Articles – Everton Heritage Society

Only Once a Blue, Humphrey Jones – Tony Onslow

September 23, 2020September 23, 2020 by Tony Onslow Comment Closed

Once a major force in Scottish football, the Vale of Leven club are basedin the small Dunbartonshire town of Alexandria. Originally formed in 1872, there were the first team to take away the SFA Cup from the famous Queens Park club of Glasgow when they won the trophy threetimes on the run between 1877-78 -79. In 1890, now founder members of the Scottish League, the Scots made their first visit to Liverpool where a certain Humphrey Jones made his only appearance for Everton. He had been born, 17th of December 1863, at Summerhill Terrace in the North Wales town of Bangor and was the 5th child born to Humphrey, a successfulBuilder, and his Wife Jane.Privately educated, he first attended the local Friars School before moving to Christ College in Brecon from where he won a place at Cambridge University.Humphrey played association football for Peterhouse College but owing to his style of play, failed to gain a Blue. When his studies permitted, hewould be seen in the half back line, for Bangor City on their homeground, (here featured) at Maes-y-Dref. The club were members of the North Welsh Football Association and regularly won their local knockoutcompetition. The dominant style of play shown by Jones soon caught the eye of the Welsh selectors and, on the 23rd of March 1885, he won his first...

BARRY REES A Blue from Rhyl – Steve Zocek

September 19, 2020September 19, 2020 by Steve Zocek Comment Closed

Barry Rees was a bright young lad who originated from Rhyl in North Wales. An excellent footballer from an early age, he caught the eye of an Everton scout. Having represented his county of Flintshire, he eventually made the grade as a professional footballer. Barry impressed his manager sufficiently to feature in four first team games, netting twice, before being sold to Brighton and Hove Albion. Barry died in tragic circumstances at the age of 21 and I am indebted to Barry’s brother Geraint for sharing Barry’s all too short career with me. Barry was a bit of a home boy and he was forever coming back to Rhyl and staying at home, which manager Harry Catterick didn’t like, preferring his players to stay local around the Liverpool area. That may be what brought things to a head between Barry and Mr. Catterick. I don’t think they really saw eye to eye. Barry was discovered by Everton’s North Wales region scout, Fred Bennett, in Flint. Barry played representative schoolfootball and went on to play for Wales schoolboys. He was playing for Rhyl in the Cheshire League, before joining Everton at the age of 17 and serving an apprenticeship as a plumber, as many did...

Jack Earp – The Gentleman Amateur By Rob Sawyer

September 7, 2020September 7, 2020 by Rob Sawyer Comment Closed

Martin John “Jack” Earp’s Everton appearances only just made it into double-figures yet his tale is worth telling. Born into a Nottingham printing family on 6 September 1872; his early footballing experience was with small teams in England’s lace capital. He went on to represent Nottingham Forest as a “gentleman amateur”, signing on in September 1889 and debuting in January 1890 in an East Midlands derby against, naturally, Derby. He was also selected for the famous Corinthians when only 17 years-old. Jack’s elder brother Fred would also represent Forest and later become the club’s secretary manager (1909-1912). In January 1891 Jack Earp was in the Forest XI which hit 14 goals without reply in a FA Cup tie against Clapham Orient, a record that stood for over one hundred years. Having appeared in his habitual right full-back position for Forest against Sheffield Wednesday on 7 November 1891 he swapped the Midlands for Merseyside, the curious arrangement was explained in the Birmingham...

Albert Chadwick, the Brother of Edgar – Tony Onslow

September 1, 2020September 3, 2020 by Tony Onslow Comment Closed

When Thomas Chadwick married Susanna Pilkington, in 1865, at St Peters church in Blackburn both their families had a firm foundation in the Grocery Trade which enabled them to “set up” their own local outlet at 66 Darwen Street. It was here that their first child Albert Llewelyn was born on the 1st of August 1867. The family then moved to a terraced house on New Park Street - while the business was expanded elsewhere - and it was here that a second child, Edgar Wallace, was born on the 14th of June 1869. He was destined to become an early legend at Everton Football Club. The 1881 census finds the family business now operating at 115 King William Street were Albert is already learning to bake bread and serve behind the Grocery Counter. Three years later his name begins to appear on the team sheet of the 1883 FA Cup winners Blackburn Olympic on their home at Hole-in-the Wall. He...

