The Belgrave area of Leicester has a long tradition of Rugby playing which is comparable to that of any area of the country.
The city's premier side, Leicester Tigers, started playing in Belgrave in 1880, beating a Belgrave team in 1881 by 1G 2T to nil. Although there is some evidence, which suggests that Belgrave St Peter's was already in existence in 1881, it has always been understood by the club that Belgrave St Peter's was founded in 1883.

By the turn of the century about a dozen clubs had appeared in the area, most of them but not all joining the Leicestershire Football Union. Harrison Street Albion for instance had a very good Rugby team in the 1890's but never joined the Union.
Belgrave clubs that did join the Leicestershire Union included Belgrave Excelsior, Belgrave St Michael's, Belgrave St Peter's, Belgrave Rovers, Belgrave Premier Works, Belgrave Rd Old Boys, Anchor and Syston St Old Boys. As time went on other Belgrave clubs were to appear - clubs like Belgravians, British United and Belgrave Primitive Methodist who later changed their name to Claremont.
Belgrave Rugby Football Club, the area's longest established club was originally Belgrave St Peter's and although the St Peter's part of Belgrave's name was dropped in 1899 the club still remembers with pride it's connection with Saint Peter's Church, Belgrave. The club still has the crossed keys of St Peter on its badge and tie, and in the Centenary year had a club church service in St Peter's Church. It was not the first time the club had a church service because the records tell us that on Sunday afternoon 15th March 1896, what was termed a "football service" was held.
The club's first known secretary was Edgar Smith, who was secretary in 1889 and 1890. He and J.W. Mawby were the two club delegates representing Belgrave St Peter's in September 1890 when the Leicestershire Rugby Football Union had a meeting of the Leicestershire clubs at the Old Horse Hotel on London Road. As well as electing the Leicestershire Union committee at the meeting, a sub-committee was also set up to revise the Union rules.
One of the three men appointed to serve on that sub-committee was Edgar Smith. In the 1890's Mr Smith played in the second team at full back. Living at 6 Shirley St in Belgrave he was the next door neighbour of Mr T. Noble who became club secretary in 1891.
H.G.Vann is a name worthy of a mention. He was club vice-president in 1894 and treasurer in 1895/96, 1896/97 serving on the committee up to the amalgamation with Belgrave Rovers in 1899. He was still a committee man in 1900, being elected club vice-president for seasons 1900/01, 1901/2 and 1902/3.
Doctor Alfred Wilson Emms was without doubt, the club's longest serving president. Born in Surrey around 1850, he was living at the top of Loughborough Road in 1881 with his wife, daughter and two teenage girls who were employed respectively as the family's maidservant and cook. Dr Emms, who later moved further down the Loughborough Road to live on the corner of Roughton Street, was involved in all aspects of community life, serving later as a Justice of the Peace. Dr. Emms was President of Belgrave St Peter's in 1894 and there is a strong possibility that he served as Club President before then. In 1895 when Lord Edward Manners was elected Club President, a position he was to hold for five years, Dr. Emms served as vice-president, becoming club President again in 1900, a position he was to hold until 1920.
The club's earliest records go back to the General Meeting held 1st May 1894 when Dr. Alfred Wilson Emms was unanimously elected Club President and the following gentlemen were elected vice-presidents: - Messrs L.A. Clarke, C. Bowles, C. Fowler, C. Scotney, A.E. Dunkley, H.W. Vann and the reverend R.W.L. Clark.
On the proposition of Mr E. Morley, who had been 1st team captain the previous season, J.W. Garner was unanimously elected 1st team captain and after a vote T. Steedon was elected vice-captain. L. Bradbury was unanimously elected A team captain and after another vote W.Taylor, A team vice-captain. Mr F.Warner was appointed club secretary, Mr E. Richardson assistant secretary, Mr J. Garner treasurer and Messrs Pole, Patrick, Morley, Dunkley, Baguley and Cotton as members of the club committee.
