Rugby League Event Celebrates Francis and Sullivan for Black History Month

Hull’s pioneering legends Roy Francis and Clive Sullivan will be celebrated in an event taking place at 11:00am on Saturday 18th October at Hull History Centre.

To celebrate Black History Month, historian Professor Tony Collins will give a short talk on Hull’s black history makers, and will then lead a discussion with Johnny Whiteley, Colin Hutton and Rosalyn Sullivan, discussing Francis and Sullivan’s impact and legacy.

Visitors will also be able to view the Rugby League Heritage on Tour exhibition, which closes on October 23rd.

The event is free to attend and all are welcome.

Would have loved to attend this event as I followed Roy Francis all through his playing and coaching career having first see him play at the Boulevard for Warrington a year or so before he signed for Hull in 1949.

I knew him personally through my dad who worked for Roy on "concert nights" at the hotel he ran in East Hull. Believe Col Hutton was also jointly involved. When Roy came to Sydney in 1969 to coach North Sydney I met up with him again.

He was very unfortunate to miss selection for an Ashes tour to Aus shortly after the war because of the" White Australia" policy in place at that time leaving Billy Boston to later become the first Black player to go away on an Ashes tour.