Roddy Fraser and the mystery of the Thistle cup medal
ID:PC_INVFOOT_STORY_RODDY_FRASERDESCRIPTION:The Inverness Football Memories Project is hoping to trace the family of a former Inverness Thistle player with the initials R.F. so that a medal he won almost 100 years ago might be returned to them.
It is suspected that R.F. are the initials of Roddy Fraser, the left back of Thistle in the late 1920s and 1930s, who is known to have been captain of the Jags’ team that lifted the Scottish Qualifying Cup (Northern Section) in 1932-33.
The 9-carat gold medal at the centre of the mystery is dated 1927-28 when Thistle won the Inverness Cup and bears only the inscription R.F. on the back. It ended up for sale at Graham Budd Auctions in London in May 2018. It was sold together in one lot with another Inverness Cup medal - of 1933-34 - won by Thistle team-mate and inside right, Jimmy Roy, who went on to play for Clachnacuddin the following season. The starting bidding price for the medals was £350. Both medals are now in the safe hands of the family of Jimmy Roy, who would be keen to hear from anyone who can solve the mystery.
Mr Roy’s daughter, Mrs Janet Fraser, Inverness, recalled: “My late mother gifted one of my dad’s medals to a friend and we heard nothing more about the matter until my daughter Fiona found out it was being sold at auction in London. Clearly, we were very keen to buy it and have it back in the family. The other Inverness Cup medal was included in the lot and that is how we have it. Someone else was bidding against us so we know there is interest in the medals. We would love to hear from anyone who might be able to shed more light on the R.F. or as we suspect the family of Roddy Fraser.”
Mr Roy, a plumber with British Rail, lived with his wife Jessie at MacEwen Drive, Inverness – a stone’s throw away from Thistle’s home ground at Kingsmills Park. Jimmy became as famous for his gardening and horticultural prowess as his football skills, winning top awards at the Highland Horticultural and Tomato Growers Society on more than 20 occasions since 1953. He had the distinction of winning the coveted Scottish Qualifying Cup (Northern Section) with both Inverness Thistle and Clachnacuddin.
Thistle won the cup in 1932-33 beating Penicuik Athletic 4-3 at Elgin, with Roddy Fraser (captain) and Jimmy Roy in the victorious team. Inside left for Thistle that day was Willie Urquhart, whose son Billy was to play for Rangers and give distinguished service to Caledonian. On route to the final, Thistle beat Forres 4-2, Wick 4-1, Citadel 5-2 and Fraserburgh 1-0. A “complimentary supper” was held at the Waverly Hotel in Inverness on 1 February 1933, to mark the trophy success, the first in the club’s history. The Thistle team was - MacDonald, Munro, Fraser, Longbottom, Ballantyne, Brodie, Cameron, Roy, Gowl, Urquhart and MacBean.
Jimmy was in the Clach team that won the cup in 1934-35 when they beat Rosyth Dockyard Recreation 2-0 at Pittodrie, Aberdeen, in front of 4,313 spectators. Indeed, he scored the second and decisive goal. More than 1,000 fans were waiting at Inverness railway station to welcome the team home.
The Clach team was - MacNeil, Davidson, Clark, Maclean, Cameron and Lawson, Logie, Roy, Mackinnon, Murchison and Munro.
On their way to the final, Clach defeated Nairn 3-1, Thistle 3-2, Caley 4-1 and Buckie Thistle 3-2. A “complimentary supper” was held at the Albert Hotel, Inverness, on 17 January 1935 in
honour of the winners.
Please contact enquiries@ambaile.org.uk if you can help Mrs Fraser solve the mystery
DATE OF IMAGE:1928PERIOD:1920sSOURCE:Janet FraserCOLLECTION:Inverness Football Memories - memorabiliaAsset ID:49812KEYWORDS:
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