My Great Grandfather, Clifford Atkinson may be on the photograph but I am not 100% sure. I cannot find anything else on the web concerning the Malleable Celtic football team. Can anyone help?
Photograph and details courtesy of Mr J Atkinson.
Malleable Celtic Football Team, 1918
Hi Jon
Thank you for you reply and especially for the confirmation of our family connections. It’s surprising and pleasing to discover otherwise unknown relatives. As you say, it’s a small world.
I wasn’t aware that Clifford had sadly died in a works accident, though my own family researches indicated he had died young. The date I have for his death is 1942 though I can’t be certain of that. Because of that date I thought, obviously wrongly, that he may have been a casualty of the war.
I shall endeavour to find a way through Ancestry.com to contact your sister Janice and send the photos on to her. I’m not a member but I’ve found it’s possible to open what’s described as a ‘registered guest account’ where emails are required. I’ll give that a go initially and hope it works.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you Jon and indeed as you say, to all the Atkinsons and their descendants.
Howard
Hi Howard and thanks for the reply. My Sister and I both seem to think that Clifford is on the right and seated at the front as we have compared this photo with others that we have of his wedding etc.
Sadly Clifford died in a works accident at the Malleable works. I have recently carried on the tradition of placing a wreath on his grave in Oxbridge cemetery as my Mother who used to do this has passed away.
I have sent my sister the link to your reply and she believes that if Edgar was your Grandad and Cliff was our Grandad that makes us second cousins. Small world isn’t it?
My Sister has been researching our family tree an would like to see the photos.
She is on Ancestry.com and I believe will be under the name of Janice Cook (formerly Atkinson). Unfortunately I cannot get hold of her at this moment to verify.
The Dovecot Street connection is correct though.
Anyway, great to hear from a relative, here’s wishing a Merry Christmas to all of the Atkinsons and their descendants!
Dear J Atkinson
I may be able to help, at least in terms of identifying which of the players in the photograph is your great grandfather. Nothing guaranteed but my grandfather, Edgar Atkinson, b1896 had a brother, Clifford who was born in Stockton in1901. This would put Clifford at around the age of seventeen at the time the photograph was taken, which would seem about right. At that time the Atkinson family lived at 103 Dovecot Street in Stockton.
I have three photographs handed down to me featuring Clifford and comparing these images with your photograph would suggest there are possibilities that the player in the middle row on the right, the shortest of the three featured or the figure sat at the front on the right may be your great grandfather. I’d be happy to send my photos on to you if you wish so you could draw your own conclusions however I’m not quite sure how we could establish contact?
Just to add a bit of context, first regarding football, my grandfather I was told played for Eston, and his son and my uncle, also Clifford, captained Shildon in the Northern League in the 1940’s. Secondly three of the brothers, including my grandfather, worked at the South Durham Iron and Steel Company which incorporated the Malleable works. However a word of caution, according to the 1921 Census Clifford was at that time an apprentice engineer at Blair & Co Marine Engineers, I think on Norton Road. Doesn’t mean of course he wasn’t at the Malleable works in 1918
I hope this helps in some way.
Howard Carr
Hi Howard and thanks for the reply. My Sister and I both seem to think that Clifford is on the right and seated at the front as we have compared this photo with others that we have of his wedding etc.
Sadly Clifford died in a works accident at the Malleable works. I have recently carried on the tradition of placing a wreath on his grave in Oxbridge cemetery as my Mother who used to do this has passed away.
I have sent my sister the link to your reply and she believes that if Edgar was your Grandad and Cliff was our Grandad that makes us second cousins. Small world isn’t it?
My Sister has been researching our family tree an would like to see the photos.
She is on Ancestry.com and i believe will be under the name of Janice Cook (formerly Atkinson). Unfortunately I cannot get hold of her at this moment to verify.
The Dovecot Street connection is correct though.
Anyway, great to hear from a relative, here’s wishing a Merry Christmas to all of the Atkinsons and their descendants!
Hi Howard, thanks for this. I am having issues posting comments/replies. Hope this works