The funeral took place on Friday of a dedicated member of Keswick Rugby Club whose sudden death has shocked the town in which he was so well-known and loved.
A glowing tribute has been paid to Jeremy Hall by Trevor Keough, the chairman of the Davidson Road club, following his death at his Tithebarn Street home on August 25.
“It has only been a short time since Jeremy’s shock passing and emotions with many are still raw,” said Mr Keough. “All of us privileged to have known him realise that we have lost a great friend and dedicated club man.
“We will miss his honesty, his knowledge, his intelligence, his creativity and innovation, his sense of humour including seriously corny jokes, his lectures, his positively expressed opinions and more than anything his genuine loyalty to friends and family.
“However, our lives have been enriched by knowing him and the example he set in his dedication and love of family, friends, club and community.”
The pair first met at Keswick School in 1971 where many considered Jeremy to be one of the best schoolboy all-round sportsmen they had ever met due to his incredible strength and athleticism.
He played rugby for the county and Northwest Counties and was extremely unfortunate not to be selected for England at U16 level. He also played for Cumbria at under 18 level.
Mr Keough believes that if he had been from a more fashionable rugby county than Cumbria, he might have worn the Red Rose as a full schoolboy international. He was the first school player at Keswick to captain the school 1st XV for two years. He was a county level swimmer, Victor Ludorum at athletics and a brilliant tennis player.
“No one had ever seen as many coloured badges sewn on a school blazer,” said Mr Keough. “He was a true all-rounder but one who excelled at rugby.”
He was talent spotted by Tony Bragg, chairman of Keswick Rugby Club in 1977, and he quickly drafted him in for his first match aged 17 for the third team before instant promotion to the 2nds and one week later to the firsts where he remained for his whole time at school as first choice full back for the Keswick club.
He had pace, strength, vision, positional sense and a thunderous boot to send a ball nearly full pitch length. After leaving school and heading to Manchester University he sustained a serious shoulder injury which curtailed his playing career and led to a drop in interest.
Jeremy’s interest in the game was re-kindled again when he had a chance meeting with Mr Keough in Manchester. They both joined Sedgley Park RFC because of a previous link with Old Keswickian teacher David Robinson.
After a good season back, they moved to Broughton Park RFC and Jeremy continued for a few years with that club, making many friends before moving back to Littletown in the Newlands Valley and Keswick Rugby Club. He played mostly at second and third team level on return to Keswick, having slowed down a bit but still retaining his strength. As a scrum half he was unstoppable from 10m from the try line!
Eventually Jeremy, a chartered accountant, moved into club administration and gave up countless hours as a volunteer in the roles of treasurer, chairman, president and trustee when the Keswick Community Rugby Trust was formed.
For a couple of seasons, he was even head chef doing senior players’ match teas and always ran a barbecue on New Year’s Day for visiting supporters from Penrith RFC for the annual game.
“Throughout he provided sage financial advice and great ideas to make and save the club money,” said Mr Keough.
He put together the first finance package to extend the rugby clubhouse to where it is now and was the first treasurer of the highly successful Keswick Beer Festival.
“He was instrumental in producing financial procedures for Keswick Community Rugby Trust and always advising on maximum tax efficiency,” said Mr Keough. “His knowledge was unparalleled and from a financial point of view the club was very lucky to have him on board. On top of that he was a great rugby supporter following all the teams. No one is likely to forget the loudest ‘Come on Keswick!’ you would ever hear at Davidson Park.”
The funeral service was held at Distington Hall Crematorium.