PAT JENNINGS – THE BOYS OF ‘86 – Steve Zocek

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 by Steve ZocekNo Comments

There is a question that arises in many football trivia quizzes which is; ‘Name Everton’s most capped player’? Answers are being thrown back to the question master with all sorts of names which are all announced incorrect. Okay, I give in. The correct answer infuriates the most knowledgeable of contestants when Pat Jennings becomes the answer. Okay, I suppose it’s a bit of a trick question but the fact is, Pat was actually registered with Everton for the FA Cup semi-final and final of 1986. I don’t think I have ever seen any evidence of anything related to Pat’s association with Everton. Maybe there was nothing much to say, but I have a fascination with anything Everton related, so I had to dig deep to find the man with shovel-like hands, to get his version of events. One Sunday morning I received a call from Tottenham manager Peter Shreeves to ask if I would help them as cover for Ray Clemence because...

Isaac Roberts – The Short Life of an Everton Blue – Tony Onslow

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 by Tony Onslow Comment Closed

Standing at the rear of the tall buildings that today run along the thoroughfare of Dale Street are the remains of the uniquely named Ryleys Gardens. However, this once squalid and narrow court was inhabited by many destitute immigrants who had arrived in Victorian Liverpool hoping for a new start in life. Ryleys Gardens was also the birthplace of a man who played one competitive game for Everton. Isaac Roberts was born, August 1868, the 4th child of Isaac, a Mariner, and his Wife Leah. The couple had married at Holy Trinity church having moved to Liverpool from Mostyn in Flintshire where they both had been born. According to the 1881 census the family have now relocated to Lavrock Bank in Dingle where the 13-year-old Isaac is working as a Shop Boy/Messenger. He began playing football for Aigburth Vale on Fulwood Park before signing for Stanley, around 1887, on their home at Walton Stiles. The new signing quickly found a regular place...

ALAN McINALLY – “THE BEST STRIKER EVER TO PLAY FOR EVERTON” – Steve Zocek

August 12, 2020August 12, 2020 by Steve Zocek Comment Closed

Alan McInally, in his day, was a big name north of the border with Celtic. To his beloved fans at Parkhead, on the terracing known as ‘the Jungle”, Alan was known as Rambo and Big Mac. Alan relished the challenge of playing in England where he was signed by manager Graham Taylor for Midlands club Aston Villa, then in the old Second Division, with desires to help Graham Taylor’s men gain promotion to the top flight. German giants Bayern Munich became his next club, where he spent four years, helping Bayern win the Bundesliga in his first season. Whilst with Bayern, Alan was called up for his country Scotland, who he represented on eight occasions. Alan in his Bayern Munich Days Where is all this leading to? Alan did have a trial at Everton. Really? Yes, he sure did. This is what Alan told me of that moment. My brief spell came because of my affection for Graeme Sharp who I have known for what...

TERRY COCHRANE – an interview- Steve Zocek

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020 by Steve Zocek Comment Closed

Terry in his Gillingham days Terry Cochrane started his football career in Northern Ireland with Derry City then Linfield. His displays for The Blues started to attract attention from football clubs in England, one in particular Everton catching the eye of fellow Billy Bingham. He was invited over to Everton for a week’s trial. Terry kindly told me of his experience at Everton. When I was at Linfield, I was asked to go to Merseyside to have a trial with Everton under Billy Bingham. I was put up in digs near Bellefield where I would walk into training every morning. I played in the Central league for Everton at Goodison against Sheffield United. That night, I played alongside Joe Royle. Later in my career, I would often bump into him at games. I don’t know how I did but he (Billy) didn’t keep me on. He must have alerted Ron Yeats who was manager at Tranmere Rovers who came to see...

Walter Brown, the Kirkcudbrightshire Blue – Tony Onslow

July 29, 2020July 29, 2020 by Tony Onslow Comment Closed

Most of the Scotsman who played for Everton during their inaugural Football League season made their way to Liverpool having been recommended by agents who acted for the Anfield club North of the Border. Walter Brown, however, appears to have arrived in the Mersey Seaport with no knowledge whatsoever of the association game. He was born, 11th of June 1870, in the remote Kirkcudbrightshire community of Colvend and was one of several children born to Thomas, a Tinsmith, and his partner Agnus. The 1881 census finds the family still living in Kirkcudbrightshire before Agnus, on becoming a Widow, moved – along with her 3 sons – to live with her married daughter Jane at 6 Parkinson Road in Walton on the Hill. She did not however, remain at this address for very long and soon took up residence at 9 Imrie Street off Breeze Hill. The association game did not reach the South West of Scotland till 1892 so Wally Brown must...

