Members Work – Page 26 – Everton FC Heritage Society

14

Mar

2 Comments

1890-1899, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Rest in Peace, Rob Sawyer

The Charlie Parry Grave Rededication

An unprepossessing road in the shadow of Goodison Park, is named Salop Street. Salop, or Shropshire as it is more commonly known, might not, at a first glance, be awash with Everton links but that can be misleading. In fact the, largely rural, county has a loyal Blues following (the Shropshire Blues is the local official supporters club branch). Oswestry, 50 miles from Goodison, has several connections links to Everton that go back to the earliest days of the club. George Farmer, a son of the town and a Welsh international footballer, was a key player in the club’s early…

08

Mar

By Tony Onslow

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1900-1909, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow

Winterhalder and Dawson, Everton Wingers

Arthur Winterhalder Signed to cover the abrupt exit of the Wilson brothers, Arthur Winterhalder, a promising outside left, joined Everton from West Ham United. He was descended from a family of clockmakers who had emigrated from Germany to settle in the Marylebone area of London. His father Richard did not choose to follow this profession but decided instead to enlist in the 3rd Dragoon Guards and was stationed at Colchester when he married local girl, Martha Gibbons. Around 1878 Richard left the army to work as a carter at Stratford in London. In 1883 he took up a position as…

01

Mar

By Tony Onslow

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1890-1899, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow

James McMillan, the Lad from Leven Vale

When the Scottish FA Cup was inaugurated in 1874, Glasgow based Queens Park won it no fewer than six times during the first ten years. Their run of success however, was interrupted for three years running, by a side from the small town of Alexandria. They played under the name of Vale of Leven. This Dunbartonshire town, on 11 April 1869, was the birthplace of James McMillan. Born to George, a dye works labourer, and his wife Martha at Bryson’s Land, in the parish of Bonhill, he first arrested the attention of the local football agents while playing for Vale…

21

Feb

By Tony Onslow

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1878-1889, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony OnslowEverton, Kilmarnock, Robert Stevenson, William George

Robert Stevenson and William George

Coming from dissimilar parts of the United Kingdom and completely different backgrounds, the paths of these aforementioned individuals crossed while they were playing football in Liverpool. Robert Stevenson was one of several young Scotsmen tempted to try his luck by an agent who covered the area around the Ayrshire coalfield. He was born on 24 May 1861 at 34 Ardeer Square in the coastal town of Stevenson where, along with his siblings, he spent his childhood. His father, George, was a coalminer while his mother, Margaret, had the maiden name of Strain. The 1881 census indicated that the family had…

John McPherson and the Kilmarnock Connection

19

Feb

By Tony Onslow

1 Comment

1878-1889, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony OnslowEverton, Glasgow Rangers, John McPherson, Kilmarnock, Rangers

John McPherson and the Kilmarnock Connection

The area around Glencairn Square in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock is nowadays mostly given over to a modern retail park which bears the same name. In the 1880s, however, it was surrounded by rows of tenement-style housing that sheltered this working-class community – many of whom were employed at nearby G & SWR Locomotive Works – from the elements. Living in Glencairn Square at that time was Alexander Dick and he would, unwittingly, form a close connection between this community and Everton Football Club. Always known as Sandy, he began playing 'fitba' in Kilmarnock before joining the Merseyside club…

14

Feb

By Tony Onslow

1 Comment

1878-1889, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony OnslowBethell Robinson, Bolton Wanderers, Bootle, Everton, Newton Heath, Preston North End, Southport Central

Bethell Robinson – a Man of Many Clubs

Bethell Robinson was undoubtedly a man of many clubs. When the inaugural Football League season ended 30 March 1889, the Everton full-back Nick Ross returned to his former club Preston North End while his partner, Sandy Dick, returned to the family home in Kilmarnock. The club, however, had arranged fixtures that would take them in to the month of May so they invited several players to make a guest appearance. One of this group was the much-travelled Bethell Robinson. Named after his father, he was born in April 1861 in the fishing port of Fleetwood, and was the first child…

05

Feb

By Tony Onslow

5 Comments

1900-1909, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow, WW1Chesterfield, Exeter City, Sam Strettle, Tour of Argentina, Tour of Brazil, Warrington, WW1

Sam Strettle

Born at the family-owned foundry on 2 February 1886, Sammy Strettle was the sixth child of Thomas who, along with his father-in-law, manufactured iron files at 125 Knutsford Road in Warrington. His mother's name was Elizabeth. By 1901, with the foundry now closed, the Strettle family had decamped to nearby Fothergill Street where Sammy had found employment in a wire works. Census records revealed that his father later became a works manager and, at the time of the 1911 survey, had moved the family home to Prescot on the outskirts of Liverpool. In the meantime, Sam Strettle had obtained employment…

05

Feb

By Tony Onslow

1 Comment

1900-1909, Articles, Tony OnslowDundee, Joe Hannan

Only Once a Blue (Part 9): John Hannan

Conveniently situated on the North East coast of Scotland, the seaport of Dundee earned for itself the title of 'Juteopolis' because of the large quantities of the vegetable fibre imported to the town which were then spun into rope and canvas. The Tayside town also imported a large amount of flax from the Baltic countries, which was used to make linen. This form of industry provided employment for a budding young footballer with the name of John Hannan, born 28 April 1884, at 53 Hospital Wynd. He was the 2nd child of Daniel, a jute mill overseer, and Jane. The…

29

Jan

By Tony Onslow

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1878-1889, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow

Mick Higgins – the Original True Blue

Mike Higgins No other player can claim a tighter bond with the early development of Everton Football Club than 'good old' Mike Higgins who can surely lay claim to the title of 'Original True Blue'. From the start of club records, he can be found representing them when they first appeared on Stanley Park. Higgins was with the club during their one-year tenure at Priory Road and took part in the first game Everton played at Anfield. He was the longest serving member of the playing staff, when they became founder members of the Football League in 1888. His Irish born father,…

29

Jan

By Simon Hart

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1980-1989, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Simon Hart

Gray Wolves

League Cup Winner With Wolverhampton Wanderers 1984 Fa cup winner and Goalscorer alongside fellow Goalscorer and Frontman Graeme Sharp “I loved playing at Everton. Once you got on that pitch, the atmosphere was great – the comments you got when you were taking a corner or throw-in were brilliant.” These are the words of Kenny Hibbitt, a Wolverhampton Wanderers stalwart of the 1970s and 1980s – and a member of the last Wolves side to win a league fixture at Goodison Park fully 40 years ago. It was on 15 September 1979 that John Barnwell’s visitors prevailed 3-2, with the help of…