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Until 1863, the game of football had been a single undivided sport, but that was not to last much longer. A meeting of 11 clubs was convened in October 1863 in order to "establish a code of rules for the regulation of the game of football" and these clubs formed themselves into the Football Association, electing Francis Maude Campbell of Blackheath as Treasurer. The Club expected the Football Association would adopt Rugby School rules, but when it was proposed to adopt Cambridge rules, which precluded hacking and running with the ball, Campbell objected and withdrew Blackheath from The Football Association in December 1863. In this way the great divide between soccer and rugby took place and, with Blackheath again playing a leading role, the Rugby Football Union was formed on 26th January 1871; the Club is one of seven of the original twenty clubs to have survived to this day.
A Great Influence On The Game
The Club's 1862 code was the model upon which the games official laws were based. Blackheath introduced the tactic of passing the ball from player to player as an alternative to the solo break and the "kick and follow-up". This had a considerable influence on the evolution of the present team structure with forwards and backs. It is from the rugby played at this time that the modern multi-million pound game has developed to a point where it is played virtually everywhere around the world.
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"Come On The Club"
In the years immediately after the Club's formation, the game was being played mainly by teams with closed membership such as schools, colleges and teaching hospitals. This caused Blackheath to become known as "the Club" to differentiate it from the various institutions against whom they played. The practice continues with supporters still today cheering for "the Club!" rather than "Blackheath".
The Princess of Wales Public House
Well before Blackheath became established at the famous Rectory Field ground, the Club originally played Rugby on the open heath at Blackheath and used the Princess of Wales public house as both headquarters and changing rooms.
It was often the practice in those days for spectators to invade the pitch and, during a very competitive game against Richmond in 1877, the match was abandoned when a number of spectators, as well as players, were injured. Shortly after this the Club moved to a private ground called Richardson's Field at Blackheath and then subsequently to the Rectory Field in 1883, where the club has played ever since.