The Revd. Canon Nick Bell, our Hon Club Chaplain, led the proceedings for George Morton's funeral on 22 August, which was extremely well attended. Here is part of his family's tribute to him at the funeral:
George Morton, was a sportsman, but his great love was rugby and Holt Rugby club. He started his rugby career playing first team rugby at Norwich. He was a founder member of Holt Rugby Club, and played hooker and was vice captain in their very first game in December 1961.

In the early years Holt RFC played at many sites in Holt including on a paddock down near the old coal yard. The changing rooms were in the back of the railway pub, which also doubled as their clubhouse. A pre-game warm up for George involved removing his front teeth and popping them into his shoe, taping down his Bobby Charleton comb over and lighting a cigarette whilst wandering down to the pitch. Upon arrival they would throw the ball around a few times, and then the whistle would go and the game would be underway.

According to his fellow team mates he was always calm when playing Rugby and very highly thought of as a rugby player, playing at least 10 years in the first team. He was strong too, with a vice like grip, often they would think they had lost the ball in the scrum, only for George to produce it from seemingly nowhere.

He went on many tours with Holt, went on to captain the second team and after his playing days were over he became chairman from 1983 to 85. His boys had started to play by then, and so there was yet another reason to go up to the club and to share stories with his former teammates over a whisky or two. He made many lifelong friends at the club, and it was a very important part of his life; and with his wife Maggie also doing teas, it was like a second home for the whole family.

Holt Rugby club and George’s views on life were very similar, play hard for your teammates for 80 minutes, trying your best to win fairly, but as soon as the final whistle went, it didn’t matter who won, what mattered was that you were with your friends and you had tried your best.
Holt was best summed up in a letter received recently by the family, whereby George’s successor as chairman had asked for some advice, all George said to him was ‘Holt will always be Holt’.

He also played for Norfolk on a number of occasions, was a member of Norfolk RFU and spent many saturdays at Twickenham. On one occasion he was driving his friends back from Twickenham and someone in the back of the car shouted ‘Roundabout George’, needless to say he didn’t manage to go around it.

When George and his fellow players got too old to play rugby they took up golf to fill the sporting void, they played at many clubs across Norfolk and he became a member at Cromer Golf Club. He also enjoyed shooting, a past time that was also enjoyed in the company of his former Holt team mates.

Message from our Club President, Paul Williams:

George was a founding player and member and has been a very loyal supporter of the Club for 57 years. His contribution to the founding, running, support and ongoing success of the Club has been superb over the years.
He will be sadly missed by all at Holt RFC. Our thoughts are with Maggie and the family at this sad time