Barking FC Programme 1913/Fixture Card 1898-9 + sundry

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PAST TIMES

 

 

 

Our programes from the 1950s offer a sad reflection on the progressive modern decline in support. We had a very active Supporters’ Club which organised travel to away matches , often up to 5 coaches and on at least 1 occasion a special train. They also organised activities including a weekly social club at the Liberal Hall, dancing and cabaret at the Baths Hall and visits to pantomimes, ice shows and theatres – all well patronised.One unusual trip was to a midnight matinee at the Troxy Cinema, Stepney in aid of the Spastics’ Association.There was also an annual juveniles’ Christmas party and my own memory of attending one of these is of asking a player for his autograph and receiving, to my disappointment, the signature Frank Sinatra whose singing I already disliked despite my youth.

 

HISTORIC PROGRAMMES

 

 

I recently acquired the oldest programme I have ever seen - Hoffman Athletic v Barking F A Cup 27-9-1913 .Hoffman were a Chelmsford team representing Hoffman’s Bearings Ltd and this was their 1^st ever programme.It includes an advertisement for The Picture House – “unexcelled for clear and steady pictures” (silent of course) , E J Rippon –“try our home-made cigarettes” and The Empire Theatre- “ London companies at local prices”. Also quite a good joke allegedly overheard during their 4-1 defeat by Colchester “ Why are Hoffman Athletic called the Roller boys? . Because they make bearings but they seem to have lost them today”. Our team included C. Bradley who played in amateur internationals for England and, interestingly, each club provided a linesman to help the neutral referee. We played in royal blue jerseys (sic) and Hoffman in blue and white vertical striped jerseys. We won this preliminary round match 2-1 before losing 3-1 away to Clapton in the 1^st qualifying round.Another interesting feature of this match was the 3.30 kick off.

 

 

Another historic programme is for our F A Amateur Challenge Cup 3^rd round 2^nd replay on 28-2-1948 at the Arsenal Stadium, Highbury versus Hendon.Our team included some illustrious names including England amaterur international J.J.Wilson in goal,Stan Prince and Jackie Lunn.Although this was the 2^nd replay it was actually the 4^th attempt to settle the tie as follows-

 

 

 

14/02/48

Hendon - l

 

Away

2

2

Lunn, Newman - AET

 

21/02/48

Hendon - Replay

 

Home

0

3

Abandoned - Bad Light

 

24/02/48

Hendon - 2nd Replay

 

Home

0

0

28/02/48

Hendon - 3rd Replay

 

Highbury

2

3

Newman, Whinray

 

HISTORIC PROGRAMMES

 

 

Our programme versus Finchley in the Athenian League on 30-8-1947, which we won 3-2, stated that at our home friendly 5 days earlier against HPE FC Zwolle of Holland which we won 3-0 “ we were honoured by the presence of His Worship the Mayor of Barking and the Deputy Mayor .At the subsequent tea it was mentioned that we shall be welcome to play a return match in Holland”. We have no record of a subsequent match. In those days we were the town club of Barking and it was quite usual for members of the council to be involved in running the club. I remember Bertie Roycraft, Ted Ball and Len Wright holding club offices and there were many others including Councillor J.Sugden , club president in the 1950s and donor of the Sugden Cup. Times were different then and club secretary George Langford, whom I also remember, was happy to have his address and home telephone number printed on the front of the programme. Players were numbered consecutively in the programme with the home team 1-11 and the visitors 12-22 as was the custom. I don’t know if any numbers were wor n on the field. Our team included England amateur international J.J.Wilson in goal and “Tug” Wilson at left back. I don’t know why he was known as “Tug” . Advertisements included the Bata Shoe Store in East Street, the Who’d Have Thought It off licence in Axe Street

 

and P.Gray –optician “ You can’t enjoy the game if you can’t see clearly” ( I would not dream of suggesting that perhaps this should be addressed to referees and their assistants). Our Supporters’ Club announced a membership of 1900 –the largest supporters’ association in the amateur section.

 

 

 

 

 

PAST TIMES

 

 

 

Managerial staff received some dubious rewards in the past.In a home programme from 1964-5 it was announced that the Supporters’ Club would be taking a coach to see The Black and White Minstrel Show. We think that our current attendances are low but when we played at Ashford Town in March 1965 their programme referred to their Supporter’s Club.The loyal individual was not named.On a serious note I have recently learned that the ground of Walthamstow Grange, who we used to play in the early years of last century,

 

was where the greyhound stadium now stands.

 

 

 

Football programmes are part of social history. The Romford programme of 1958 included an advertisement by Romford Corn and Seed Stores including pig food and poultry food. How many people keep pigs and/or chickens in their gardens now ? In 1963 our Supporters’ Club organised “musical evenings in the bar every Saturday for all the family”. As someone who was deeply into rock’n’roll, rhythm & blues etc in 1963 I find it hard to imagine what music they provided which appealed to “all the family”.

 

 

 

We were one of the 1^st amateur clubs to install floodlights and , although our game versus Tooting & Mitcham United on 10-3-1959 was not the 1st floodlit Isthmian League game, it was the 1^st under an Isthmian club’s own lights. We lost 2-3 with goals from Vic Harrison and Brian Rutter.

 

 

 

The Carshalton Athletic programme for 18-10-1980 identified our manager as “ ex Millwall favourite Murry Cripps”. Any relation to Harrry, I wonder.

 

 

 

BARKING WORKING LADS INSTITUTE FC 1898-9

 

 

 

I recently bought a fixture card for the 1898-9 season of our antecedents Barking Working Lads Institute Football Club. It proudly states that we were winners of the London Minor Medals 1896-7 and the London Institutes Federation Cup 1897-8.Club President was the Rev. P.M.Wathen, presumably the vicar of Barking, and the 15 vice presidents included T.Glenny Esquire ,still a well known name in Barking. Home games were played at Barking Recreation Ground , currently known as Barking Park, as our other antecedents Barking Woodville occupied the Vicarage Field.Colours were Red and black shirts (halves) and dark blue knickers .

 

 

A real bonus is that results have been entered by hand as we did not previously have these results.We had a stupendously successful season in the Leyton League with a record of

 

P 26 W 24 D 1 L 1 F 128 A 9.Our position is not known but with that record there must be a strong possibility that we were champions, as we were in the following season.

 

 

Results included GER (Great Eastern Railway) Wagon Works 16-0 and Leyton Mayville 16-0 , Leyton St Mary’s 11-0,East Ham United Reserves 8-0 and other opponent s included Walthamstow Excelsiors,Leytonstone Aylmer,Repton,Eton Mission,Walthamstow Holborn Minors , South Woodford Reserves and Rainham.