebbw Vale L A 0 2 VIEW
18th Nov 1911 88
W
 3 Salford L A 15 13 VIEW
25th Nov 1911 89
W
 3 Rochdale Hornets L H 27 12 1 VIEW
2nd Dec 1911 90
W
 3 Broughton Rangers L H 10 5 1 VIEW
7th Dec 1911 91
W
 3 Oldham L H 21 11 2 VIEW
9th Dec 1911 92
W
 3 Warrington L A 17 2 VIEW
25th Dec 1911 93
W
 3 Widnes L H 9 4 1 VIEW
1st Jan 1912 94
W
 3 Hunslet L H 31 10 2 VIEW
6th Jan 1912 95
L
 3 Wakefield Trinity L A 5 14 VIEW
13th Jan 1912 96
W
 3 Ebbw Vale L H 34 0 2 VIEW
27th Jan 1912 97
W
 3 Rochdale Hornets L A 10 3 1 VIEW
17th Feb 1912 98
L
 3 Barrow CC1 A 3 13 VIEW
20th Feb 1912 99
L
 3 Dewsbury L A 8 17 VIEW
24th Feb 1912 100
W
 3 Leigh L A 30 0 3 VIEW
2nd Mar 1912 --
W
 3 Runcorn * Fr 27 8 1 VIEW
9th Mar 1912 101
W
 3 Swinton L H 20 5 VIEW
16th Mar 1912 102
W
 3 Salford L H 19 6 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1912 103
W
 3 Dewsbury L H 20 0 2 VIEW
30th Mar 1912 104
W
 3 Barrow L H 43 2 3 VIEW
5th Apr 1912 105
L
 3 Wigan L A 14 17 VIEW
6th Apr 1912 106
L
 3 Broughton Rangers L A 5 21 VIEW
8th Apr 1912 107
W
 3 Wakefield Trinity L H 41 2 2 1 VIEW
13th Apr 1912 108
L
 3 Hunslet L A 7 34 VIEW
7th Sep 1912 109
W
 3 Barrow L H 15 2 1 VIEW
14th Sep 1912 110
W
 3 Runcorn L A 11 8 VIEW
21st Sep 1912 111
L
 3 Hunslet L H 5 22 VIEW
28th Sep 1912 112
D
 3 Oldham L A 10 10 VIEW
5th Oct 1912 113
L
 3 Swinton L A 2 9 VIEW
12th Oct 1912 114
W
 3 Widnes L H 21 2 VIEW
19th Oct 1912 115
L
 3 Dewsbury L A 11 27 1 VIEW
26th Oct 1912 116
L
 3 Runcorn L H 5 12 VIEW
2nd Nov 1912 117
W
 3 Warrington LC1 H 18 10 2 VIEW
9th Nov 1912 118
L
 3 Leigh L A 5 8 VIEW
16th Nov 1912 119
L
 3 Rochdale Hornets LCSF A 8 10 1 VIEW
21st Nov 1912 120
L
 3 Warrington L H 7 10 VIEW
23rd Nov 1912 121
W
 3 Broughton Rangers L H 20 12 1 VIEW
7th Dec 1912 122
W
 6 Dewsbury L H 16 9 VIEW
14th Dec 1912 123
L
 6 Salford L A 3 11 VIEW
21st Dec 1912 124
L
 6 Rochdale Hornets L H 5 6 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 63 | LOSSES : 61 | DRAWS : 6

GALLERY





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