I never had any problem with members of the Church regarding the football team and, indeed, they seemed quite pleased at the publicity which this had generated. However, on one occasion, a member came up to me and said "Do you realise that you have an R.C. playing for you?" My reply was that I was not aware of it and didn't really care - as long as he wanted to play for us - and enjoy being with us - he was very welcome to do so. We did have two or three really good players and I could never quite understand why they stayed with us and not join a better side. Years later, I met one of them and asked him why he had stayed with us - "Because I enjoyed it" was his response.
In 1959 we were encouraged by Bill Morley, Youth Services Officer, Durham County Council, to take part in a Youth Exchange Scheme with young people from Homberg NeiderRhine, Germany. These young people had visited us in July and, in August, we left Old Elvet, Durham City, on a Saturday morning at 9.00 a.m. by coach. We arrived at Calais for an overnight crossing to Ostend, Begium. Travelling to Aacon on the border of Germany, we finally arrived at Homberg at 3.00p.m. on the Sunday!!
We had a marvellous time in Germany - our hosts were fantastic and we visted various places of interest - including a visit down a coal mine!!! Now I had been born at 3 Tunstall Street, which was just a few hundred yards away from Ryhope Colliery - yet there I was - in Germany - and the folks took me down the coal mine - what an experience!!!
Eva Jobling, who had married our Leader, Tom Jobling, accompanied us on our visit. She stayed with Ulrich Gluck. Others in the party included:
Doreen Eltringham
Anna Rowntree
Ann Jobling
George Malt
Catherine Gillibrand (Wright)
Cathy Henderson
Norma Britton (Carlyon)
William Wright
George Carlyon
Malcolm Lee
Liliam Roberts
Joe Hibbert
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
German Host
Erika Bunka
Ursula Wullenweber
Frederick Willhelm Wiemen
Heinz H Gestmann
Barbara Almstedt
Volba Scherges
Werner Elaapen
Friedhelm Rutten
Friedrich Wollitn
Rolf Lixfield
Jochen Jonkmanns
Werner Van Holt