View source for Jack Kitching

{{short description|English RL coach and former GB & England international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name                = Jack Kitching
|fullname            =
|image               = File:Jack Kitching 1951.jpg
|image_size          =
|caption             = Kitching photographed in February 1951 while playing for Castleford
|birth_date          = {{circa|1920}}
|birth_place         = [[Bradford]], [[West Yorkshire]], England
|death_date          = {{death date and given age|1993|7|30|73|df=yes}}
|death_place         = [[Bottesford, Lincolnshire]], England
|height              =
|weight              =
|position            = {{rlp|CE}}
|club1               = {{nowrap|[[Bradford Northern]]}}
|year1start          = 1944
|year1end            = 48
|appearances1        = 171
|tries1              = 48
|goals1              = 2
|fieldgoals1         =
|points1             = 148
|club2               = [[Whitehaven R.L.F.C.|Whitehaven]]
|year2start          = 1948
|year2end            =
|appearances2        =
|tries2              =
|goals2              =
|fieldgoals2         =
|points2             =
|club3               = [[Bradford Northern]]
|year3start          = 1949
|year3end            = 50
|appearances3        =
|tries3              =
|goals3              =
|fieldgoals3         =
|points3             =
|club4               = [[Castleford Tigers|Castleford]]
|year4start          = 1950
|year4end            = 52
|appearances4        = 28
|tries4              = 11
|goals4              = 0
|fieldgoals4         = 0
|points4             = 33
|teamA               = [[England national rugby league team|England]]
|yearAstart          = 1945
|yearAend            = 47
|appearancesA        = 4
|triesA              = 0
|goalsA              = 0
|fieldgoalsA         = 0
|pointsA             = 0
|teamB               = {{nowrap|[[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]]}}
|yearBstart          = 1946
|yearBend            =
|appearancesB        = 1
|triesB              = 0
|goalsB              = 0
|fieldgoalsB         = 0
|pointsB             = 0
|coachteam1          = [[Whitehaven R.L.F.C.|Whitehaven]]
|coachyear1start     = 1948
|coachyear1end       =
|coachgames1         =
|coachwins1          =
|coachdraws1         =
|coachlosses1        = 
|coachteam2          = [[Castleford Tigers|Castleford]]
|coachyear2start     = 1951
|coachyear2end       = 52
|coachgames2         = 41
|coachwins2          = 10
|coachdraws2         = 1
|coachlosses2        = 30
|retired             = yes
|source              = <ref>{{cite web |title=Jack Kitching |url=http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=511 |website=Castigers.net |access-date=10 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429133142/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=511 |archive-date=29 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Rugby league records |id=9020 |title=Jack Kitching |access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref>
}}

'''Jack Kitching'''  was an English professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s, and [[Coach (sport)|coach]]ed in the 1950s. He played at representative level for [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] and [[England national rugby league team|England]], and at club level for [[Bradford Northern]], [[Whitehaven R.L.F.C.|Whitehaven]] and [[Castleford Tigers|Castleford]], as a {{rlp|ce}}, and coached at club level for Castleford.

==Early life==
Kitching was born in Bradford.<ref name=YP110150/> He was educated at [[Thornton Grammar School]], Bradford and [[Borough Road College]], London, where he qualified as a teacher.<ref name=YP110150>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19500111/166/0006 |title=International footballer to contest North Bradford |newspaper= [[Yorkshire Post]] |date=11 January 1950 |page=6 |issue=((31,939)) |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> From 1940–45 he served in the [[Royal Navy]].<ref name=YP110150/>

==Rugby career==
Kitching's rugby league career started in 1944 when he signed for Bradford Northern, having previously played for Bradford rugby union club.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19440204/040/0003 |title=Trinity at Batley 
|newspaper= [[Yorkshire Evening Post]] |date=4 February 1944 |issue=((16,626)) |page=3 |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref>

