Stockton Football Team winners of the English Amateur cup 1902-03.
Photograph and details courtesy of Stuart Inkster.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton Football Team winners of the English Amateur cup 1902-03.
Photograph and details courtesy of Stuart Inkster.
I would be really interested in any photos or information on memorablilia in respect of the 1900 – 1907 football team.
Hi katharine Found this on ancestry. Name: Robert Stirling Birth: abt 1882 Death: Mar 1925 – Stockton, Durham, Yorkshire – North Riding. He was 43. I wonder if this could be your ancestor. Would love to see the badge you mentioned. I am on genes re united but my membership has ran out, perhaps you could contact me. Please look for Emily Bartel 1884 and Paul Dennis as the contact name.
George King and Robert Stirling were both defenders in the team. They would have had to work closely in order to keep the opposing sides attackers at bay, they were very successful in this particular season. George died in 1935 aded 54, he was born around 1881. My great grandmother his second wife was living at 68 Portrack Lane in the 1891 census.
I was so pleased to see this photograph: the player called R. Starling, third from left on the back row was in fact Robert Stirling, my maternal grandmother”s brother. The name is often misspelt, perhaps something to do with the handwriting of the day ? I had the same problem when I was researching family history as the name is also misspelt on some census documents. My great grandmother (Robert”s mother) Bridget Stirling kept an off licence in Portrack Lane. She was born in South Wales and came to Stockton aged about 17 with her father, Daniel O”Donovan. She was illiterate but was a formidable business woman. Robert was her first born son, named after her husband and was born circa 1881 so would have been in his early 20s in this photograph: the family lived at 38 Hill Street East in Stockton. Sadly whilst still a young man Robert developed cancer in his leg. He loved his football so much that he delayed treatment (which would have meant an amputation) until the cancer had spread and I believe he died in his 30s or possibly even younger. Bridget Stirling lost her second son at Ypres and was therefore doubly bereaved like many women of that generation. I don”t think he married. I have a small gold shield in the form of a badge which I was told was presented to all the players on winning the Cup, a generous reward. Robert had my grandmother”s initials engraved on it and gave it to her as a keepsake, and I inherited it, as I shared those initials.
George King was an iron worker
Adam, apart from George Hassett, only directors and background staff are discussed in this article. The photograph refers to the 1902/3 season, the banquet celebrates further success for Stockton during the 1905/6 season. As you are probably aware the teams home ground was at the Victoria Ground in Oxbridge, were all the clubs photographs and memrobillia were kept. Due to financial reasons the club ceased playing in the mid-1970s and the ground was sold to housing developers. All the records were then transferred to the Queens Hotel in Bishopton Lane and kept in a vault. Sadly on the 30th January 1981, the Queens Hotel burnt down and I believe all the records were destroyed. I would love to be proved wrong on this, as I have also being trying to track down further photographs from the teams early years. Do you know where your Great Grandfather worked?
Hi Stuart Do you know if George King was at this banquet? It is a long shot but perhaps a picture survives of this occasion. You say you dont have a full list of all who attended and this suggests that you wont know but I thought I would give it a go. Thanks
On thursday the 29th November 1906 Mr.B.Riley the Chairmen of Stockton Football Club, entertained the players and directors to a dinner at Mr George Gowland”s Oxbridge Hotel. The spread was more in the nature of a banquet. All the players and their trainers were persent, the company numbering altogether about forty. The dinner was given in celebration of the victory gained at the end of last season in winning the North Riding Senior Cup Suporting Mr Riley were Alderman W, Mawlam, Mr R Guant, Mr W Rodgers, Mr W.W Kilvington, Mr J.E Cartwright, Mr A.E. Mackie, Mr.J.Burn, Mr A.E.Riley Mr R.R.Hornsby (directors) Alderman J.Green (Secretary) and Mr .J.Reay (Auditor). At the after dinner speeches, a letter from the Mayor (Alderman J.Harrison), their esteemed treasurer was read out. He congratulated the club upon their continued success, and referred in eulogistic terms to Hassett”s distinction, concluding with the observation, “Good old George, may he long remain captain of the Ancients”. They were all at one end of the rope , concluded Alderman Green, and by that means they were keeping the name of Stockton to the front in the football world. I dont unfortunately have a complete list of all those who were present for this event, but one person who was, was their trainer Bob Shaw considered to be one of the best full backs in the country during his playing career.
Francis Davis first on the back row was my Great grandfather, what was his connection with the team? I have seen this photograph several times and have often wondered. He was a boat builder living in Thornaby Place and I think his passion was rowing so I would be very pleased if somebody could enlighten me
Steve Lambert. Thanks for that. I wonder if you could copy one of the large prints and send it by EMAIL to my father Paul Dennis. Your oldest daughter has his EMAIL address. Did your family keep in contact with any of the families of the other players? I sent your daughter a picture of George snrs family circa 1918 without George snr in it. I was wondering if you could confirm that the lady is Georges wife Emily. I will send the photo of the family to her again just after I finish writing this. Did you know that George played for Stockton St Johns before he played for the Stockton club! Lastly, I know that George King snrs father was called Joseph. However, I cannot find a reference in the 1901 census for a George King with a father called Joseph. Do you happen to know who George snrs mother was and where George was born.
To Adam Dennis, Yes Adam, George King is second from the right on the backrow. He is my G Grandfather. My Grandfather who was the double of him and had a large print of this photo which was a suprise present from his second daughter, Sandra Trainor. It took pride of place in the living room after they moved from 39 Adderley Street, Parkfield, Stockton. This was passed back to my Aunty when George Junior passed away in 1993, aged 89. Sandra had 2 large prints (framed) made and still has them now. The Kings lived in No 39 all their lives, with my Grandfather bringing up his younger brother Tommy by himself. He kept the house on himself and then met Dorothy Davis his future wife,who lived in Camden street adjacent to him and settling down there before the area was demolished in the early 70″s. They then moved on to a new housing development area in Bickersteth Walk and then Chalk Walk in Parkfield, a stone”s throw from the old house. Regards, Steve
Hi Stuart, Thanks for that. S King was G King my great grandfather. There are 6 in the back row is George King second from right.
R Healy & Adam Dennis – Here is a photograph of the Stockton Football Team winners of the English Amateur cup 1902-03, along with a list of the names of the players and directors involved. In the book I mentioned earlier by Robert Woodhouse their is no list of names to accompany the photograph, so I have compiled this separately. From left to right back row – F.Davis C.Reed R.Starling S. King W.W Kilvington. Middle Row – R. Hornsby H.Phillips W. Rutter R.Bell G.Hasset (Captain) R.Shaw W. Mawlam. Front Row – B.Riley (Chairman) R.Dunn J.Payne W.Morgan A.Freeland E.C.Blake Alderman J.N.O Green (Secretary) . Of the players R. bell died during the Great War, although I am not absolutely certain about this, perhaps someone can shed further light on the lives of the players and directors?