MEN'S LEAGUE	32	53	59	66	70	71	75	96	99	00	02	06	14	19	20	21	22	MEN'S WORLD CLUB	01	07	23
MEN'S CHALLENGE CUPS	56	61	66	72	76	96	97	01	04	06	07	08	21					WOMEN'S MATCHES	21	22	23	24	21

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

Bill Heaton
OVERALL STATISTICS
BIRTH	AGE	SIGNED ON	FROM
11-11-1860	N/A	Date unknown.	Unknown.
DEBUT		LAST MATCH	LEFT
8-1-1881 v Newton le Willows		Litherland	1886-
CAREER			APPEARANCES (SUBS)
1881-1886			18 (0)
TRIES	GOALS	DGOALS	PTS
2	0	0	0

Biography of Bill Heaton
HERITAGE NO : Bill Heaton GROUNDBREAKER Bill Heaton played an important role in the Club in the early 1880s both on and off the field. He was born in St Helens in November 1860 and lived in Windle Street in the Cowley Hill district of the town. His father, John, operated a business involving paving and road building. According to the 1881 Census John and his family had relocated to Dentons Green Lane and by then the paving business had expanded employing six men in the process. For Bill and his new environment, the Saintly stars were aligning perfectly. Bill worked for his father as a paver and the Heaton brood had expanded to include two sisters and three brothers. Away from home and work Bill was keenly involved in rugby along with his great friend and near neighbour, Jim Webb. That said the Club was in a state of turmoil. Funds were scarce and it faced the prospect of being evicted from their playing fields in the St Anns district of St Helens, close to the Samuel Taylor Estate (now Taylor Park). The landlord, William H Foster, wanted the land for housebuilding. In desperation a meeting was convened and new secretary, Dick Prescott, wrote to Lord Derby asking for financial help to secure new playing fields between Boundary Road and the Clough known colloquially as “Spoggy Bruk”. Jim Webb and Bill were concerned for the safety of their rugby equipment as the eviction day beckoned. One Friday night faced with prospect of having a match the following day but no pitch, Jim and Bill acted decisively. Jim Webb recorded the events much later in 1935. “BIll Heaton borrowed without permission picks, spades and handcarts and away we went to St Anns to dig up the goal posts and get possession of flag staffs and flags, being stopped several times by the police. Bill also persuaded one of his brothers to bring pegs and string. Others were sent to beg or steal candles. We struck out the ground, dug touchlines and fixed up the goalposts all by candlelight until about 5 a.m., then most of us went to work at 6 a.m. We played Widnes in the afternoon and won.” On the field Bill played in the forwards and records show that he was most prominent in the 1880/81 season when he played matches against opposition including Newton, Sutton and Everton Valley. Bill married Mary and the 1891 Census has him living in Harris Street. They had three sons William, Albert and Horace and two daughters, Ellen and Elsie. By then Bill was still working on the roads but had hung up his rugby boots. Never the less, the Saints connection did not end there. Bill passed away in May 1902 leaving the princely sum of £686 to his widow, Mary. Records show that Mary remarried and the 1911 Census has her living in Claughton Street, St Helens with her children. Who was her new husband you may ask? It was Adam Sutton, ten years her junior, and a member of the Saints team in the 1890s.

Biography of Bill Heaton

HERITAGE NO :

Bill Heaton

GROUNDBREAKER

Bill Heaton played an important role in the Club in the early 1880s both on and off the field. He was born in St Helens in November 1860 and lived in Windle Street in the Cowley Hill district of the town. His father, John, operated a business involving paving and road building. According to the 1881 Census John and his family had relocated to Dentons Green Lane and by then the paving business had expanded employing six men in the process. For Bill and his new environment, the Saintly stars were aligning perfectly.

Bill worked for his father as a paver and the Heaton brood had expanded to include two sisters and three brothers. Away from home and work Bill was keenly involved in rugby along with his great friend and near neighbour, Jim Webb.

That said the Club was in a state of turmoil. Funds were scarce and it faced the prospect of being evicted from their playing fields in the St Anns district of St Helens, close to the Samuel Taylor Estate (now Taylor Park). The landlord, William H Foster, wanted the land for housebuilding. In desperation a meeting was convened and new secretary, Dick Prescott, wrote to Lord Derby asking for financial help to secure new playing fields between Boundary Road and the Clough known colloquially as “Spoggy Bruk”.

Jim Webb and Bill were concerned for the safety of their rugby equipment as the eviction day beckoned. One Friday night faced with prospect of having a match the following day but no pitch, Jim and Bill acted decisively. Jim Webb recorded the events much later in 1935.

“BIll Heaton borrowed without permission picks, spades and handcarts and away we went to St Anns to dig up the goal posts and get possession of flag staffs and flags, being stopped several times by the police. Bill also persuaded one of his brothers to bring pegs and string. Others were sent to beg or steal candles. We struck out the ground, dug touchlines and fixed up the goalposts all by candlelight until about 5 a.m., then most of us went to work at 6 a.m. We played Widnes in the afternoon and won.”

On the field Bill played in the forwards and records show that he was most prominent in the 1880/81 season when he played matches against opposition including Newton, Sutton and Everton Valley.

Bill married Mary and the 1891 Census has him living in Harris Street. They had three sons William, Albert and Horace and two daughters, Ellen and Elsie. By then Bill was still working on the roads but had hung up his rugby boots.

Never the less, the Saints connection did not end there. Bill passed away in May 1902 leaving the princely sum of £686 to his widow, Mary. Records show that Mary remarried and the 1911 Census has her living in Claughton Street, St Helens with her children. Who was her new husband you may ask? It was Adam Sutton, ten years her junior, and a member of the Saints team in the 1890s.

Date	Match		Pos	Opponents	Comp	Venue	T
8th Jan 1881	1	N/K	15	Newton Le Willows*	FR	H		VIEW
5th Feb 1881	2	N/K	15	St Helens Recs Reserves*	FR	H		VIEW
12th Mar 1881	3	N/K	10	Tranmere*	FR	A		VIEW
5th Nov 1881	4	N/K	10	Runcorn A*	FR	H		VIEW
11th Feb 1882	5	N/K	6	Everton Valley*	FR	H		VIEW
25th Feb 1882	6	N/K	6	Widnes True Blues*	FR	H		VIEW
4th Mar 1882	7	N/K	8	St Helens Recs*	FR	H		VIEW
8th Apr 1882	8	N/K	5	SH and District*	FR	H		VIEW
21st Oct 1882	9	N/K	6	New Springs*	FR	H	2	VIEW
18th Nov 1882	10	N/K	7	St Helens Recs*	FR	A		VIEW
2nd Dec 1882	11	N/K	6	Aspull*	FR	A		VIEW
9th Dec 1882	12	N/K	6	Runcorn*	FR	H		VIEW
1st Jan 1883	13	N/K	6	Widnes*	FR	H		VIEW
20th Jan 1883	14	N/K	6	Everton Valley*	FR	H		VIEW
17th Mar 1883	15	N/K	12	Everton Valley*	FR	H		VIEW
1st Dec 1883	16	N/K	10	Sutton*	FR	H		VIEW
5th Dec 1885	17	N/K	3	Liverpool Rifle Brigade*	FR	H		VIEW
1st Jan 1886	18	N/K	11	Litherland*	FR	H		VIEW

*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.

WINS : \| LOSSES : \| DRAWS :

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Bill Heaton

OVERALL STATISTICS

Biography of Bill Heaton