Saints Heritage Society's search for a Saint continues

Our last Search for a Saint saw certificates distributed to the families of Aubrey Gregory, Bill Finnan and Billy Adams.

This week we feature five Saints from different eras of the club’s history, from the 1930s to the 1980s.

#382 Bert Unwin, 37 appearances 1 try 3 points

Bert was signed from rivals St. Helens Recreation when England international hooker Harold Smith left Knowsley Road in the autumn of 1929.

A worker at the Pilkington Glass works, he made his St. Helens debut against Salford at the Willows on 30th October 1929 in a replayed second round Lancashire Cup tie.

Saints lost 3-13, with Bert forming a front-row partnership with New Zealander Lou Hutt and Haydock-born Lou Houghton.

The 1929-30 campaign was his most successful in terms of appearances, with 23 all told. His last match was on 13th February 1932 against Hull KR at Knowsley Road which the visitors won 5-8.

At least he played his part in the team that finished as League Champions for the first time at the end of the 1931-32 season. Bert went on to Wigan Highfield and stayed with them when they relocated, lock, stock and barrel to London, to become London Highfield.

Bert was hooker for the London club when the Saints made their first-ever visit to the capital to play a league match on Wednesday 14th March 1934. It was also the first occasion that they had appeared under floodlights in the professional game. It is believed Bert passed away on 3 January 1980.

#436 William Hough, 37 appearances 3 tries 5 goals 19 points

William Hough could play in most positions in the forwards. He made his debut against Widnes on 31st August 1935 in the front row, with old heads Bob Atkin and Dave Cotton beside him. His last match, against Broughton Rangers in the Lancashire Cup first round, at Knowsley Road on 11th September 1937 saw William in a loose forward role.

Perhaps at his best in the second row, William made 37 appearances, scoring 3 tries.

He also kicked 5 goals. In 1939 he was working as a General Labourer and living in Heyes Road, Widnes.

Although no details of his rugby career are forthcoming after his last match at Knowsley Road, it is extremely sad to relate that Flying Officer William Hough was killed in action on 16th July 1944, aged 29. A member of 44 Rhodesia Squadron, his name is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

#675 George Parr, 128 appearances 9 tries 27 points

St Helens born, from Kirkland Street, he was a strong, mobile forward, who began in the back row before moving to prop later in his career. A former pupil at Rivington Road school, he made his debut on 23 October 1948, at Keighley at Lawkholme Lane and scored a try although Saints lost 10-12.

Another local lad, Jack Grundy, was in the second row with him. The man who stood guard outside Buckingham Palace whilst in the Irish Guards during World War Two became something of a stalwart in the early 1950s, with 128 matches to his name and 9 tries scored.

He played in the 1953 Championship-winning team and in the Lancashire Cup victory against Wigan in 1953-54.

George played his final match at Barrow on 18th April 1955 and subsequently went on to join them the following year before a final fling with Liverpool City. A glass worker by trade, George passed away in October 2003, aged 78.

#927 Duncan Scott, 18 appearances 2 tries 25 goals 56 points

A powerful winger who came through the ranks at Knowsley Road, Duncan was also a proficient goal-kicker and made his debut at home to Featherstone Rovers in a 20-19 victory on 10th December 1977.

Peter Glynn was his centre that day. Competition was intense for a wing berth at the time, with the likes of Les Jones and Roy Mathias around. One of his most memorable matches came was when he kicked 5 goals in the 31-15 of Bradford Northern, on 30 April 1979.

His last match was against Oldham at Watersheddings, where he kicked 4 goals in a 20-9 victory, before joining Leigh. Duncan also turned out for the fledgling Cardiff Blue Dragons in 1981-82.

#940 Kevin Meadows, 107 appearances 36 tries 122 points

Kevin was a real speedster on the flanks, when the Saints were largely re-building in the wake of the famous Dad’s Army squad of the 1970s. A Thatto Heath lad, he did his schooling at St Austins and Edmund Campion.

His first match was on the left flank in the John Player trophy defeat at Widnes on 30th September 1979, when his centre was another local lad, Roy Haggerty.

A county representative, who scored a hat-trick of tries for Lancashire against Cumbria in 1982, his best season was 1982-83, when he scored 15 tries in 28 matches.

One of the highlights of his career was the 37-14 defeat of Wigan in the 1985 Premiership semi-final at Knowsley Road but Sean Day was recalled for the final. His last match was at York, on 16th March 1986, when the Saints won 18-11. Kevin then continued his career at Warrington.

Are you related? Do you think you can claim the appropriate Heritage Number Certificate? If so, contact Saints Heritage Society at info@saints.org.uk or phone Alex Service on 01744 756135.