Lifelong Roughyeds fan Craig Halstead rubbed shoulders with some of Rugby League’s great and good at the funeral in Castleford on Friday of former referee John Kendrew, who was known as “The Singing Ref”.
John, who died at his Castleford home at the age of 71, was a senior referee from 1982 to 1994, and he was the representative of his beloved Tigers in the 2016 RFL/Songs Of Praise choir which gave a rendering of ‘Abide With Me’ before the Hull FC v Warrington Wolves Challenge Cup final at Wembley.
Craig, who was also in that choir, representing Roughyeds, travelled to Castleford from his home in North Wales, to give the Wembley choir a presence at the Requiem Mass to celebrate John’s life at St Joseph’s RC Church.
Said Craig:
“The night before the final John brought out his famous guitar and entertained his fellow choristers with a one-man show that was absolutely brilliant.
“I didn’t know John before that night but he made a lasting impression on me and I wasn’t the only one, I can tell you. I was proud and privileged to have represented the choir at John’s funeral service.”
John, who was secretary of the Castleford Former Players’ Association, was known affectionately as “The Singing Ref” because he was a familiar face on the club circuit with his guitar.
He was a teacher by profession, but outside work the loves of his life were Rugby League in general, Castleford Tigers in particular, his position as a top referee . . . and singing, of course !
The first of the three hymns at his Requiem was ‘Abide With Me’ and in a brilliantly delivered eulogy, former Castleford prop Barry Johnson referred specifically to his best mate’s pride in representing Tigers in the 2016 Songs Of Praise Wembley choir.
Ben Thaler, elder statesman of the RFL’s current group of full-time match officials, said:
“Like many others in the refereeing community and beyond, I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of John’s passing.
“Only weeks ago, at the Challenge Cup Final, he was leading Cas supporters in the singing of ‘Sweet Caroline’, the club song, at Wembley.”
Ben was joined at the funeral by former top referees Colin Morris, John Holdsworth and Jim Smith, plus many big-name former players including Lee Crooks, Gary Schofield, John Joyner, Barry Johnson, John Kear, the legendary Alan Hardisty and many others.
Said Craig
“It was a wonderful send-off for John. The Castleford rugby league community did him proud and I was proud to be there and to give the family the deepest condolences of all in the 2016 Wembley choir.”
