Doug Morris 1921-2013 Doug died on 21st December 2013 aged 92 leaving behind his wife of 60 years, Mick, and son Ian. Doug Morris was Roundhay School all his life along with family, North Leeds Cricket and the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior Cricket League. He gave outstanding service to North Leeds as a player, role model and then Chairman. Doug was born in Smethwick in 1921 and the family, Leonard and Ethel and brother, Alan, moved to Leeds in the early 30s. As a schoolboy at Roundhay he excelled at sport making the 1st XV in 1937 and in the 1938-9 season scoring 7 tries and converting 19 of the 22 tries scored in a 104-0 victory – a school record. He got his 1st X1 cricket colours for 4 years 1937-40 averaging 42.75 with the bat in 1939 and captaining the side in 1940 as well as being athletics champion 1939-1940. In 1940 he scored 602 runs averaging 75.25 and took 37 wickets average 6.28 each. In his last year 1939-40 he was Senior Prefect ( Head Boy) and his first task before the school year started was to call the prefects together and explain the evacuation of the school to Lincoln and their role to his colleagues “ Doug came to the prefects room “ Unfazed” to brief and organise” his colleagues. So typical of Doug. On leaving school he went to Leeds University but was called up to the Army after just one term. He served in the Royal Artillery at Scapa Flow in the Orkneys and on the Isle of Dogs and was then transferred to the infantry. He joined the King’s African Rifles when they were sent to Uganda and he spent two years out there before coming back to University at the end of the war. There he was Captain of Cricket and he played for English Universities. Here he met Margaret (Mick). He went to Leeds University and then on teaching practice to teach geography at Rothwell Grammar School where he was immediately appointed full time and later became Head of Department. After playing cricket at Whitkirk as a schoolboy he made his 1st X1 debut at North Leeds in 1947 making an immediate impact with a 163 run stand for the 2nd wicket with Frank Elsworth scoring 80 of those. The following year he got the top league score of the year – 132 v Menston but the highest came in 1949 with a record opening partnership of 230 with Frank Elsworth with Doug scoring 155 not our which stood as a league record until 1986. His personal score is still a North Leeds record. He played an integral role in the 1st X1 winning the league title in 1951 and the Waddilove Cup in 1955 in which year he scored a key 28 in the final and in the season took 38 wickets at 10.37 including 6-8 in 21 balls against Horsforth. Doug became 1st X1 captain in 1956 through to 1961. Unfortunately no titles were won in those years but the team was never lower than third in the table and the league championship was again won in 1962 when Doug had a return of 6-26 against Rawdon. He finally retired as a player in 1966. Meanwhile and just as importantly he chaired the small committee which established the North Leeds Junior Section for 12-15 year olds in 1959 and went on to be Club Chairman 1964-68 covering the period of the of clubhouse fire and rebuild – a difficult time where his leadership was again to the fore. He married Mick in 1953 and they have celebrated 60 years together. One joyous moment for all at the club came in the first home match of the 1962 season when a 10 week old Ian Douglas was proudly wheeled in to the car park and front of the pavilion – it nearly stopped play. Doug also served on the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior Cricket League Management Committee for many years becoming Vice-President/Chairman 1964-67 and President 1968-1971and during this period the league expanded to 24 clubs with independent 1st and 2nd X1 promotion and relegation. Since then he has been a Hon Life Vice President as well as an Honorary Life Member of North Leeds. By this time Doug had returned to Roundhay School as Head of Geography becoming Deputy Headmaster in 1965. Prior to this he also ran the school rugby team as a classic role model culminating in the most successful season ever 1964-65 when 20 of the 21 games were won. His is still remembered in awe and friendship by all this team. Doug served as Deputy Head until his retirement in 1983 helping to the School merging with Roundhay High School for Girls to become a comprehensive doing the timetable for all that period. As well as a role model for pupils and students , he was the same for staff . Much respected, trusted and always so helpful with thoughtful advice Like for so many at Roundhay as a pupil and then a member of staff and at North Leeds Doug Morris was the role model, the mentor and friend. A final memory is of his reading at the school Carol Concert at St Edmunds Church from Corinthians 13 “So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. “ – that is what Doug Morris gave his pupils , staff colleagues , team mates fellow committee members and above all his family –love Ian Chappell
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 20:04:40 +0000
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