The man known as “Mr Penryn” due to his 80-year association with Penryn Rugby Football Club looked back on a full life this week after celebrating his 90th birthday.

Barrie Quintrell was born at 49 West Street in 1923. He developed a love of sport such as boxing and cricket from a young age, but it is his 80-year association with Penryn Rugby Football Club (PRFC) that he is perhaps best known for today.

Although Barrie applied to join the Royal Air Force during World War Two his eyesight was to keep him grounded, and it was his seven years of service with the Merchant Navy that took him around the world.

By the 1950s he was settled back in his hometown with an engineering job at Falmouth Docks. In 1952 he accepted an invitation to join the committee at Penryn Rugby Football Club (PRFC) - “A decision that was to put a different complexion on life,” as Barrie put it.

He became more involved in local life, helping to restart the fundraising Penryn Regatta after a gap of 26 years and spearheading the push for a club house and changing rooms at the Memorial Ground, as the players were using a pub called the Fifteen Balls at the time.

“We had to do it,” Barrie said, because Penryn’s bitter rivals Falmouth already had a clubhouse and were making good money from the beer sales “and I thought we should get this to Penryn.”

Under Barrie’s watchful eye as honorary secretary of PRFC the budding careers of future England internationals Roger Hosen and Ken Plummer flourished while the now-famous white kit with a red-and-black V, still used as an alternative strip by the club, was introduced during his tenure.

“A lot of the older die-hards didn’t like it,” Barrie said, “it was quite unusual at the time.”

With two others he also started the “Tuesday Gang” to help spruce up the club “and they are still there doing all the building work and maintenance work,” Barrie said.

“I got the club shaped up to get it more or less as it is now,” he said, “I think the club would have faded out if it were not for all that.”

It was for all these reasons that Barrie’s 90th was celebrated with a big surprise bash at PRFC earlier this year. “I never thought it was going to be anything like that,” he said, “it was emotional as well, it took me so much by surprise.”

Tragedy has coloured Barrie’s life in recent years, with the loss of both his wife and son in quick succession, but he looks back on his long life with a smile.

“I have had a marvellous life really,” he said, “I have been through a lot of tragedy and disaster but I have met some fantastic people.”

Protégé Ken Plummer described Barrie as “Mr Penryn.” “He’s the man who’s responsible for getting Penryn to where it is today, to be honest,” he said, “His life has revolved around Penryn Rugby Club.”

Adding: “I’ve got great admiration for the guy.”