George Bennett in his Wales shirt.
On Friday, the 21 October 2022, I gave a talk at the Museum of Wigan Life titled 'Roy Francis, George Bennett, race and rugby league' as one of the museum's Black History Month events.
The talk looks at the lives of the two players, examines the impact of the 1919 racist riots on their lives and the sport, and for the first time reveals how Geroge Bennett was excluded from the 1936 Lions tour to Australia because of racism.
The talk also looks at the lives of Alec Givvons, Oldham’s Newport-born Welsh international, the Cumberbatch brothers Val and Jimmy, and the much lesser known Ralph Meheux of Hull.
It also moves beyond sport, and looks at the story of Roy Francis’ father, Lionel Francis who left his job in the Welsh mines in 1920, emigrated to America. and became a leader of Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association.
Most importantly, the talk gives uses the history of rugby league and its player to cast new light on black working-class life in the interwar years.
Thanks to the museum’s great Joan Livesey who organised the event and to everyone who turned out on a damp Wigan Friday night.
Roy Francis running out for Hull FC in the early 1950s.