kids encyclopedia robot

Rugby League Heritage Centre facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Rugby League Heritage Centre was a special museum that used to be in the basement of the George Hotel in Huddersfield, England. It was the only museum dedicated to the history of rugby league. The idea for the museum came from Mike Stephenson, a TV presenter and former player for Great Britain.

What is Rugby League?

Rugby league is a team sport played with an oval-shaped ball. It's one of the two main types of rugby football. The game is popular in countries like England, Australia, New Zealand, and France.

History of the Centre

Plaque on the George Hotel, Huddersfield (10252321744)
A special plaque on the George Hotel, remembering where Rugby League began.

The George Hotel in Huddersfield is a very important place for rugby league. On August 29, 1895, twenty-one northern rugby clubs met there. They voted to create their own group, separate from the main Rugby Football Union. This new group was first called the Northern Rugby Football Union. Later, in 1922, it became known as the Rugby Football League. This event was a big moment in the history of the sport.

The Rugby League Heritage Centre officially opened its doors at the George Hotel on August 30, 2005. Famous former players like Billy Boston, Neil Fox, and Mick Sullivan were there for the opening. The museum showed off many cool items. These included rare jerseys, medals, caps, and old photographs. Many of these items belonged to Mike Stephenson, who helped start the museum.

Why Did the Centre Close?

In 2013, the George Hotel was sold to new owners. This meant the museum had to find a new home. A sports charity called Rugby League Cares received money from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This money, £97,200, helped them keep the museum's collection safe. The collection then went on a special tour and was kept in storage while a new place was being planned.

In 2016, there were announcements about a new museum. This new museum, called the National Rugby League Museum, is planned to be in Bradford, which is not far from Huddersfield. It will continue the work of the original Heritage Centre.

Images for kids

  • Plaque on the George Hotel, Huddersfield (10252321744)

    A special plaque on the George Hotel, remembering where Rugby League began.

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Rugby League Heritage Centre Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.