Written by Mike Carter, Hull KR Shirts
During the early stages of 2024, I was asked if I would be interested in running a Heritage evening and delivering a session based around my shirt collection. It had been two and a half years since I had the opportunity to run a Heritage session, so there was no way that I would be turning down the opportunity.
I prepared prepared a presentation, similar to that of the one in 2021. However, I wanted to try and make this one more interactive. I added in some quiz questions for the break around squad numbers, which people seemed to really enjoy taking part in (more on this as you scroll). I was a little bit worried that I had made them too hard, but at least one person in the room got each mystery player.
The session started with a brief introduction to Hull KR Shirts, including how and why I started collecting. We then moved into the late 1800s and early 1900s and talked about how the kits from this era differ from those used in the modern day. Hull KR first used a white shirt with a red band in around 1919 and wore some kind of modified version all the way through until the 1970s, so we only covered a few of those.
My shirt collection currently kicks in at 1977 and features shirts from most of thee years through until 2023, so I now had the ability to show off shirts which have been worn in games by Hull KR players, featuring the best on mannequins and busts.
The first half of the session concluded in 2006, a timely break for the introduction of squad numbers at Hull KR. The break formed the opportunity for me to start the quiz I had prepared. I left this on the screen for attendees to have a crack at and generate some conversation between the tables. I have added it below for you to have a go at, if you fancy.
Once you have finished, or if you give up, tap here for the answers.
The second half of the evening allowed me to show off some yet to be seen shirts within my collection. These are shirts that I have picked up recently that have yet to be seen on any of my social media channels. Starting in 2007 and moving through until 2023, the second half covered the Super League years and featured a 2017 home shirt from our only season in the second division during the aforementioned time frame.
I had so much fun presenting to the attendees, and if they had half the fun that I did, then they would have had a lovely evening learning about the kit history of Hull Kingston Rovers.
I would like to thank Keith Pollard and Michelle Halliday for their support of running and setting up the session. I would also like to thank Josh Worthington for his time and support with advertising the event and the photography from the evening.
If you have thought about attending a Heritage evening before and haven’t, or maybe you didn’t even know that they existed and would like more information on them. You can get in touch with Janine Badger on janine.badger@hullkr.co.uk or feel free to send me a message on social media.
You can also find out more information by clicking the image below.
Hull KR Shirts 