Images from the 1911/1912 season which saw Rovers create a World Record for Points scored and in addition, they started playing an Bob Oakes XV annually to round off their season, a feature that was to last for a Century.

The full playing record for the season of 1911/12 was Played 37, Won 34, Drawn 1 and lost 2, for 860 against 168.

An image with a difference, a cartoon of the principal guests either entertaining or being entertained at the post match celebrations at the Borough Hall, attended by 350 officials, members and players past and present of Rovers , in 1929 to mark the Golden Jubilee of the founding of Hartlepool Rovers F.C.  The match itself saw Rovers defeated a strong Oakes XV by 19 -13, the fifth win in six matches!

Sketches include Dr W S Gibb, President of Rovers from 1909 until 1937 an Alderman and thrice Mayor of Hartlepol Borough,  W Howard Gritten, the Conservative MP for Hartlepool from 1929 til his death in 1943. W.T.Pearce, the RFU President was re elected to that emient post for 3 consecutive seasons. Fred Hunter was a founder member and the first Captain of Hartlepool Rovers. Cliff Harrison was on the verge of a remarkable playing record, 2 International Caps and 59 apperances for Durham County, he played on both sides of WW2.

A snap of the  1937 Oakes match, which marked the Silver Jubilee of R F Oakes bringing his International XVs annually to  the  Friarage Field.  Interestng to see car parking was a priority even in those days!

The series had started in 1912 and continued for a century until 2012, the modern era conditions do not allow for such celebratory games to be staged,

Images from the 1939 Oakes programme, which game also marked the Diamond Jubilee of the Rovers club, Rovers went down by 6 pts to 17 pts.

Images from the 1939 Oakes programme, which game also marked the Diamond Jubilee of the Rovers club, Rovers went down by 6 pts to 17 pts.

Old Boys is one of three clubs that managed to play through the Second World War along with Rovers and Westoe.

 The Second World War also saw them reach their Golden Jubilee and to celebrate the event, Bob Oakes put out a Bob Oakes XV against Rovers on Grayfields, Rovers coming out winners by 40 pts to 5.

 The Bob Oakes XV on the day was J Best Billingham & Durham County, S Lawson Old Boys, Capt. A R McGregor, Army & Scottish Trials, Copl H Bloomfield, Old Boys & RAF, N.Judge, E.James, A Winn (all Old Boys),L/Cpl J D Hastie, Capt. W N Ramsay (both Army & Scotland),B Robson, R Deighton, T E Dixon R Keyes R Brownless J Blogg (All Old Boys).

An R.F. Oakes International XV for the annual match against Hartlepool Rovers, played at Clarence Road, West Hartlepool, on May 4th, 1946.

This game was played at the Greyhound Stadium as Rovers had lost the lease of their "Friarage" ground in 1941 and had the use of Grayfields for their games.  West loaned the Greyhound Stadium for the Oakes games for several seasons after the restart of Rugby after the War, Rovers had meantime acquired Low Warren Farm for their "New Friarage" ground and this was opened in 1948 and has been the Rovers home since.

The Greyhound Stadium in Clarence Road had been West Hartlepool’s home ground since 1912. They had reformed in 1911 and played at Foggy Furze, however West Cricket Club moved from the Clarence Road site in 1912 and after negotiations with the North Eastern Railway, West moved onto Clarence Road that year a situation that was to last until 1970 when they moved on to their Brierton Lane ground. 

Morrison's Supermarket in Clarence Road now occupies the site of the Greyhound Stadium.

In these pre Wefare State days, all proceeds from the game went to the Hartlepools and to the Camron Hospital.

Another pic of a Greyhound Stadium Oakes Games while Rovers were re-establishing themselves on a new ground at Low Warren.

As was the pattern in those days, proceeds from the game went to the Cameron Hospital and Hartlepools Hospital.

Entertainment was provided by the Old Operatic Bamd.

Hartlepool Rovers  for a match Annual match against an R.F. Oakes Intenational XV, played at the Greyhound Stadium, West Hartlepool, on April 24th, 1948. At 4.00 p.m. Ivor Preece the Coventry and England fly half dropped a goal for 4pts to the Oakes score, this is beleived to be the last 4 pt drop goal, since that time the drop goal has been rewarded by 3pts only.

This game was played at the Greyhound Stadium as Rovers had lost the lease of their "Friarage" ground in 1941 and had the use of Grayfields for their games. West loaned the Greyhound Stadium for the Oakes games for several seasons after the restart of Rugby after the War. Rovers had meantime acquired "Low Warren Farm" for their "New Friarage" ground and this opened in 1948 and has been the Rovers home since.

