1890-1899 – Everton FC Heritage Society

James Prescott: Architect of the Original Goodison Park

21

May

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1878-1889, 1890-1899, Goodison, Jamie Yates, Latest

James Prescott: Architect of the Original Goodison Park

Jamie Yates Think of Goodison Park and what comes to mind? So many memories. Walking up to the ground from whichever angle your matchday routine dictates, that bright flash of green as you emerge up the steps and take in the pitch for the first time, the towering Goodison Road main stand, Archibald Leitch’s famous lattice steelwork patterns adorning the front of the upper balcony of the Bullens Road in blue and white. Leitch became the preeminent architect during the first wave of great football stadia in the early decades of the twentieth century. His work became part of the…

An Evening of Two Halves with Jamie Yates and Peter Lupson

12

May

By Mike Royden

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1878-1889, 1890-1899, Events, Latest, Mike Royden

An Evening of Two Halves with Jamie Yates and Peter Lupson

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike Royden For the fifth event in the Spring 2026 series of Everton FC Heritage Society social/talk evenings, we were graced with the presence of two separate speakers during a night of two halves. (photo: Lewis Royden) First up was Peter Lupson, a former teacher, and a founder member of The Everton FC Heritage Society, who was present at the inaugural meeting back in 2008. Peter is also a former vice-chair of the society. He has authored several books (including school texts), such as Thank God For Football, and Across the Park. Peter took us through a fascinating journey…

02

Feb

By Mike Royden

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1878-1889, 1890-1899, 1900-1909, Articles, Goodison, Latest, Mike Royden

George and Annie Jane Goodison

Towards the Foundation of a Stadium, and how Classical Egypt came to Waterloo Mike Royden The name ‘Goodison Park’ has always had a touch of class about it, but it so easily could have been called ‘Mere Green’ or possibly ‘Walton Stiles’: Mere Green being the land leased (and later purchased) for the new Everton FC stadium, and Walton Stiles being the ancient footpath that once ran from the Walton Church area, approximately along what is now Goodison Road, down Spellow Lane and on to County Road. But where did the name originate, and how did it become the name…

The Opening of Goodison Park! – A Picnic, a Firework Display, a Friendly, the First League Game

25

Jan

By Mike Royden

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1890-1899, Articles, Everton Collection, Goodison, History, Latest, Mike Royden

The Opening of Goodison Park! – A Picnic, a Firework Display, a Friendly, the First League Game

Mike Royden The year 1892 was iconic in the history of Everton Football Club, famous for the dispute with John Houlding, which cumulated in the potentially club-ending gamble of moving to a new, undeveloped site, in time for the opening of the forthcoming 1892-93 season on 3 September. It was a tall order of course, but once the decision had been made, the directors and club officials went into overdrive to ensure their dream move would become a reality in the very short time available to them. Work began in May 1892, contractors were engaged, and the pitch area –…

The Reverends who kicked off football’s greatest clubs

23

Jan

By Henry Corbett

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1878-1889, 1890-1899, Latest

The Reverends who kicked off football’s greatest clubs

How these remarkable founders shaped the game we love today . Reverend Henry Corbett (Chaplain to Everton Football Club) In the churchyard of Shepley Methodist Church in Yorkshire there is a gravestone which reads: “In Memory of the Rev Ben Swift Chambers who set the ball rolling for the birth of Everton and Liverpool Football Clubs.” Why was a Methodist minister starting a football team? The Reverend Ben Chambers had come to the Everton district of Liverpool in 1877 and had started a cricket team in the summer and wanted to keep sporting activity going through the winter. Why? Because…

Bob and Hope’s Excellent Adventure: Kelso and Robertson on the High Seas, 1892.

21

Jan

By Rob Sawyer

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1890-1899, Books, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Bob and Hope’s Excellent Adventure: Kelso and Robertson on the High Seas, 1892.

Rob Sawyer Bob Kelso In the late spring and early summer of 1892, while frenetic work continued to construct the new Goodison Park and have it ready to host football and spectators from the start of September, two Scottish members of Everton’s squad were enjoying an eye-opening tour of the Mediterranean. The pair were Bob Kelso, who enjoyed two spells at Everton, making 104 appearances, and his compatriot Hope Robertson, something of a squad player who had joined the Toffees from Partick Thistle, having previously played in England for Woolwich Arsenal. He would make thirty-three appearances in an Everton shirt,…

09

Sep

By Rob Sawyer

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1890-1899, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

‘Maestro’ – The Jack Southworth Story

By Rob Sawyer: EFC Heritage Society Evertonians laud the club’s lineage of talismanic goal scorers. The list includes Alex ‘Sandy’ Young, Bill ‘Dixie’ Dean, Tommy Lawton, Dave Hickson, Alex Young, Roy Vernon, Alex Young, Joe Royle, Bob Latchford, Graeme Sharp and Andy Gray. Some wonderful marksmen are somewhat overlooked, however, due to the passage of time; foremost amongst them are Fred Geary, Bert Freeman, Bobby Parker and Jack Southworth. The latter remains the only Everton player to achieve the feat of scoring a double hat-trick in a first team match. Yet there was much more to this polymath who excelled…

Alf Milward – The Toffees’ First Great Left Winger of the League Era

08

Jun

By Rob Sawyer

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1878-1889, 1890-1899, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Alf Milward – The Toffees’ First Great Left Winger of the League Era

by Rob Sawyer ‘His buoyant spirit called for the wild career down the wing, for the flying charge, and the flying shot to the goalmouth where Geary or Chadwick could be trusted to meet the rebound.’ Victor Hall, Liverpool Echo, 1924. Baines and Pienaar, Dobson and Thomas, Fielding and Eglington, Stevenson and Coulter – all fantastic partnerships on the left side of the Toffees’ attack. The original great partnership on that flank was formed by the contrasting but complimentary attributes of Edgar Chadwick and Alf Milward. Supporters and reporters would refer to them together simply as ‘The Wing’, such was…

24

Mar

By Jamie Yates

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1878-1889, 1890-1899, Jamie Yates, Rest in Peace

The George Farmer Story

Jamie Yates of Everton FC Heritage Society, who researched the story of George Farmer and directed the project, writes; Why George Farmer? Without the philanthropy of Everton Football Club and the local community around Liverpool 4 and beyond upon the death of George Farmer in May 1905, it is not unreasonable to assume that his widow and eight young children would not have survived the poverty-stricken future they were facing. Without George Farmer capturing the imagination of thousands of Evertonians - not to mention the thousands who went along to watch football for the first time in that era with…

17

Oct

By Rob Sawyer

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1890-1899, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Richard ‘Dickie’ Boyle

By Rob Sawyer [Above photo: Dickie Boyle of Everton c.1894(colourised by George Chilvers) ] Everton was awash with Sons of the Rock in the early years of the Football League: fellow Dumbarton-raised John Bell, and the long-serving Jack Taylor, the latter being the captain of Everton’s first victorious FA Cup side in 1906. No less vital and dedicated to the Toffees cause in the last years of the nineteenth century was Richard Hill Boyle. Commonly known as Dickie (or Dicky), he was one of those indomitable Everton servants, like Peter Farrell and Mike Lyons, who never earned the silverware he…