BETTY INNALLS 1921 – 2017

Older members and supporters of Bridgwater & Albion Rugby Football Club will have been saddened by the news of the recent death of Betty Innalls – aged 96.  Betty was the wife of the late Stan who also gave stalwart service to the Club over a long period.  Betty busied herself as a member of the Ladies Committee which was extremely prominent in the days when the Club was based at the Broadway Ground, Taunton Road.  She and her colleagues – many of whom were wives of players and other members of the Club – established considerable refreshment facilities for all of our playing teams and visitors as well as undertaking other fundraising activities on behalf of the Club.  The Ladies Committee was in fact founded on 7 October 1952 and Betty was a member of it for a very long period.  In particular, in 1963/64 the ladies started a weekly sewing and knitting party in preparation for the sale of work to mark the opening of the new Clubhouse in 1964 and made a useful contribution to the new facilities.

Betty and Stan were certainly an important part of the Club’s day to day operation.  Stan was Team Secretary for many years and both he and Betty fielded and made umpteen calls to players cajoling them to their various teams every weekend.

Betty also had considerable input to the playing side of the Club as her son Terry was a long-time player initially in our United and Athletic XV’s but making the breakthrough into the 1^st XV in the late 1960’s and he went on to make 186 1^st XV appearances; even better Terry’s son and hence Betty’s grandson Kevin continued the family attachment and he appeared 200 times in our 1^st XV making the particular landmark just before his retirement.  He of course continued to assist the Club by coaching the side for several seasons.  Both Terry and Kevin are seen at the ground attending matches during the season.

The Club honours Betty and her family involvement and offers its sincere condolences to all members of her family.  Her funeral was due to take place on Wednesday 14 June at 11 am at Sedgemoor Crematorium.

Scribe

Category: Club News