One of the first items on the committee's agenda was the securing of a playing field for the coming season. They made several enquiries and at the cost of three pounds for the season they obtained the use of a field along the Birstall Lane. The field was owned by a Mr. Watts. It was also agreed to pay Lewis Bradley two shillings and sixpence (12 ½ p) to mark out the field on Saturdays.
The club's headquarters at that time was the Talbot Inn on Thurcaston Rd, where the players would change before having to walk up the Birstall Lane to play. Bill posters advertising the game and team selected would be posted around the Belgrave area the week prior to the match. In 1894 the club charged twopence for men and a penny for boys for admission to the ground for 1st team matches, a penny to all classes for A team matches, two shillings for season tickets and free admission to ladies. It was also usual to have a policeman on duty at the game for which the club received a bill. On such bill received by the club on 22nd October 1894 was four shillings and sixpence. The gate receipts helped cover the guarantees paid by home teams to out of town visitors to cover their travel expenses. One or two pounds was the usual amount guaranteed. Nottingham Rugby Club for example offered a two pounds guarantee when Belgrave St Peter's travelled to play them in 1898.
At that time it would appear that clubs selected their own players to attend trial matches held by the Leicestershire Rugby Union. In 1894 the following players were selected to represent the club in the trial match held on the 1st September.
Threequarters - A. Inchley and G. Russell;
Forwards - E. Morley, F. Warner, T. Patrick, T. Steedon and J.W. Garner.
Also in 1894 the club joined the Midland Counties Football Union. They paid ten shillings and sixpence (52 ½ p) entrance fee and one guinea (105 p) subscription for 1894/95, entering regularly in the Midland Counties Cup Competition until 1914. Medals
The club's annual subscriptions at this time were three shillings with no mention of any match fees and like so many teams to date they still had a problem collecting these subscriptions.
By the early 1890's Belgrave St Peter's was a flourishing club running two teams. Amongst their regular fixtures at the time were South Wigston, Stoneygate, Oadby, Lutterworth, Nottingham, Leicester A, Coventry A, Northampton A and Bedford Wanderers. Other teams that Belgrave St Peter's have played and have since disappeared include Warwick Avon Rovers, Harrison St Albion, Vulcan Rovers, St Johns, St Luke's,
St Leonard's, Burfield Rangers, Old Humberstone, Granville and Crusaders.
Belgrave St Peter's first achievement in the many cup competitions of the time was in 1891 when J.W. Garner captained the side through to the final of the Junior Cup Competition. They beat Wimbledon at home in the second round by 2 goals 8 minors to 1 minor and in the next round won against Aylestone Rd by 6 goals, 1 try 4 minors to 1 try and 2 minors. The final was played at South Wigston on 1st April 1891 against Lutterworth who lost by 1 goal 2 tries to 1 goal. Mr J Parsons was the referee of what was by all accounts a good game. A gate was taken and the cup was presented to J.W. Garner by Orson Wright at the Clarence Hotel before a large crowd. Speeches were made and J.W. Garner was asked to sign for the cup.

For J.W. Garner this was the start of an exciting rugby career. He captained Belgrave St Peter's the following season and again in 1894/5 and was the first Belgrave player to win a county cap. He joined Leicester and was a member of the first Leicester team to win the Midlands County Cup in 1898. He was captain of Leicester in 1902 when they won the Midlands County Cup for the fifth season in succession.
The following season Belgrave St Peter's played in the senior cup competition and in 1897 met Leicester A team in the Senior Cup final. After the game had to be replayed on the direction of the Leicestershire Rugby Union, the cup was awarded to Belgrave St Peter's who were also winners of the Rolleston Charity Cup that year. The captain of this particular year was T. Patrick.
On the 4th September 1895 Belgrave St Peter's received a deputation from Belgrave Rovers Football Club with a view to amalgamating. After discussion at Belgrave St Peter's Annual General Meeting it was decided to leave the proposal until "Rovers" had been consulted further.
Nothing further was done until 1899 when on 13th May a committee meeting held at the Melton Hotel considered the possible amalgamation of the two clubs. Considerable discussion took place especially relating to the finances of the respective clubs.
