Birkenhead Park RFC

It is with great sadness that that the club has to report the death of Life Member John Davenport who passed away peacefully at home on 23rd May.

 

John’s association with Birkenhead Park goes back over 62 years after joining the club from Hoylake with Bernie Lynch. He was playing 1st team rugby on the wing at the age of 19 in an era when Park were still very much a force on the national stage. His contemporaries included the likes of Jim Crowe, John Campbell, Stuart Hope and the Harty brothers.

 

Although his playing career was cut short through injury he maintained his support for the club and was immensely proud to see his son Harvey follow in his footsteps when he too made his 1st team debut at the age of 19 also on the wing. John organised the running of the gate for 1st team home games over many years and played a key role in the Development Project which breathed new life into the club 20 years ago. John gave his time and professional expertise freely in all matters QS and design related and helped secure the funding to enable the project to go ahead.

 

John, his wife Sylvia , son Scott and daughter Jenny were all great supporters of the club as well as Harvey who went on to a long playing career including playing for Cheshire. John was diagnosed with prostate cancer some 11 years ago and he battled the condition with great fortitude. He remained active right up to the final months and loved skiing, cruising and the infamous family visits to the horse racing at Aintree. John was an active member of the Park Seniors attending the monthly lunches and raising funds for youth and schools rugby.

 

John’s funeral is on Monday 17th June at Frankby Chapel at 2pm followed by burial at Frankby Cemetery. There will be a celebration of John’s life afterwards at Birkenhead Park F.C.

 

Our thoughts and condolences go to the Davenport family but I am sure they will be comforted by the knowledge that John was so highly regarded by all involved at Birkenhead Park over many years.