Henry "Harry" Archer (26 November 1932 – 24 June 2019Harry Archer
/ref>), also known by the nickname of "The Architect", was an English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s, and coached rugby league in the 1980s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for

Workington RFC Workington RFC (founded 1877), also known as Workington Zebras, is an English rugby union club that is based in the town of Workington in Cumbria. The club operates four men's teams, a ladies teams and four boy's junior teams (under 13 to under 1 ...

, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain (non- Test matches), and

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

, and at club level for Dearham ARLFC (in Dearham), Grasslot and Glasson Rangers ARLFC (in Grasslot, Maryport/Glasson, Maryport, now known as Glasson Rangers ARLFC), Workington Town and Whitehaven, as a , i.e. number 6, and coached (jointly with Bill Smith) at club level for Workington Town.

Early life

Archer was born in Dearham,

, England. His birth was registered in Cockermouth district, Cumberland. He undertook his national service in the RAF Flying Training Command. He owned a Grocery Store om Main Road in Seaton.

Rugby union playing career

County Cup Final appearances

Archer played in

's 1952–53 Cumberland Cup Final.

Rugby league playing career

International honours

Archer represented Great Britain (RL) while at Workington in non- Test matches on the 1958 tour of Australia, and New Zealand. Four Workington players were selected for the 1958 tour; Harry Archer, Brian Edgar,

Ike Southward Isaac "Ike" Southward (15 August 1934 – 6 June 2006) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s, and Coach (sport), coached in the 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain national ...

and Bill Wookey (later of

Barrow Barrow may refer to: Places England * Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria ** Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, local authority encompassing the wider area ** Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency) * Barrow, Cheshire * Barrow, Gloucestershire * Barro ...

County honours

Archer made his début, and scored a try for

against Lancashire at Derwent Park, Workington during the 1955–56 season, and he played in

's victories in the County Championship during the 1961–62 season, 1963–64 season, 1965–66 season and 1966–67 season.

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Archer played in Workington Town's 9–13 defeat by Wigan in the

1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...

Challenge Cup The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...

Final during the 1957–58 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 10 May 1958. He was concussed within the first ten-minutes of the match by a stiff-arm tackle by Mick Sullivan, and had to leave the playing field, and although he returned to the match, he could not remember anything about the rest of the match.

Championship Final appearances

Archer played in Workington Town's 3–20 defeat by

Hull F.C. Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull F.C., is a professional rugby league football club established in 1865 and based in West Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The club plays in the Super League competition and were ...

in the Championship Final during the 1957–58 season at

Odsal Stadium Odsal Stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, is the home of Bradford Bulls Rugby League team. It has also been used by the Bradford Dukes speedway team, BRISCA F1 and F2 stock cars, the football team Bradford City, following the Valley ...

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

on Saturday 17 May 1958.

Western Division Championship Final appearances

Archer played in Workington Town's 9–9 draw with Widnes in the Western Division Championship Final during the 1962–63 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 10 November 1962, in front of a crowd of 13,588, and he played in the 10–0 victory over Widnes in the Western Division Championship Final

replay Replay may refer to: * Replay (sports), a replayed match between two sport teams Technology * Game replay, a recording of a game session. * Instant replay, in motion pictures and television, a showing again of part of a film * Replay Professional, ...

during the 1962–63 season on Wednesday 21 November 1962.

Club career

Archer signed for Workington Town on 30 March 1953, the half-back paring of Harry Archer and

Sol Roper John Roper (birth registered in the third quarter of 1936 – 14 October 2015), also known by the nickname of "Sol", was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s, and Coach (sport), coached in the 1960s ...

was initially made in the 29–15 victory over

Dewsbury Dewsbury is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Calder and on an arm of the Calder and Hebble Navigation waterway. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Hudder ...

Crown Flatt Crown Flatt, currently known as the Tetley's Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is a rugby league stadium in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of the Dewsbury Rams, who play in the Championship. The ground occupies the site of th ...

on Saturday 24 September 1955, the following week they played together against New Zealand, the pairing lasted for more than a 10-years and over 300 matches, although not prolific try-scorers, they created hundreds of try-scoring opportunities for, e.g. Ray Glastonbury, Piet Pretorius and

, Archer played his last match for Workington Town against Huddersfield on Saturday 19 November 1966, he was transferred from Workington Town to Whitehaven, he made seven appearances for Whitehaven before retiring.

Rugby league coaching career

Club career

Archer coached (jointly with Bill Smith) Workington Town to promotion from the Second Division during the 1983–84 season.

Honoured at Workington Town

Archer is a Workington Town Hall Of Fame Inductee.

Genealogical information

Archer was the son of Robert P. Archer, the rugby league half-back who played in the 1940s for England (Amateurs, now British Amateur Rugby League Association), Dearham ARLFC and Workington Town.

References

External links

Search for "Archer" at rugbyleagueproject.org
*(archived by web.archive.org

*(archived by web.archive.org
Rugby legend Geoff Robinson dies at 77Workington Town tribute following death of legendary half-back Harry ArcherHarry Archer at totalrl.com → forums
{{DEFAULTSORT:Archer, Harry 1932 births 2019 deaths 20th-century Royal Air Force personnel Cumberland rugby league team players English rugby league coaches English rugby league players English rugby union players Rugby league five-eighths Rugby league players from Dearham Rugby union players from Dearham Workington Town coaches Workington Town players Whitehaven R.L.F.C. players