It was proposed and seconded that
(a) In case of amalgamation taking place the name of the club in future should be BELGRAVE RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB.
(b) That the meeting be adjourned till 16th June, in the meantime both clubs to call a meeting of its respective members to discuss the proposed amalgamation.
On 16th June 1899 Mr. J.W. Clayton reported on the committee meeting of the "Rovers" FC and, the finances of the respective clubs having been satisfactorily secured, Mr H. W. Vann proposed that the amalgamation should take place, the club to be called Belgrave Rugby Football Club and a General meeting be called at an early date to select officers. 

Belgrave St Peter's marched into the 20th Century as
Belgrave Rugby Football Club and before the first world war another Belgrave Rovers team was to come and go.
In the 1900/01 season H. Berrington was elected 1st team captain and L. Bradbury vice-captain, S.A. Anstee 2nd team captain and F. Chapman vice-captain. Sidney Alexander Anstee became club secretary in 1902, a position he was to hold for 50 years. During that time Sid Anstee served on the committee of the Leicestershire Rugby Union. He was also president of Leicestershire in 1926/27. Sid Anstee's son. Herbert better known as "Knibbs" was still and active member of the club up until 198888, serving as vice-president and groundsman marking the pitch out on match days as he had done for the last 30 years.
Belgrave first won the Midland Counties Cup in 1898 and then went on to win it every year up to 1905, eight consecutive times. It was during Leicester's tremendous cup run that Belgrave met them on two occasions. In 1899 Belgrave were really given a lesson in Rugby football losing in the second round game by 68 points to 3. A second meeting, with Leicester in 1903, again in the second round, was to prove costly, losing this time 54 points to nil. Although being well beaten by Leicester, 1903 was by no means a poor season; it was a highly successful one, because that year Belgrave won the Senior Cup, Rolleston Cup and the Leicester Alliance Combination, the first time any club had won all three competitions in the same season.
The club never settled on a permanent ground until 1911 when they managed to obtain the use of Belgrave Pastures where they are to this day. Until then the club seemed to move around from season to season. In 1901 they played on a ground owned by Mr Grewcock and in 1903 rented Mr Gask's field for two shillings and sixpence (12 ½ p) a match. Five pounds a season was the rent paid for Mr Felstead's field in 1904 and that went up to six pounds in 1905. The club returned to Mr Gask's field in 1906 and it would appear that, in an effort to cut rent costs, they started sharing the ground with other clubs, sharing first with Invicta FC and later with Anchor. In 1907 the club played on Mr Geary's field at a rent of six pounds ten shillings. This was almost increased to seven pounds in1910, but after consultation Mr Geary agreed to leave the rent as it was. When the use of Belgrave Pastures was obtained in 1911 it would appear that the rent was a lot more reasonable; the 1913 minutes state "the rent of the pastures will this season be £3 instead of £2".
Although not having a permanent ground until just before the 1914/18 war, their playing record during that period was quite good. They reached the third round of the Midlands County Cup on four occasions. First was in 1908 when they narrowly lost to Oadby by 13 points to 11. The third round game against Rugby in 1910 has already been mentioned and the other third round appearances were in 1913 when Stratford-On-Avon won 27 points to nil and 1914 when Aston Old Edwardians won by 25 points to nil.
Belgrave won the Leicester Alliance Combination two years running in 1902 and 1903 and the senior cup in 1903, 1906 and 1907. They won the Rolleston Cup no fewer than six times in a ten year period holding it in 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1910.
Of all the games played by Belgrave up to the Great War I would like to mention one they lost. It was the policy of the Leicestershire Rugby Union to arrange exhibition and important competition games to be played in the County where no Rugby existed.
