Historic Barking programmes Number 8 Barking Town v Ilford Essex Senior Cup semi final at Leyton 1930

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HISTORIC PROGRAMMES NUMBER 8

 

 

 

5-4-1930 BARKING TOWN V ILFORD ESSEX SENIOR CUP SEMI FINAL REPLAY AT LEYTON WON 6-4

 

 

 

Having drawn 2-2 a fortnight earlier ,also at Leyton, we reached the final in this high scoring game and went on to play Leyton in the final at Ilford on May 3^rd,losing 2-1.At the time Ilford were members of the Isthmian League while we and Leyton were a level below in the Athenian League. Our scorers in the replay were T.A. (Terry) James 3 and J.W.Curry 3 . Our path to the final in 1929-30 was –Custom House H 4-1, Colchester Town H 3-0, Ilford 2-2,6-4.

 

 

 

We reached 4 successive Essex Senior Cup finals from 1926-7 to 1929-30 and lost them all, the 1^st 3 to Ilford and then to Leyton. We have played in 15 Essex Senior Cup finals, winning 7, with a further 4 semi final appearances.Our earliest final was in 1893-4 when,as Woodville, we beat Braintree Gordon 5-1 and then in 1895-6 Barking Woodville beat Woodford 2-0. In our most recent final in 1989-90 we beat Southend United 4-0 after a 1-1 draw, both at Dagenham.

 

 

 

One of the interesting things about this programme is that the match was played at Leyton Football Ground, Osborne Road ,then the home of Leyton F C but now known as the Brisbane Road home of Leyton Orient ,who, as Clapton Orient ,took it over when Leyton’s lease was not renewed by the local council.

 

 

 

The programme cost 1d and proudly listed on the front page Leyton’s achievements since 1894 and noted that the club was founded in 1894 and re-established in 1912.The achievements included beating us in the 1926-7 F A Amateur Cup final.It also listed the club officials complete with addresses and home telephone numbers- they were evidently not worried about burglars then. As was customary then the club headquarters was The Three Blackbirds Hotel.

 

 

 

The author of the programme notes was looking forward to a terrific struggle after the previous 2-2 draw and the score of 6-4 suggest that he was not disappointed. Terry James was returning after his injury at Stockton ,where we lost 4-1 in the 3^rd round of the Amateur Cup. Leyton were top of the Athenian League then with Barnet 2^nd and us 3^rd but Walthamstow Avenue eventually triumphed followed by Barnet,Leyton and us. The other members of the league were all names which are still familiar and active now ,apart from Hampstead Town who subsequently became Golders Green and are now Hendon.

 

 

 

The teams’ colours were not shown and the players were numbered 1-22 in the programme. Our team was listed as S.R.Snooks,M.E.Batchelor,R.E.Gibbs,J.S.Kemp (Captain),J.Cornish,R.E.Hutcheson, T.A.James,J.W.Gurry (actually Curry),G.W.Mason,W.S.Parker, M.Humphrey.

 

 

 

Ilford’s team included W.A.Triesman – any relative of erstwhile Football Association Chairman Lord Triesman ,I wonder.

 

 

 

There is a prominent advertisement for the club headquarters, The Three Blackbirds ,High Road, Leyton –“The Sportsman’s Rendezvous” ,also home to West Essex Bowls Club and the Pride of Leyton Pigeon Flying Club.It boasted a “select saloon and lounge” while The Coach and Horses had a “spacious saloon lounge”. J.W.Hodgson,Dispensing & Photographic Chemist did “ National Health Dispensing “ some 15 years before the inauguration of the National Health Service and dispensed “best drugs only” which no doubt was a source of satisfaction to customers. Rivalling the public house advertisements were those for the Leyton Temperance Billiard Hall and the Midland Temperance Billiard Club although the Leyton hall did point out that it was opposite the Coach and Horses.

 

 

 

As well as finishing 4^th in the league and reaching the Essex Senior Cup final we went on an Easter visit to Europe ,losing 3-0 to A.D.O of Le Hague and drawing 2-2 with Quick of Nijnegeu .Notable results during the season included Wealdstone 3-2, Bromley 6-3,4-0,Nunhead 3-1,Royal Naval Depot Chatham 3-1, Sutton United 4-2,Maidenhead 5-1, Hampstead Town 3-2,Cheshunt 7-0,5-1, Finchley 3-0,Enfield 3-1,Clapton 4-4.