WHEN: December 4, 1947

WHERE: Craven Park

NEW Zealand's rugby league team are all set for the Four Nations final against Australia at Anfield this weekend.

But this is far from the first time the Kiwis have made the trip to these shores.

A recent reorganisation of the Dock Museum archives has turned up a photo from their tour of 1947, when they played a match against Barrow at Craven Park.

The Barrow team of the day features many familiar names – and faces. Among those lining up for the picture are Willie Horne, Jimmy Lewthwaite, Jack Parker and Ted Toohey.

The game ended in a 2-2 draw in front of a crowd of 5.765, with Horne scoring the Barrow points.

Barrow RL historian Keith Nutter said: “Interestingly Barrow played 42 competitive matches in the 1947/48 season and amazingly failed to score a try in more than a third of them (15 matches).”

Other games Barrow have played against New Zealand saw them defeat the tourists three times: 6-3 in 1907/08; 9-5 in 1951/52); and 17-13 in 1955/56.

Barrow Raiders statistician Steve Andrews dug out the teams from the day, revealing that one of the New Zealand side, DA Barchard, was the uncle prop Ray Barchard, who played at Barrow in the 1990s.

The Barrow team was: Jack Bowker, Jim Lewthwaite, Jackie Parker, Roy Francis, Jim Trelore, Willie Horne, Ted Toohey, Fred Scott, Billy Woods, Ralph Hartley, Bobby Ayres, Harry Bath and Trevor Petcher.

The New Zealand team was: Nuttall, Forest, Jordan, Robertson, McInary, Barchard, Cunningham, Johnson, Davidson, Hancox, Newton, Gillman and Mountfield.

Writing on the reverse of the picture reveals that among the guests for the day in the directors was Lancashire County Cricket Club director Tom Higson – the man who donated the trophy which is still contested by teams in the North Lancs and Cumbria League knockout competition.

The Barrow players – not all of whom played – and officials on the back row are listed as follows (with allowances for spelling mistakes): Chairman J Atkinson, the New Zealand chairman, Frank Longman, Jack Bowker, Bobby Ayres, Jim Trelore, Roy Francis, Fred Scott, (Trevor) Petcher, Jim Lewthwaite, Ralph Hartley, Alec Troupe, Jack Parker, Jack Jones, Billy Woods,Ted Toohey, Alf Middleton (secretary/manager), Harry Bath, Willie Horne, Hector Halsall and L Boyers (both trainers).

Dock Museum curator Sabine Skae said: “I came across the picture while sorting through our archives and it really stood out to me. Having both of the teams together and with the picture being taken in front of a packed grandstand makes it so different from the team pictures you normally see. Some faces just really stand out as well – you can pick out Willie Horne without even trying.

“The writing on the back of the picture was a little confusing though. It says the game was played in 1948/9 and points out the mayor (Elizabeth Smyth), but suggests she's actually the mayor of New Zealand!”

Also among the archived pictures uncovered was one of the Barrow RL team who contested the Challenge Cup final against Wigan at Wembley in 1951.

This also contains famous names such as Frank Castle, Dennis Goodwin and Billy Little – the latter of whom was the team trainer, having had an illustrious career as a player.

It was published earlier this week in the Evening Mail as it features Hughie McGregor, who died this week, aged 96.