Thomas Surman

Thomas Surman
Personal information
Full name	John Thomas Surman
Born	second ¼ 1883; Bradford district, England
Died	January 1948; Bradford, England
Playing information
Position	Stand-off, Scrum-half
Club
Representative
	Source:

John Thomas Surman (second ¼ 1883^[3] – January 1948) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s and 1910s. He played at representative level for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Bradford FC, Bradford Northern and Hull Kingston Rovers, as a stand-off or scrum-half.^[1] Prior to Tuesday 27 August 1895, Bradford F.C. was a rugby union club, it then became a rugby league club, and since 1907 it has been the association football (soccer) club Bradford Park Avenue.

Background

Thomas Surman's birth was registered in Bradford district, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and his death aged 64 was registered in Bradford district, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Surman played scrum-half in Bradford FC's 5-0 victory over Salford in the Championship tiebreaker during the 1903–04 season at Thrum Hall, Hanson Lane, Halifax on Thursday 28 April 1904, in front of a crowd of 12,000.^[4]^[5]

Surman was a reserve to travel, with George Marsden playing stand-off and S. Brear playing scrum-half, in Bradford FC's 5-0 victory over Salford in the 1906 Challenge Cup Final during the 1905-06 season at Headingley, Leeds, in front of a crowd of 15,834.^[6]

Surman played scrum-half in Hull Kingston Rovers' 10-22 defeat by Huddersfield in the 1911–12 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1911–12 season at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Saturday 25 November 1911, in front of a crowd of 20,000.^[7]

Surman won a cap for England while at Bradford F.C., he played stand-off against Other Nationalities during 1906.

Surman won cap(s) for Yorkshire while at Bradford FC, including against New Zealand at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Wednesday 18 December 1907.

After ending his playing career, Surman returned to Bradford where he ran a grocery. He died in January 1948.^[8]

1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
↑ "Player Summary: Tommy Surman". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers' Club. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
↑ Irvin Saxton (publish date tbc) "History of Rugby League – № 9 – 1903–04". Rugby Leaguer ISBN n/a
↑ "1903/04 Northern Union Champions". rlhp.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
↑ "1906 Challenge Cup winning team". rlhp.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
↑ Irvin Saxton (publish date tbc) "History of Rugby League – № 17 – 1911–12". Rugby Leaguer ISBN n/a
↑ "Bradford's "Tommy" Surman is dead". Yorkshire Observer. 30 January 1948. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.

[http://www.rlhp.co.uk/imagedetail.asp?id=1432 Image "1903/04 Northern Union Champions - Bradford were Northern Union champions for the first time in the season 1903/04. They beat Salford 5-0 in a play off at Thrum Hall, Halifax. - Date: 28/04/1904 - Players: Back row: Robson (trainer), Sinton, Heseltine, Sharratt. Middle row: Hutt, Barker, Greenwood, Smales, Feather, Mosby, Eagers. Front row: Dunbavin, Gunn, Rees, Marsden, Turner, Laidlaw, Dechan. On ground: Surman, Brear" at rlhp.co.uk]
[http://www.rlhp.co.uk/imagedetail.asp?id=1433 Image "1906 Challenge Cup winning team - Bradford beat Salford to win the Challenge Cup in 1906 at Headingley. - Date: 28/04/1906 - Players: Back row: Hoyle (Secretary), Greenwood, Connell, Feather, Smales, Francis, Grayson, Walton, Mosby, Surman, Rees, Farrell (Trainer). Middle row: Gunn, Sharratt, Dechan, Marsden, Turner, Laidlaw, Mann. Front row: Dunbavin, Heseltine, Brear." at rlhp.co.uk]