1. THE FIRST SEASON

Castle Cary Rugby Union Football Club was established in October, 1888. Its headquarters was the George Hotel. The President was John Stephens Donne (pictured), a prosperous flax-spinner in the town; Frank Criddle was Secretary, Treasurer and captain.

The first match was played on 1st December 1888 on a large field belonging to farmers John and William Clothier at Ansford — a neighbouring hamlet. The visiting team was Shepton Mallet: the match was drawn, the scores being a dropped goal to three tries ("one disputed", recorded a Caryite, but J.S. Donne was the referee). Scoring was somewhat different in the 19th century!

A crowd of sixty or so turned out to watch the first game: an indication that the Castle Cary Club would soon become an institution in the town and surrounding area.

In that first season Cary played nine matches, winning one and drawing two of them. After a particularly heavy defeat by Yeovil — 6 goals and 6 tries to nil — Cary's John Mackie wrote in his match report: "The Cary team, having studied the rules and practised frequently, will prove formidable opponents some day."
 

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