Kitching was three times a [[Challenge Cup]] winner.  He played in the second leg of the [[1943–44 Challenge Cup]] final as Bradford beat Wigan 8–0 (winning 8–3 on aggregate) at [[Odsal Stadium]] on 22 April 1944.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000650/19440424/105/0004 |title=Bradford win the Cup |newspaper= [[Liverpool Daily Post]] |date=24 April 1944 |page=4 |issue=((27,690)) |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> The second win was when Bradford beat [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]] 8–4 at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] in the [[1946–47 Challenge Cup]] final on 3 May 1947.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/archive/page/1947-05-05/2.html |title=Rugby League Cup: Bradford Northern beat Leeds |newspaper= [[The Times]] |date=5 May 1947 |page=2 |issue=((50,752)) |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In between Kitching played in both legs of the [[1944–45 Challenge Cup]] final as Bradford lost 13–9 on aggregate to [[Huddersfield Giants|Huddersfield]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19450430/075/0003 |title=Huddersfield's well-earned R.L. Cup Final lead |newspaper= [[Yorkshire Post]] |date=30 April 1945 |page=3 |issue=((30,483)) |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19450507/157/0005 |title=Huddersfield's grand win in R.L. Cup |newspaper= [[Yorkshire Post]] |date=7 May 1945 |page=5 |issue=((30,489)) |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> The third was in 1949 as Bradford beat [[Halifax R.L.F.C.|Halifax]] 12–0 at Wembley on 7 May.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://login.thetimes.com/?gotoUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.com%2Farchive%2Fpage%2F1949-05-09%2F6.html |title=Rugby Football: Bradford Northern win League Cup |newspaper= [[The Times]] |date=9 May 1949 |page=6 |issue=((51,376)) |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

While at Bradford Kitching won four caps for [[England national rugby league team|England]] between 1945 and 1947, three caps against Wales (1945, 46 and 47) and a single cap against France in 1946.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Kitching&submit=Go&c=England |title=England International statistics:Jack Kitching |date=31 December 2011 |access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> In 1946 he was selected for the [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] team to [[1946 Great Britain Lions tour|tour Australia and New Zealand]], and played in one test against Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Kitching&submit=Go&c=GB|title=Great Britain International Statistics: Jack Kitching |date=31 December 2011 |access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> During the first test of the tour he was sent off for striking Australian captain, [[Joe Jorgenson]]. Kitching later accused Jorgensen of biting him prior to his dismissal, an allegation that was not sustained.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19460617/116/0008 |title=Draw in First R.L. Test Match |newspaper= [[Yorkshire Evening Post]] |date=17 June 1946 |page=8 |issue=((17,357)) |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17987858 |title=Allegation By Kitching Of Biting Denied |newspaper= [[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |issue=((33,848)) |date=18 June 1946 |page=7 |via= [[National Library of Australia]]}}</ref>

In June 1948 Kitching accepted an offer to become manager at new club, [[Whitehaven R.L.F.C.|Whitehaven]] who were about to start their inaugural season in the league.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19480622/096/0008 |title=Kitching accepts Whitehaven offer |newspaper= [[Yorkshire Evening Post]] |date=22 June 1948 |issue=((17,982)) |page=8 |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref>  A transfer fee of £2,500 was agreed between Whitehaven and Bradford enabling Kitching to also play for as well as manage Whitehaven in July 1948;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19480729/093/0008 |title=Kitching will also play |newspaper= [[Yorkshire Evening Post]] |date=29 July 1948 |issue=((18,014)) |page=8 |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> however in December of the same year Kitching resigned as manager citing personal reasons and the inability to find a family home in Whitehaven, and returned as a player to Bradford.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19481222/101/0008 |title=Kitching released by Whitehaven |newspaper= [[Yorkshire Evening Post]] |date=22 December 1948 |issue=((18,139)) |page=8 |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19481228/129/0004 |title=Kitching's return to Odsal stopped record transfer |newspaper= [[Yorkshire Post]] |date=28 December 1948 |issue=((31,617)) |page=4 |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref>  In October 1950 he was transferred to Castleford for a fee of £1,000.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19501031/063/0006 |title=Kitching for Castleford |newspaper= [[Hull Daily Mail]] |date=31 October 1950 |page=6 |issue=((20,262)) |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref>  From February 1951 he was captain of the team.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19510228/062/0003 |title=Kitching to lead Castleford |newspaper= [[Yorkshire Post]] |date=28 February 1951 |issue=((32,290)) |page=3 |url-access=subscription |via= [[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> Between August 1951 to April 1952, he was coach of the Castleford club.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813211948/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/coachprofile.php?p=coach&id=23 |url=http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/coachprofile.php?p=coach&id=23 |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 August 2011 |access-date=23 August 2017 |title=Jack Kitching: Coaching Record}}</ref>

