Profile

Jimmy, as he was popularly known was a Cumbrian who, although born in Barrow, was brought up in Workington where his family had moved when he was just three years old. His first professional club was Hunslet, where he gained Cumberland county honours. He joined the new Coventry club in 1910 before arriving at Watersheddings in 1913. He made 68 senior appearances for Oldham between 1913 and 1922 which would have been many more but for the war-time period.

When the war began, he signed up with many of his team-mates into the 2nd 10th Manchester Regiment where he rose to the rank of sergeant and became a bombing (grenade) instructor. He subsequently saw service with the King’s Liverpool Regiment and the 13th Manchesters with whom he was posted to Salonika. He was eventually commissioned to the rank of Lieutenant. His army career was dramatic to say the least! He was reported missing, presumed killed only to return to his battalion with the remnants of his patrol five days later, where they received a rousing reception. He was duly gazetted to 2nd lieutenant on June 29th 1917 and drafted to Salonika with the 13th Manchesters. By 1918 he was back in France where he had a miraculous escape when a German bullet passed right through his body damaging a lung. He was then invalided back to England and stationed at Cleethorpes. Despite everything, Jim’s appetite for sport remained intact and before long he was playing army rugby and guesting for various clubs. On one occasion he played for the Army against the Leicesters at the Boulevard which was a curtain raiser for the Hull v Hunslet match. On leaving the field he was collared by the Hunslet officials who asked him to play again. Without hesitation Jim slipped off the army shirt pulled on the Hunslet one and played his second game of the day.

After the war he returned to play for the Roughyeds making occasional appearances before hanging up his boots in 1922. He then went on to serve on the committee for many years and was president for five years in the 1930s. Well known as a long serving local licensee he ran the Friendship at Mumps, the Regent Hotel at Market Place and the Ashton Arms on Clegg Street. Jim Parkinson, lived to be just one month short of his 100th birthday. Undoubtedly one of the great characters of Oldham RLFC.