Stevenson of Kilmarnock – Tony Onslow

July 14, 2020July 24, 2020 by Tony Onslow Comment Closed

The Final Journey of an Everton Blue Signed during the pre-Football league era, Robert Stevenson - eventually - returned to live in his native Scotland but spent the last days of his life in Liverpool. He was born, January 1861, at 34 Ardeer Square in the Ayrshire coastal town of Stevenson and was the 7th child of George, a Coal Miner, and his Wife Margaret. The 1881 census finds the family now living, in Kilmarnock, at 52 Low Glencairn Street, and Robert is employed as a Grocery Assistant. It is around this time that he began serving an apprenticeship as an Engine Fitter and play football for Kilmarnock Athletic One of several teams in the Ayrshire Railway town, they had originally been formed as Kilmarnock Cricket and Football Club but obtained their own identity in 1879. They did, however, continue to play their home matches on the cricket ground at Holm Quarry. John Goodall – the future England International - was then...

Son of My father (Part Three) -Jeremy Charles by Steve Zocek

June 13, 2020June 13, 2020 by Steve Zocek Comment Closed

This is part three of Son of my Father. John Charles and brother Mel in 1955 - the men who founded a football dynastyCopyright REX FEATURES Mel Charles was a famous Welsh international who played his club football mostly at Swansea Town, as the club was then called. Mel had a son called Jeremy, who, like his father, went on to play for the same club and country. As a youngster, Jeremy was invited to Bellefield where he spent a week on trial. This Is Jeremy’s version of events. I was playing for the local schoolboys in Swansea, and in those days, Everton’s scouting network extended to South Wales. The scout must have been following me around, as one day he asked my dad if I would be interested in going up to Liverpool for trials with Everton. I was 14 or 15 years of age and was invited up during the school summer holidays, accompanied by another lad from Swansea called Jonathan Clark, who...

The Andrew Watson Story by Tony Onslow

April 15, 2020April 15, 2020 by Tony Onslow Comment Closed

Now accepted as the world’s first black football player, Guyana-born Andrew Watson was to have a career that would bind him tightly to both Glasgow and Liverpool. He would also make a guest appearance in the colours of Everton. His father, Peter Miller Watson, was born on 16 June 1805, in the Orkney Islands and was the fourth son of James Watson who acted as factor for a Scottish nobleman. His mother was Scottish, neé Christina Robertson, whose family were sugar plantation owners in the colony of British Guyana. When Peter was just 3 years old his father died and his mother was married for a second time to Orkney-born Dr Thomas Traill who had a practice in Liverpool. She moved to the Mersey seaport with her sons and gave birth to another six children. Peter later trained to be a lawyer in London before joining his elder brothers in British Guyana where he administered legal affairs at the family sugar plantation....

Richard Williams, an Everton Goalkeeper- By Tony Onslow

September 8, 2020September 8, 2020 by Tony Onslow Comment Closed

Predating the renowned Port Sunlight Model Village by some 25 years, Bromborough Pool was built to house their workforce by the executive who conducted the affairs of the Price Candle factory. It was also the birthplace of former Everton goalkeeper, Richard Williams. Born 17th of April 1866, he was the 3rd Child of Richard, a General Labourer, and his Wife, Margaret. After being educated at the village school, the 1881 census finds young Richard has now started employment in the Soap Factory where he met Sarah Jane Brocklebankwho he married in 1889. He had started his football career playing a full back for Bromborough Pool but eventually established himself in the position of Goalkeeper.The club were members of both the Wirral and the Liverpool & District FA. In 1889 they became founder members of the West Lancashire League along with such teams as Kirkdale, Stanley and Tranmere Rovers. At the time of the 1891 census the couple are living, in the Model Village, at 11 South View.(here featured) On the 29th of April that year Richard Williams is seen at Anfield playing for a Liverpool District X1 against a team of players who were based in the City.Next September – following thesudden death of John Angus – he signed professional forms with Everton for a wage of 45/- per week. Standing at...