Lost Grounds of Harlequin FC - a Journey Through London

Join Ross Hamilton to explore the 21 grounds that Harlequins called home between 1866 and 1963.

Take a journey as far north as Finchley and as far east as Catford following the nomadic life that Harlequin FC led around London before they settled at their current home in Twickenham in 1963. During this talk, you’ll also discover why the club moved on from these grounds, what they look like today and the changes that metropolitan London has gone through in that time.

It was during the Victorian era that sport as we know it became organised. The advent of the railway improved transport links and this led to different groups joining together to form organisations that attempted to standardise the rules of these sports. The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871.

Rugby football started on the playing fields of Rugby School, the game spread when old boys formed clubs to continue playing after they had left. Guy’s Hospital is believed to be the oldest rugby club in the world, being founded in 1843.

A multitude of clubs were founded in the in 1800s, especially in London. Some still exist such as Richmond and Blackheath. Some like the wonderfully named Flamingos, Mohicans and Gipsies do not. These last names give us a clue to the nomadic nature of early rugby clubs - they are not named after locations as they tended to play their home games wherever they could find a pitch.

Harlequins is a great example of a wandering rugby club - come along to this talk to find out where and why they moved so many times.

About the speaker:

• Ross Hamilton is a member of the City of London Guide Lecturers Association (as a City of London Green Badge Guide).

What to expect:

• The talk will last approximately 50-60 minutes followed by Q&A.

IMPORTANT: This talk will be taking place in-person only at The London Archives.