This particular game was the Leicester Alliance Combination game against Granville and was played on 27th February 1904 at Anstey. Belgrave, who were the Alliance Combination winners the two previous seasons, were level with Granville on 20 points and travelled to Anstey with a good number of supporters and a lot of confidence. Granville took them by storm by winning the game 14 points to nil and the Alliance Combination with 22 points to Belgrave's 20. A Belgrave supporter at the game wrote a poem entitled "In memory of Dummy Town". Dummy Town is the old nickname for the Belgrave area possibly because of the number of Cul-de-sacs or "Dummies".
With the advent of the Great War in 1914 club activities ceased until 29th August 1919 when a general meeting was held and the club officials for the following season elected. Walter Buckler was elected captain and Mr Arthur Voce vice-captain. Walter Buckler and his brother William were both capped by the County.
The club's first game that season was a friendly played on the 20th September 1919 against Medway Athletic, which they won 8 points to 3. The following week they lost to South Wigston by a try to nil. The club were on the winning trail in 1920 winning the Senior and Rolleston Cup and finished the season as Alliance Combination Champions. They won the Senior cup in 1924 and again in 1925 when once again they finished the season as Alliance Combination Champions.
The 1926 season saw them as Alliance Combination winners, Senior Cup winners and Rolleston Cup finalists, losing to Lutterworth by 5 points to 3. The following year the club were again Alliance Combination winners; They also won both the Senior and Rolleston Cup, winning the Senior Cup in convincing style scoring six tries to nil against Leicester Police. They did not have things all their own way in the Rolleston Cup final when they played South Wigston on a rain swept Leicester ground. After extra time the score was still a try each and a replay was played on Stoneygate's ground, which at that time was on the Aylestone Road. This time Belgrave won 3 tries to nil.
1927 was the club's best ever season. By winning the County's three major competitions they equalled their own record breaking season of 1903 and even improved on this by finishing the season with no less than five cups in all. This is believed to be a record in local Rugby to this day.

The Owen Whittle Cup was a charity cup game played annually between Belgrave and South Wigston. It was in 1925 that club vice-president, Fred Owen, offered to pay half towards the cost of a cup for the "Boxing Day Infirmary Match". Mr Whittle, an official of South Wigston Rugby Club, paid the other half. The first Owen Whittle Charity Cup was played on Boxing Day morning 1925 at South Wigston, with the home team winning 6 points to nil.
The first Boxing Day morning Charity game between the two clubs took place at South Wigston 1921, with Belgrave winning 10 points to 3. They played again the following year on Boxing Day, but the game was recorded as an Alliance Combination match. Boxing Day games also took place in 1923 and 1924. South Wigston won in 1923 by 1 goal 1 try to 1 try and also beat us in the 1924 game, which was recorded as a "friendly" by 6 points to 3. Belgrave first won the Owen Whittle Cup on 27th December 1926. The game, scheduled to take place on Boxing Day 1927, wasn't played because of snow and the next Owen Whittle game took place on Easter Monday 1929, a game Belgrave won 11 points to 3, from then on the game was always played on Easter Monday. The normal procedure was to take a collection from the spectators during the game and the money raised was donated to the Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Club activities were again brought to a halt by another war in Europe. They soon commenced after the war but were never to reach the high playing standards set in the earlier part of the century.
Ill fortune struck in 1951 when the pavilion at Belgrave pastures was damaged by fire. Fortunately the damage was not too severe and was soon repaired, enabling the club to carry on without too much disruption.
In the late 1950's the club sometimes struggled to field a side and often travelled away short-handed; but the small band of players stuck together and in the early 1960's the club again turned out two teams, and before the end of the decade three teams were regularly turning out.
Throughout the 60's & early 70's Committee Meetings, Social Evenings and the "After Match Meals" were all held at the Packhorse Inn until it's demolition in 1971. The Committee then agreed in principle to continue to give "our custom" to the present landlord when he acquired the Cherry Tree in Bond St.
At that particular time the pub would open to serve the meals (free to the opposition but 3 shillings (15np) to club members)) but could not serve alcoholic beverages until 5.30pm.
