Pictures from Billy Piper

Photo:Studfall Juniors

Studfall Juniors

Billy Piper

Photo:My dad

My dad

Billy Piper

Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Pictures from Billy Piper' page
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Pictures from Billy Piper' page

By Michael Mahon

STUDFALL Juniors football team season 1959/60. Strip was green and black squares with black shorts. Socks were whatever you had. At the back is teacher and coach Mr Smithers then standing, left to right, are Robert Marshall, David Biddle, Billy Piper, ?? Rose and Melvyn Dixon. Seated, left to right are ?? McIlroy, Billy Beeby, George Flecknor, Barry Britten, Danny Wilson and Derek Allen. Where are they now? DADWEIGHT: This my father Willie Piper in the 1950s at the Uppingham and Corby Boys Club fete, which they held every year. My dad was a former Scottish 10stone weightlifting champion in the 1930s and runner- up in the British 10stone championship. We lived in Crawford Grove and he organised weightlifting sessions at the club and also helped to run the Uppingham and Corby Old Boys football team. Which leads me nicely on to FOOTIE1 and FOOTIE2. I have no idea of the name of the team in the stripes in footie1 but presume they are from the club as the picture is taken in the grounds. In footie2, my dad Willie is on the extreme left. I'm fairly sure it's the Old Boys team and there is a copy somewhere with names on the back but up to now I can't find it. During the football season, one of my dad's jobs was to inflate and lace up the leather balls. About four of them which were carried in a large net. This task took place in our shed in Crawford Grove and it was my job every Saturday morning to rub the footballs with Dubbin to keep them supple. Do you know, that memory still evokes the smell of Dubbin even today. Billy Piper

This page was added by Michael Mahon on 20/10/2012.
Comments about this page

Studfall juniors missing names Roger Rose Tom Mcilroy .Last I heard Mr Smithers was alive and still attends the Baptist Church on Rowlett Road .Dave Biddle lives in Thrapston .Tom Mcilroy around the Manchester area Bill Beeby lives in Yorkshire and myself George Flecknor living in sunny Adelaide 36C today good drinking weather .Not sure where the others are but Robert Marshalls sister married Barry Parsons the Corby Town Footballing legend Cheers George

By GEORGE FLECKNOR
On 03/11/2012

I am doing a tribute to Tam McKean founder member of Ayr Health and Stregth Club, Willie Piper was one of the clubs first champions before moving to Corby.Still researching the clubs history and members.

By Adam Glass
On 01/08/2013

I am doing a tribute on Tam McKean the founder member of the Ayr Health and Strength Club, Willie Piper was one of the clubs first national champions, he moved to Corby. Yesterday I came across an account from an 1947 newspaper saying Bill McConnel the British Bantam Weight Champion, also from Ayr had broken Willie's 15 year old Scottish record for the press. Still doing some research on the club history and its members, anything you can add would be appreciated.

By Adam Glass
On 20/01/2013

AYR'S CHAMPION MUSCLEMAN A Look back at the early days of the Health and Strength Club (circa 1990?) KEEP - FIT is very much in vogue these days... but it's not a new fad. Ayr Health and Strength Club was formed nearly 70 years ago by four young cyclists. Two of whom are still alive today. Jackie Bryden of Oswald Road and Dan Blackwell of Park Circus, both played a big part in having the paving the way for the popular club which is based at Tam's Brig. Although the club is now devoted to body building that wasn't the way it started. Dan said: “The only one among the four founder members was Tom McKean. The rest of us were more interested in cycling and athletics.” But the club did spawn a champion muscleman in the early days, His name was William Piper and he went on to break the British Empire record for the right hand lifts in the 1940s and won a weightlifting bronze medal for Britain in the 1948 London Olympics. Willie left Ayr with his wife and three children to live in Corby in the English Midlands in 1937 there until his death about 10 years ago. But he still has brothers living in Ayr Hugh, who lives in Alderston Avenue and youngest John of Belmont Crescent. It was John who supplied us with the pictures (left) of William which display his fine physique. However neither John now Hugh followed in their brother's footsteps. They prefer playing the piano to pumping iron!

By Adam Glass
On 20/01/2013

Good to see the picture of the Studfall Football team! I was at the school until 1960 and remember almost all of the lads in the picture. Mr Smithers was a good teacher and a really nice guy. My class teacher was Mr Goodall. Some of the girls I remember, Amy Redmond, Susan Woodhouse, Ann Mackin, Carol Dallimore, Ann Frazer. They were happy days, a good school, which my own children also attended. Made many mates there but sadly lost touch with them all. I still live in Corby, very near Studfall Junior !

By David Lewis
On 29/01/2013

Susan and Ann were in my class at the girl school still in touch with them.

By cynthia nichol
On 09/02/2013

Came across a reference to Willie Piper regarding the birth of a Scottish Weightlifting association formed with Tom McKean as the first chairman in 1936, John McRobbie Secretary, Willie Piper and John Shaw from Ayr were on the first committee. Still hoping to find out more on Willie after he left Scotland.

By Adam Glass
On 24/11/2013

The last photo I believe is my father Marshall Nimmo he is top row centre with the hair?

By Lois hill
On 01/01/2015
Add a comment about this page

If you're already a registered user of this site, please login using the form on the left-hand side of this page.