Club History

No exact date can be found for the inception of the Gravesend Club. The earliest mention of the Club is found in 1885 when the Paris Football Club toured England returning home with a record of played four, lost four. The teams played were Gravesend, Old Millhillians, Civil Service and Hornsey Rovers.

It is significant that in 1877 records show a meeting was held after a trial game to elect a captain and a sub-captain. Matches were played that year and a full fixture list arranged for the following year but no records can be found for the 1879/90 season.

The absence of games may have been due to some difference with the Bat & Ball PH where home games had been played, for when the club reappeared in February 1881, it was as the Tam O’Shanters. After a good season as the Tams, the old name was taken up again and the Club recorded 19 wins from 28 matches in the 1882/83 season.

In 1931, Gravesend merged with Darenth RFC, playing one season on the Shrimps Brand sports ground before moving in 1933 to Macleans Meadow in Chalk. On fixture cards for 1933, the name Darenth (Gravesend) was appearing. In 1936, the Gravesend Town Clerk, aggrieved to see the team playing home games outside the Borough, arranged for the town boundaries to be extended and allowed the club to use part of the town’s coat of arms on the Club’s Crest.

At that time – as today – the Club badge shows a large D over the town crest. On 4^th July 1939, the Club changed its name from Darenth (Gravesend) to Gravesend (Darenth). The first game after the war was played against Old Dartfordians – with Gravesend winning 9-8 in a ‘boisterous affair’. In 1946/7 the Club moved ground to Central Avenue, Gravesend, using the Central Hotel as its clubhouse. In 1975 due to lease problems, the Club moved to Northfleet for 7 years before moving to the current ground in Milton Road, Gravesend.

The start of the league system in 1987/88 saw a 10 year period of success for Gravesend in London 2 and winners of the Kent Cup in 1990. Sadly, the Club’s failure to win Two South in the following season signaled the start of a decline to London 3 South, in which the Club resided until winning the league 3 crown in 2007/08. Results in London 2 South have been encouraging (4^th) under 2008/09. The club was the start of the league system in 1987/88 saw a 10 year period of success for Gravesend in London 2 and winners of the Kent Cup in 1990.

Sadly, the Club’s failure to win London 2 South in the following season signaled the start of a decline to London 3 South, in which the Club resided until winning the league 3 crown in 2007/08. Results in London 2 South the following year were encouraging culminating in the club's appearance in the Kent Cup Final for the first time in 10 years where we were runners up to Blackheath.

With a young team now matured, Gravesend was able to push on with a period of on the field success unrivalled in its 130 years history. With the leagues re-gigged Gravesend found itself worthy champions of London 1 South at the second attempt in 2009/10 with a season finale topped off with a 3rd Kent Cup Final appearance this time resulting in victory over Old Elthamians.

With the start of the 2010/2011 Season Gravesend - for the first time in its history - were playing National League Rugby in National 3 London & South East. It appeared at first that this would prove too big a jump for the 1st XV, but, and perhaps predictably, Gravesend stuck to its task stoically and were soon playing a fluid, entertaining brand of rugby expected of a National League side. At the end of the season, Gravesend finished a very creditable 6th in National League 3 and again reached and won a thunderous Kent Cup Final (the Club’s 3rd victory in the competition) against Tonbridge Juddians.