Stephen Michael Charles Fewster (1948-2025)

​It is with much sadness that the Club has received the news of the death of Mike Fewster on 10th March 2025 at the age of 77 years, after a long illness caused by a hereditary heart condition. 

Mike was born on 17th January 1948 and lived his early life in Scarborough where he attended the Scarborough Boys’ High School between 1959 and 1966. Upon leaving school he studied Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds for three years after which he embarked on an MSc Structural Engineering course at the University of Bradford. In 1969 he accepted employment with West Yorkshire County Council Engineer’s Department which gave him experience in highway structural engineering projects. This was a position he held until 1986 when he was appointed Operations Director at Billington Structures in Wombwell until the mid-1990’s. His next move took him to Caunton Engineering in Nottingham as their Managing Director until 2000 from where he returned to Billington Structures as their Technical Director until his retirement aged 64 in 2012.

​Having played 1st XV rugby union at school and for a season at University in 1968/69 he wished to continue enjoyingthe sport and so he went back to play at Scarborough RUFC for a season before joining Morley RUFC in 1970, where he remained until 1976. It was during this time that he was a member of the side which won the Yorkshire Cup against Roundhay in 1974. He joined Sandal RUFC in 1977 and soon commanded a place in the Club’s 1st XV playing at lock for some ten seasons, following which he played in the 2nd and 3rdXV’s for a few seasons before finally retiring from the game in 1990 aged 42. At the end of his playing days he served on theClub’s General Committee for four years from 1986 until 1990.In 1991 he became a Vice President, a membership he held for 14 years until 2005. Then for the start of the 2016/17 season he re-joined as a Vice President/ Patron, a membership he held until his death.
In 1985 the Club funded the provision of the 1st XV pitch flood lights and the reinforced concrete foundations to support the lighting columns were designed by Mike, since they had to be founded on solid ground deep through filled ground. Then during the 1988/89 season he assisted in the design and supervision of the Club’s car park re-construction, a project which ever since has been much appreciated.

​Following his retirement from playing rugby Mike joined the Leeds Metros basketball team where he played for 5 years between 1990 and 1995. With his other sporting love being golf,he joined Wakefield Golf Club in 1998 and was appointed Club Captain for the 2019/20 season, during which time he was instrumental in driving forward a number of projects including the development of the Swing Room and the building of a Buggy Store. Also during his retirement, Mike found pleasure in woodworking, having converted his garage into a beloved workshop, where he crafted furniture and treasured keepsakes for his family.

​It has to be recognised that Mike was a gentleman and one of Sandal’s stalwarts who will be missed by his many friends at Sandal RUFC and Wakefield Golf Club, who will readily acknowledge that it has been a pleasure knowing him and in sharing happy times together, whether it be playing or watching rugby, playing golf or just enjoying a pint in the Clubhouse afterwards.
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It is at this sad and difficult time that our thoughts must bedirected to Mike’s wife Judi, his son Richard and wife Kathryn, his daughter Helen and husband Jake and his four grandchildren Isobel, Henry, Emmie and Tilly. Mike’s funeral service will take place at 12 pm on Thursday 10th April 2025 at St. Helens Church on Barnsley Road, Wakefield, followed by a wake at Wakefield Golf Club.​   ​   

Howard Newton
16th March 2025