==Teaching career==
Away from rugby, Kitching taught geography and physical education.  At the time of the 1950 General Election he was teaching at Pudsey Grammar School.<ref name=YP110150/> He later became deputy head teacher at [[High Ridge School]] in [[Scunthorpe]].<ref name="Double Sorrow">{{cite news |title=Double Sorrow |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001121/19930802/001/0001 |work=Grimsby Evening Telegraph |date=2 August 1993 |page=1 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Political career==
He was the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] candidate for [[Bradford North]] at the 1950 General Election.<ref name=YP110150/> He finished third and did not stand for parliament again.
{{Election box begin|
|title= [[1950 United Kingdom general election|General Election 1950]]: Bradford North<ref>{{cite book |title=British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973 |last=Craig |first=FWS |author-link=F. W. S. Craig |page=93 |edition=2nd |year=1983 |publisher=Parliamentary Research Services |orig-year=1971 |isbn=0900178078}}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party      = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate  = [[William Johnson Taylor]]
|votes      = 20,628
|percentage = 45.7
|change     = +9.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party      = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate  = [[Muriel Nichol|Muriel Edith Wallhead-Nichol]]
|votes      = 18,517
|percentage = 41.0
|change     = -2.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party      = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate  = '''Jack Kitching'''
|votes      = 5,985
|percentage = 13.3
|change     = -6.8
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes      = 2,111
|percentage = 4.7
|change     = 
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes      = 
|percentage = 87.7
|change     = 
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
|winner     = Conservative Party (UK)
|loser      = Labour Party (UK)
|swing      = +6.0
}}
{{Election box end}}

==Death==
Kitching died of cancer at his home in [[Bottesford, Lincolnshire]] on 30 July 1993, aged 73.<ref name="Double Sorrow" /> He was buried at St Giles Church, [[Scartho]] along with his two-year old granddaughter Mishka, who had died from [[cerebral palsy]] on the same day.<ref>{{cite news |title=Family Announcements |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001121/19930802/006/0006 |work=Grimsby Evening Telegraph |date=2 August 1993 |page=6 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Little Mishka (two) buried alongside her grandfather |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001121/19930825/015/0015 |work=Grimsby Evening Telegraph |date=25 August 1993 |page=15 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Bradford Northern
| state = collapsed
| titlestyle= background: black; color:#FDE910; border:1px solid red;
| list1  =
{{Bradford Northern - 1943–44 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Bradford Northern - 1944–45 Championship Final winners}}
{{Bradford Northern - 1945–46 Yorkshire Cup Final winners}}
{{Bradford Northern - 1946–47 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Bradford Northern - 1948–49 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
}}
{{Great Britain squad – 1946 Australia & New Zealand Tourists "The Indomitables"}}
{{Castleford Tigers coaches}}
{{Whitehaven RLFC coaches}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitching, Jack}}
[[Category:1920s births]]
[[Category:1993 deaths]]
[[Category:Bradford Bulls players]]
[[Category:British sportsperson-politicians]]
[[Category:Castleford Tigers coaches]]
[[Category:Castleford Tigers players]]
[[Category:England national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:English rugby league coaches]]
[[Category:English rugby league players]]
[[Category:Great Britain national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Rugby league centres]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Bradford]]
[[Category:Whitehaven R.L.F.C. coaches]]
[[Category:Whitehaven R.L.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Schoolteachers from Yorkshire]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]