An Xmas raffle was organised in 1969, tickets were 1 shilling each (5np) in books of 10 and the raffle prises were: - from club funds A Case of Vintage Champagne - Bottle of Port & Sherry - A 1lb box of Chocolates and 10 Manikin Cigars. Prizes donated by club members were -A Gas Lighter - Bottle of Whiskey - Basket of Fruit - Fifty Cigarettes and a Record Token.
BRFC in 1969 were also in a position to open a savings account for monies surplus to the running of the club. Barclays bank, Melton Turn, was the bank used and 6% was the rate offered. An opening balance of £100 was deposited and the treasurer and club secretary were the designated signatories.
At a committee meeting on Jan 27th 1971 a discussion took place regarding the use of the Old Pavilion. As the changing facilities were shared and the building was now in it's twilight years it was thought that new Changing Rooms were now needed exclusively for the members of BRFC. A site was pencilled in near the old Police Box, which was opposite to the Old Pavilion. A rough cost of £650 was estimated for this project with a projected cost rise of 10% extra each year.
The committee also approved the use of the Cherry Tree Pub as the next season's headquarters.
At an Extraordinary General Meeting on the 20 Dec 1971 it was decided after much discussion to build the Changing Rooms and a Clubhouse in one go (Changing rooms first followed by the Clubhouse).
In 1972 plans were well in hand for a small clubhouse to be built on the Belgrave pastures.
Brickwork on the new clubhouse started on Saturday 29th April 1979 and the brick building was built entirely by club members who also built the extension, which doubled its size. Approximately 12,000 bricks were used on this project. Unfortunately our then President Ramsey Ward was killed in a car accident and would not see its completion.
By 31st January 1973, £855 pounds had been spent on this new project, eventually rising to £1304 by May of that same year. Brickwork up to the roof was complete also roof timbers were in place, "bricking up" the gable ends would complete the outer shell.
Around September 1973 "Club Objectives" discussed included the extension of the existing building and the possibility of a third pitch.
At one particular committee meeting (still being held at the Cherry Tree) a reference was made to the effect that "Petrol Rationing" could have an effect on away matches and infact by February 1974 a proposed levy of 5p was made for away matches. Also at this time was the introduction of the "Three Day Working Week" which again also proved to be problematical.
In 1974 match fees were 40p (seniors) and 20p (juniors), petrol allowances of:
15 miles = 1 gallon (50p)
25 miles = 2 gallons (£1.00)
35 miles = 3 gallons (£1.50)
were introduced and new aluminium posts and sockets were purchased for £20.
In 1975 a "Wives Committee" was formed to assist in the social side of the club, also in 1975 all committee meetings would now be held at Belgrave Pastures and not the Cherry Tree Pub.
In 1976 it had been a particularly dry hot summer and due to these conditions it was proposed that all of the September Fixtures be "Cancelled" pending a change in the weather and pitch condition. Also up until '76 only one "Training Light" was available now three more were obtained.
Things were beginning to roll along smoothly and at a committee meeting held on the 30th Nov 1976 the committee was advised that the trustees have given:
1) Permission to build an Extension (30ft x 24ft)
2) Permission to apply for a Bar License
3) The promise of another Pitch should on become available
4) An assurance that the lease be reviewed.
Also in '76 the committee recognised that John Law had been a "Playing Member" of Belgrave RFC for 25 years and that a "Jersey and Tankard" be presented.
The total Clubhouse building project would be completed in 1980 at a cost (due to the efforts of club members and purchasing materials as and when needed) of £2,503. This figure could have well exceeded £10,000 if an outside contractor had been involved.
In 1979 the club committee asked Alan Pick if he would form a junior colts team. Alan, who had played regularly for the club in the 1950's and 1960's, worked hard contacting local schools and youth centres and started about twenty boys aged between thirteen and fifteen. A game was arranged against Syston's under fifteens and to everyone's surprise the side showed a lot of promise, beating Syston with some good rugby.
An interested spectator at that game was John Coupland who was coming to the end of his playing career. John offered to coach the team and Alan Pick became manager and fixture secretary. Eight more games were played that season resulting in seven victories. The team was also invited to play in South Leicester Rugby Football Club's Junior Colts Cup Competition and reached the semi-final. They lost to eventual winners Nuneaton.
