Thomas Cross | |||||||
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OVERALL STATISTICS | |||||||
| BIRTH | AGE | SIGNED ON | FROM | ||||
| DEBUT | LAST MATCH | LEFT | |||||
| CAREER | APPEARANCES (SUBS) | ||||||
| TRIES | GOALS | DGOALS | PTS | ||||
Biography of Thomas Cross |
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 HERITAGE NO : Cross Thomas Kendal CROSS OVER Thomas was born on the 21st of August 1865 and raised in Kendal, where his father, also named Thomas, was a labourer. The family lived at 8, Black Hole Yard in the busy industrial town. His brother William Anza Cross became a star for the famous Kendal Hornets team in the 1880s before he was tempted to go and play rugby in St. Helens where two of his former Kendal Hornets’ colleagues, Joe Allen and James ‘Pasha’ Graham were playing with great success. Whilst Billy was performing miracles in St. Helens Thomas was pursuing his own sporting achievements in his hometown. Thomas was a genuine all rounder. He had exceptional stamina and was a renowned fell runner. Thomas took his strength into the wrestling ring and competed against other well known grapplers of the time like Hal Carradice and Tommy Farrer. His bouts would take him around the wrestling hotspots of Cumberland and Westmorland and even over the border to Stirling in Scotland. His running and wrestling abilities were also utilised on the rugby field where he would play regularly in the forwards. On the 2nd of November, 1889 the Saints had an away fixture against Kendal Hornets. On a few occasions on similar visits the Saints arrived with only 14 players. This might have been the case that day and we can only assume that brother Billy persuaded his sibling to make up the numbers for the team from South Lancashire. There again, Billy might have used the occasion to offer a trial to Thomas using the recruitment strategies that had enticed double digits of Kendal Hornets players to play for St. Helens. Whatever the circumstances, Thomas played in the forwards that day with his brother Billy in his accustomed half back role. The Saints competed well but the Kendal Hornets team proved too strong and ran out comfortable winners by one goal, two tries and 4 merits to one try and one merit. Outside sport Thomas worked as a boot finisher in Kendal. The Westmorland town was famous fro its footwear industry. He married Mary Jane Hodgson on the 26th of September 1888 and the couple would progress to have eight children all but one born in the Kendal area. In 1901 the family were living at 35 Park Avenue, Nether Graveship, Westmorland and Thomas was still finishing the footwear for the land. For whatever reason Thomas and Mary decided to emigrate to the USA around 1906 and they initially settled in Missouri. Their youngest child, Ettie was born there in 1907. Within five years the family had relocated to settle in Vancouver, BC, Canada. During World War One Thomas was a Lance Corporal in the Canadian forces. Most of the family remained in the Vancouver area. Mary died in 1936 and Thomas passed away on the 26th off February 1947 after leading a most adventurous life for 81 years |
| Date | Match | Pos | Opponents | Comp | Venue | FT | FTO | T | G | DG | ||
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| 25th Dec 1888 | 1 | D |
10 | Tyldesley* | FR | H | 0 | 0 | VIEW | |||
| 2nd Nov 1889 | 2 | L |
15 | Kendal Hornets* | FR | A | 1 | 2 | VIEW |
| *Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub. |
| WINS : | LOSSES : 1 | DRAWS : 1 |
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