By: Michael Collier

Michael Collier — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 18:54:01 +0000

The licensee of the Punch Bowl Inn in the 1930’s was my grandfather, John “Jock” Collier. He was born in Dysart, Fife, Scotland on 01/02/1897 and was a professional footballer. He played for a number of teams including Victoria Hawthorn, Denbeath Star, Inverkeithing United, Raith Rovers, Hull City (where he met and married my grandmother, Hilda Collier neé Gall), Queens Park Rangers then York City. He joined York City as their first official player-manager between 1928 and 1930 before retiring following a broken ankle and becoming a full time publican at the Punch Bowl Inn. (I have photographs of him outside the premises but do not know how to upload them to this site). The club suffered many poor results after he left and he was recalled in a purely managerial role between 1933 and 1937, being credited with saving the club from certain liquidation. Sadly, he died from cancer in 1940 when his son, John Collier was only 15 years of age. Fearing the severity of his illness, he had left the pub prior to his death and purchased a small corner shop in Hull where his wife and two children, John and Mary, would be assured of a regular income. He had previously enlisted in the Fife & Forfar Yeomanry in WW1 and following an injury forced to accept an honourable medical discharge. It is a measure of the man that despite having seen the horrors of the trenches, after one year he re-enlisted and shortly afterwards volunteered to join the Machine Gun Corps. This was frequently referred to as the “Suicide Squad” as machine gums were specifically targeted by the German artillery and the death rate was terrifyingly high. His brother represented Scotland as a professional football player and he came from a sporting family. Jock was truly a founding father of the current York City football team and as previously stated, was credited with bringing the team back from the brink as it faced liquidation. Sadly, both my aunt Mary and my father John have now passed away. My father John died on 15/01/2021 after catching Coronavirus during a short stay in an NHS facility in Hull. He always believed that the pub had been demolished and it was only by chance that I recently found a record of the pub (as the Independent) now given its original name of Punch Bowl. I trust that this may be of some passing interest to those who have known the pub for many years and to those of you with an interest in the history of York City F C? Regards, Michael Collier

By: Philip Smith

Philip Smith — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 03:10:26 +0000

The licensee of the Punchbowl during the 1940s and 50s was Mel Rosser, ex Wales, England and GB rugby player. So well known by the locals that the pub was usually referred to as ‘Rosser’s’ rather than the Punchbowl.

Comments on: The Punch Bowl: then and now

By: Michael Collier

By: Philip Smith