The Greyhound Stadium in Clarence Road had been West Hartlepool’s home ground since 1912. They had reformed in 1911 and played at Foggy Furze, however West Cricket Club moved from the Clarence Road site in 1912 and after negotiations with the North Eastern Railway, West moved onto Clarence Road that year a situation that lasted until 1970 when they moved to Brierton Lane.

Morrison's Supermarket in Clarence Road now occupies the site of the Greyhound Stadium.

For several years post war, Rovers used the Greyhound Stadium in Clarence Road for the Oakes matches to mark the end of the season. The end of season 48/49 saw the club able to officially open their “New Friarage” ground with a game against Bob Oakes International XV on Saturday, 30^th April 1949. So 2019 will mark the 70^th Anniversary of the West View Road site for Rovers.

The team and players for the 1950 end of season festivities.

The Oakes XV for 1952, almost an International XV, the trialists went on to become full England players. The result went to the Oakes XV by 24 pts to 19 pts.

Following the death of R.F.Oakes in 1952, the invitation XV were for a while entitled An International XV, herewith the players at the end of the 54 into 55 season.

A Hartlepool Rovers XV for a match against an R.F. Oakes Memorial XV, played at the New Friarage, on April 28th, 1956.

The teams for the 1957 Oakes XV which ended with a win for the Yorkshire XV by 41 pts to 11 pts.

A Hartlepool Rovers XV for a match against an R.F. Oakes Yorkshire County XV, played at the New Friarage on April 26th, 1958.

The result was a win for the Oakes XV 31 pts to 8

Ending the 62/63 season in traditional style, the Rovers and Oakes XV at the New Friarage. The Oakes XV by the match programme is Full Back: B. Marshall,Threequarter Backs: R.J. McCarten, D. Port, M.K. Flynn, R.M. Impett Half Backs:  A. E. Chapman, S. Coughtrie.Forwards:  S. Millar, J.S. Dick, B. Robson, M.A. Walsh, W.J. McBride, D. Boyd, P. Ashworth, P. Gaffney.

The gentleman in the centre is Mr  Hartley B. Elliott,(Durham County President that season who  assembled the Oakes’ team), with the Referee, Harry . Keenan (Durham Ref. Soc.) standing slightly behind him.

Result: Hartlepool Rovers 18pts, R.F. Oakes’ XV 26pts.

The train passing appears to be  a first generation Class 101 Metropolitan-Cammel built diesel multiple unit. Probably two four car units coupled together into an eight car train presumably on a Newcastle - Middlesbrough service (or vice-versa) . These were introduced to replace steam trains around 1957 . the photo illustrates the changes in rail travel, in 1965 we got eight coaches, today, two is the normal.

The Rovers & Oakes XV players from 1964, the Oakes side this year being the Royal Nay XV led by Leiut.  Roger Godfrey (seated 4^th from the left), who in later life became a prominent member of the professional Staff at Twickenham.

Wilf Woodward, (seated third from the right and touch judge on the day), was Club Captain that season but had injured an ankle during the club Easter Tour in Ireland so Ken Allen took over the Captaincy for the Oakes game.

The result went to the Navy XV by 11 pts to nil.

The Teams on the daye were : - The Rovers XV  - P.Robertson, C.Bennison, J.W.Whittingham, J.Robson, G.Lister, J.Rowlands, S.Ainley, D.Jesson, J.F.Bousfield, K.J.Winnm S.Hutton, T.G.A.H. Peart, P.Fitzgerald, H.Fraser, K.W.Allen. Touch Judge W,Woodward.

Navy XV. P.Golding, L.Duckworth, C.Gibson, G.Jones, J.Casey, S.Newsom, R.Bradley, H.Sever, T> Gatehouse, T.Goodwin, T. Jones, C.Stafford, K.Lavelle, S. Palmer, R. Godfrey.

 Referee Harry Keenan.

To round off the 1965/ 1966 season Hartlepool Rovers played the Royal Air Force which made up the R.F.Oakes XV with the visitors coming on top by 8pts to 5pts.

The 1968 Oakes match had a touch of tradition about it for in 1912 Oakes had brought a Yorkshire XV to the Friarage Field to play Rovers (the initial game took place 4 days after the sinkng of the "Titanic"!) to start the Oakes series.

The match of 68 also had a Yorkshire XV as opposition and an action shot from the game is on this gallery.

The Oakes XV for the 1969 celebration match saw the return of the Scottish “Co-Optimists” to the New Friarage.

Formed in 1924 (and named after a popular Variety Revue of the period) the club retains its invite only status and turns out sides today for games against Clubs in the Borders. Their popularity rests on their commitment to playing open rugby, a hall mark of the sides since their foundation.

For the record this game went to the Co-optimists by 31 to 16.

The teams on the day marking the end of the 1981 / 1982 season.

The teams on the day marking the endof the 1982 /1983 season.