Again, here we have that word “legend” that seems to get trotted out on a weekly basis, thereby devaluing it hugely. In spite of this observation, I shall state, without any fear of contradiction, that the Club, the School, the Association, the Lodge and no doubt various other institutions, have seen the passing of the legend known, seemingly to most of the town, if not the country, as Jim Harrison, who died peacefully at home on Monday evening, surrounded by family and close friends after a short illness.
How can one even start to describe this giant of a man, who shaped the lives of thousands of pupils, both at WHSB and then at OWRFC? I will try my best, with apologies for inaccuracies.
I think I am right in saying that Jim was born in the Wigan area, eldest of three children born to Jim Harrison Senior (Pop Harrison) and Evelyn. Pop worked on the railways and his work took him down South when Jim was very young, although to his dying day Jim still retained something of a Lancastrian accent.
Jim joined WHSB in the mid-forties, shortly after the school had returned from its wartime evacuation to Belper, and showed a love for all things sporting, be it rugby, athletics, boxing, swimming or cricket. On leaving school, Jim did National Service and then took a diploma at Loughborough Colleges – even in those days a hotbed of sporting excellence. Jim represented the College 1st XV both at fifteens and at sevens, or which more anon.
In 1956, Jim returned to WHSB as an assistant teacher, under the extraordinary former gym sergeant Harry Brownley. It was clear that Harry taught Jim a few tricks – their mannerisms were at times strikingly similar. Jim was to remain at the school until the early nineties – effectively either a pupil or a teacher for more than forty years. Even after his retirement, Jim would still actively help out when needed – witness the geology field trips to Mull, where Jim was entrusted with driving the minibus, God help us, or the cycling tours to Belgium and the Netherlands. During that time, Jim would have enriched the lives of several thousand students, all of whom deferred to his almost immortal status.
It was of course at rugby that Jim excelled, both as a player and a coach, putting WHSB and OWRFC firmly on the map. Jim had no fewer than three stints as captain of OWRFC, which were generally very successful ones. Jim represented both Essex and Eastern Counties as hooker and played conservatively more than four hundred matches for the club.
His greatest accolade was as an exponent of seven-a-side rugby. He was the brains behind the school’s and the club’s monumental successes of the sixties and seventies – eight times winners of the senior Essex Sevens, including six wins in seven years between 1964-70; various triumphs at Old Colfeians; Old Gaytonians; Barnet; Old Meadonians; Old Haberdasherds; Staines and Old Bancroftians, with apologies for any omissions.
Jim was the mastermind behind the earlier triumphs as a player, and his coaching remained invaluable in later campaigns. Thanks to Jim, the school’s fixture list strengthened with new fixtures in Kent, Surrey and Hertfordshire against schools of considerable repute. The school reached the inaugural final of the prestigious Rosslyn Park Sevens Plate competition, won the county sevens tournaments at most age groups more or less at will over a long period, and countless schoolboys were to transfer seamlessly to OWRFC. Jim’s enthusiasm for the game was infectious and matched by that of many of the schoolboys, to the extent that it was regular practice for several of the school 1st XV to play their Saturday morning match, and then, after Jim’s persuasion, to turn up at the Old Gables at 1008 London Road to travel to play for the thirds, fourths or fifths. No risk assessment issues in those days!
Jim became president of OWRFC in 1978, succeeding Jack Mitchell and Jim Crowe, and continued in the role for six years. Never one for undue pomp or ceremony, Jim still holds the record for presiding over the shortest ever club AGM, to the bewilderment of some of the more stately older members whose attempts at reminiscence and pontification were nipped in the bud before they knew what had happened!
Jim was for many years a member of the Old Westcliffian Masonic Lodge, serving as a committee member, and was also on the committee of the Old Westcliffian Association for nearly two decades, before stepping down as his illness began to manifest itself.
Jim was intensely proud of his children Sarah and Richard. Jim’s eightieth birthday party was held at the “old new Gables” in 2013 and was attended by over one hundred people, many of whom had travelled from all four corners of the country, such was the affection and esteem in which he was held. It was, sadly, clear at this function that all was not quite right and indeed dementia was diagnosed very shortly afterwards. Jim nevertheless soldiered on with great determination and was present, for the last time as it turned out, at the inaugural match at the “new new Gables” in December 2019, which saw the club, newly promoted to Level Four, astonish Esher (and possibly ourselves) by taking the spoils in a hard fought match.
Jim was, it seemed, known or known of, by almost everybody in rugby or academic circles. I am sure that we all have our own tales to tell, and happy individual memories of Jim’s company. One became almost used to turning up at some remote club in East Anglia or Hampshire, to be approached by an elderly denizen of said club, whose initial remark would be “Is that chap Jim Harrison still involved with the club?” Jim had the gift of the gab and at times got away with murder, but it is impossible to imagine that anyone could bear him ill. Jim’s extrovert style made him a great favourite of the ladies, but Jim was always courteous and chivalrous, and a gentleman to the last.
It has taken me half an hour to write this short and inadequate tribute, and during that time I have received no fewer than twenty-three e-mails from senior club members, extolling Jim and adding their own poignant reminiscences of probably the most notable and influential member in the history of the club now known as Westcliff RFC. No doubt at the wake these reminiscences will re-emerge, and will remain until the late hours, which is no less than Jim would deserve.
