FYLDE RUGBY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: ELITE DEVELOPMENT DAY SENIORTEAMSFIXTURES & RESULTS 2024-25
An extract from Mark Carden’s forthcoming nook “A Miscellany of Fylde Rugby”
team-mates for the Manchester University side in 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1954.
As a player Jack was an accomplished fly half and could cover most positions in the backs. A new lease of life was found with a move to the wing later in his career and during the 1959-60 season, Jack ran in no less than 7 tries in one game against Harrogate, “…..he had 3 in the first half and 4 in the second”. This within weeks of a 31-12 victory over Preston Grasshoppers in which, “Quarmby contributed 22 of Fylde’s points with 3 tries, 5 conversions and a penalty goal”. Overall, Jack’s records and the local press attest to the facts; that he represented Fylde on 312 occasions, scoring 108 tries and kicking 584 goals. If we assume a half and half split between penalty kicks and conversions, then using today’s scoring system, this amounts to an incredible 2,000 points and a spot right at the top of the all-time scoring charts, probably in the company only of Edward “Pop” Ogden and his much-celebrated round the corner kicking style. A Fylde programme printed in 1990 elicits Jack’s views on school rugby and provides an impressive list of players produced during Jack’s time as a teacher and rugby coach at Blackpool Grammar. These included future club captains Tony Todd and Mark Hesketh, and 1st XV stalwarts such as Pete Faulkner, Chris Wilding and Phil Moran. Once the playing days were over, his years of experience as a school teacher were put to good use in the creation of the club’s Mini Rugby section. Here he was instrumental in once again bringing through a generation of rugby players, imbued with his own deep love of the game. As Fylde’s closest contact with the RFU, Jack brought the idea to the club in 1973. He hired an official RFU film, brought a projector from the school, and invited parents to come and see what was being planned. Now well into his 90s, Jack can be seen regularly at Fylde, enjoying the rugby and the company of the Fylde members, many of whom have benefitted from his ceaseless enthusiasm and commitment to the club.
[Reproduced with thanks to Mark] Pencil portrait by Alan Cavanagh
Jack, 93, on 25th Jan 2025
Jack Quarmby was born on December 28th, 1931, slightly more than a decade after the formation of Fylde RFC and was destined to play a huge part in its history. He was spotted as a youngster playing for Thornton Cleveleys and was brought to Fylde in 1951, where he recalls a friendly and welcoming atmosphere with a strong camaraderie, that meant he would keep coming back. 3 years and 4 months of National Service in the RAF might have kept Jack away, but fortune smiled upon all of us as he was posted to Weeton, from where he could generally travel to play at weekends. Jack attended the University of Manchester, followed by a year at Carnegie in readiness to become a French Teacher at Blackpool Grammar School. He continued to travel to represent Fylde at both 15s and 7s whenever possible, although did line up against his Fylde
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