Bill Forrester

1928 – 2009

Bill Forrester

Bill Forrester

Bill was born at home in Replingham Road, Southfields on the 14th May 1928.

After attending the local infant and primary schools he gained entry to Wandsworth Grammar School although, according to Bill, he did not have one lesson at the Sutherland Grove site, because WW2 had started and the school was temporarily relocated to Woking. He was not an academic, he described himself as more the sporting student. His great passion was to be Rugby Union Football.

On reaching the age of eighteen he was called up for National Service and served his two years with the Northumberland Fusiliers, also known as ‘the fighting fifth’.

Bill played all his rugby for the Old Wandsworthians, except for a few seasons with Rosslyn Park, and of course his mid-week games for The Inland Revenue and Civil Service.

He played in all of the teams, from the first team down to the ‘babes’. The babes were mostly a veteran side, but new young players were fed into the system through this team, where they were to learn so much from the older players. He enjoyed playing with the ‘babes’ where he could provide the ‘old head’, with the youngsters providing the ‘legs’.

He got a lot of pleasure seeing them develop and as their confidence and expertise grew, seeing them move up to play in the higher teams.

Bill was very proud of their achievements and felt very pleased that he was able to give something back to the game and the club that he loved.

Bill always played a hard competitive game and the consequence of his enthusiasm for the game resulted in his many injuries coming back to haunt him in his later years. Yet in spite of his discomfort, he would not have missed those days for anything!

Rugby was not the only sport he played for OW’s. He played in a Table Tennis evening league, Cricket (the social side), and also Rugby Netball (Old Blues), played at Clapham Common, organized by Mick Brown. This was a game played on summer evenings, the main purpose being to keep Rugby and Football players fit during the summer months. I can tell you that Bill suffered more injuries playing this game then he ever did playing rugby!!!

Bill was very fortunate to be in the era when the club purchased their own ground at Claygate. Who would have thought that a few acres of land and a wooden hut would provide both of us and many others with a social life second to none. Of course there was a lot of manual work to be done but surrounded by friends, all working for the same cause, it did not seem to be so onerous.

On Sundays Bill played for the Social Cricket side.

Of course the main object was to give the opposing team a good game, but somehow the OW’s were nearly always out when batting first in next to no time, and if the opposition batted first, our team were so exhausted trying to get them out that they, well in a word, crumbled!!! Which of course left plenty of time to socialize. Bill’s life like so many others evolved around ‘The Club’, from attending Monday night selection meetings, table tennis matches, training, helping at various fetes, donkey derbys etc. There was never a dull moment.

After Bill’s playing days came to an end he was immensely proud that he was able to witness his son pull on an OW’s shirt whilst still a school boy, and was always there on the touchline to support him through his playing days going through from school boy, county, district and finally being awarded an England U21 trial.

Bill retired from work and a few years later suffered a heart attack. He underwent a quadruple by-pass and after recovering took up the game of bowls. He did not think much of the game as there did not seem to be much cut and thrust to it, and he said most people seemed to be very old!!! There was one thing Bill did not consider himself to be and that was old. He took up the game of golf and after winning the ‘wooden spoon’ prize at an OW’s golf day, took lessons and improved, which enabled him to play a regular respectable game with likewise retired OW’s.

Bill felt very privileged that he was still able to enjoy the companionship of his friends, many going back to his Wandsworth school days and although, through failing health, he was not able to join them in recent times, he still had very many happy memories of the times he spent in their company.

I would like to thank all the people who gave up their time to pay their last respects to Bill at his funeral. I hope to see you in the future as Bill’s representative.

Pat Forrester

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