BRIDGWATER & ALBION FONDLY REMEMBERS THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO ITS RUGBY FOOTBALL LIFE OVER MANY YEARS BY A UNIQUE CHARACTER  FATHER MICHAEL KITCHENER RALPH DERRICK D’MELLO

BRIDGWATER & ALBION RFC FONDLY REMEMBERS THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO ITS RUGBY FOOTBALL LIFE OVER MANY YEARS BY A UNIQUE CHARACTER

FATHER MICHAEL KITCHENER RALPH DERRICK D’MELLO

Bridgwater & Albion RFC received the sad news of the death of Father Michael Derrick on Friday 20 September.  Mike was a popular member of the club on the playing side for a span of approximately 35 years from the early 1960’s through to the mid-1990’s.  Even after his professional vocation took him away from the area he still looked in upon us whenever possible, whether at College Way or when the club was visiting various venues around Bristol.

I first knew Mike when he played in the Westover School sides against my school in the early 1960’s and when I joined Bridgwater & Albion Colts in 1965, then Mike was already incumbent.  We played together in the 1964/65 and 1965/66 seasons with Mike remaining a further year in 1966/67 when he surprised everyone and perhaps including himself by being selected for the Somerset County Colts XV.

When he left school, he obtained a place at St Luke’s College, Exeter where he trained for his school teaching career.  Mike never had any serious aspirations to be a top player – he simply enjoyed playing the game and being involved in it.  Hence whilst at College, he rubbed shoulders with the considerable array of rugby football talent which abounded in those days and took his place in the lower sides as well as assisting the local Exeter Saracens club.  Of course, during vacations he appeared for Bridgwater & Albion, mainly in the 3^rd XV (Athletic XV – later Dirttrackers XV).  From time to time he assisted our United XV and became a stalwart member of our Veterans XV.  Mike was predominantly a full-back with his own individual style setting him apart from any others in that position.  He was an excellent handler and catcher of the ball with a pronounced basket type catch and once he had looked at the ball and propelled it with its lace facing upwards (remember the laces?) then he had a fine boot to put the ball away.  Mind you, all this fastidious activity allowed the opposition to perhaps put him under pressure and so the rest of his team covered frantically just in case of any mishaps.  He also appeared in the centre and on the wing and later surprisingly at prop!

Mike played and followed the game of rugby football assiduously with an in depth knowledge of teams and players – not only locally but even on the national scene.  He was always perceptive and up-to-date with what was happening in the rugby football world and with particular reference to changes in its laws etc.  Accordingly, when there was no referee available, Mike willingly took up the whistle and did a fine job as well.  I can recall several instances where his humour assisted the flow of the game.  After leaving College, Mike taught variously at Priory and Bishop Foxes Schools in Taunton and on one occasion, we were playing a Taunton side with Mike refereeing and he admonished a Taunton player with the words – “What will your mother say when I tell her what you have just done to that player?” – enough said – the words did the trick.  Another occasion on an Easter Saturday at Victoria Park, Bridgwater, Mike was refereeing the Dirtrackers against Royal Sun Alliance – a touring side when an almighty hailstorm interrupted the game.  Without blowing his whistle, Mike was the first to dash from the field to the protection of the hedgerows around the ground, followed by 29 of the players – one dissented!  Many of his other idiosyncrasies kept his teammates fully amused.  In his younger days, Mike was a smoker and so he puffed away up until kick-off time; placed his fags and matches in his shorts pocket and played.  To his horror and to our laughter, a loose ball caught his shorts in the pocket and temporarily set him alight – it was probably the fastest he had ever moved.

When the club had some difficulty in finding someone to organise our Colts XV – Mike took up the mantle – again willingly – and it was his guidance which brought many young players through the initial stages of their careers with the club.  He also wrote programmes for our 1^st team matches amplifying his extensive knowledge of the club and its opponents with many tales to tell.  He thoroughly enjoyed his time in our Veterans XV – particularly when scoring many tries where his fine positioning and astuteness put him in the right place to accept the last pass.  I referred to Mike also playing as a prop and that was an attribute to his bodybuilding/weightlifting attachment to the club at the top of St Johns Street where he also resided.  He was certainly always adaptable.

In the mid-1990’s he resigned his teaching position and sought to become a Roman Catholic Priest and accordingly took himself off to Rome to train and study for that purpose.  He of course succeeded and was duly ordained as the Parish Priest at Christ The King in Knowle West in Bristol – perhaps a somewhat notorious area of the city but Mike had no qualms about that and he certainly appeared to have soothed the minds and the ways of life of his many parishioners who looked fondly upon him for his guidance.  Much to our great delight, he often returned to Bridgwater – fully robed – and also appeared at some of our matches when we were playing in the Bristol area.  He also returned to bless weddings or to give eulogies at funerals of various Bridgwater & Albion stalwarts; he did me the extreme honour of speaking at my rugby football retirement dinner with considerable insight and above all, humour.

Father Mike – also known as Pope Mike or Bo (Beau) – was a kindly, humorous and knowledgeable man on many fronts.  He was a great loyal and caring teammate who thoroughly enjoyed his long attachment to the club.

The club offers its sincere condolences to members of Mike’s family and friends with thanks for his involvement and connections over these last 60 years.

Scribe

Funeral Arrangements

Wednesday 30th October 6pm – Received at the Church for a mass at 6.30pm – Church of the Christ of the King – Knowle

Thursday 31st October 11am – Clifton Cathedrale Funeral Mass at 11am

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