In 1979/80 the team played twenty-two games winning nineteen and losing three. The following season 1980/81, the team with the addition of some new players, became full colts. Most of the boys were only about sixteen years old and with the age for the colts being sixteen to eighteen the boys often played against teams who were older. This age gap did show in the early season results - the record up to Christmas 1980 shows they lost 9 games and won 2 - but by the end of the season their record improved and they finished with thirteen victories and eleven defeats. Entering the County Colts Cup they beat Birstall in the first round by 6 points to nil. The played favourites and eventual winners, Lutterworth, in the next round and lost 15 points to 12. In the 1981/2 season twenty-four games were played and only three games ended in defeat. This was to be the season that a Belgrave team won a long awaited cup.
The colts successful cup run started with a first round game against Vipers, a close game in which Belgrave won 9 points to 3. In the quarterfinal, highly rated Hinckley were the opponents, but a great team effort enabled Belgrave to win 13 points to 7. In the semi-final they beat Lutterworth 19 points to 6. The Leicestershire County Colts Cup final was played on Leicester Tigers Welford Road ground against local rivals Syston. The game was a very close one with Belgrave winning 12 points to 9.
Six members of the County Colts Cup winning team were selected to represent Leicestershire Colts.
The players - John Muggleston, Mark Fritch, Neil Smith, David White and Greg Mason - all now playing for the club's senior teams.
The colts again reached the cup semi-final the following year after beating Vipers 29 points to 6 and Aylestone St James 15 points to 6. They were unfortunate to lose 6 points to 3 against eventual winners Market Bosworth.
The early eighties became a period of "Highs and Lows" for Belgrave RFC. On the one hand teams throughout the club were playing exceptionally well but on the other hand there were internal problems trying to secure the lease. Meetings were held between Belgrave RFC, Southend FC and Belgrave WMC FC discussing joint efforts on how to secure the lease.
At one committee meeting (06/09/82) solely for BRFC members the general feeling after much discussion was to persue the possibility of obtaining a new ground possibly on the then new Beaumont Leys Development. Also a letter was sent to BUSMC re the sale of their playing fields on the top of Mowmacre Hill.
A vote of thanks was given to J. Coupland for his success with the running of the "Colts" team and it was agreed to present all of the "Colts" squad with a plaque for winning the "Leicestershire Colts Cup". John then agreed to become the "First Team" coach with R. Broughton taking over the "Colts".
A separate electricity supply was installed this year at a cost of £140. Talks were also taking place regarding the "Centenary Celebrations" for the coming 1983 / 84 season. R. Ward BRFC's President agreed to be the "Centenary Celebrations Secretary". The celebratory year would include a "Presidents v BRFC" game, a Centenary Dinner Dance at the Centre Hotel (15-10-83) guests to include: - Lord Mayor & wife - Cannon K. Quinne & wife - President of LRU - Hon Sec LSRUR - plus guest from Leics Tigers possibly the President & wife.
A commemorative service to be held on Sept 16th Sept 1983 at St Peters Church Belgrave. John Goddard to read the lesson.
A possible "Centenary Tour" to Amsterdam.
A Garden Fete to end the Centenary Year.
Suggestions for memorabilia to include: - Special Wallets - Pennants - Club Jumpers - Club Ties, Key Fobs and Blazer Badges.
The 1983 / 84 Centenary season turned out to be a very successful time for BRFC with all of the above events taking place.
Another club landmark took place on Saturday 17th September 1983 when the club fielded a fourth senior team and colts. For the first time ever five teams represented Belgrave.
On Sunday 28th April 1985 a "Presidents Day" was held and apart from the usual game of rugby (Presidents team winning 21-9) presentations were made to J. Norman (Clubman of the Year). A tankard and Club tie to Denis McAtee on reaching 25 years service to the club and a glass tankard to Tony Haddon Captain of the Presidents team (2 previous seasons) for his help and commitment to the team.