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Vol 12.16 The First Eleven Part 1

Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 4:27 pm
by Les1949
HAMPTON, AROUND AND ABOUT

Things you may not know, or didn’t know you knew!

No 16 FIRST ELEVEN (Part 1)
What do we know about them?

In a perfect world we would know the line-up for Hampton’s first ever league game in the debut 1921/22 season, Sadly, that is not possible. The nearest we have, relates to a friendly played on 27th August against Hanworth Athletic on our home pitch, Gloucester Road – which was probably on part of what is now Carlisle Park. We can assume that this would have been close to the opening of competitive league games, which would generally have started early in September as the cricket season came to an end.

According to Volume 1 of the Club History (Vols 1 & 2, available in the Club Shop!), the following players are believed to have taken part;-

The starting XI is thought to have been,
J Baker, E G Berry, G C Cockman, H Driver, Gill, W Griffiths, S W Morgan, W F Richards, W G Sharp, C Snell, Taylor.
Reserves; F E Oxley, A E Tolfree.
Unavailable were R G Williams, A E Maynard & A W Barton

So, what do we know about any of these players – if anything? Fingers crossed that I have got these right.

J Baker, thought to be Joseph Baker, born in 1897 in Hampton Wick, son of Joseph Baker, a Nursery Labourer. In 1911 Joseph (Jnr) was living in Teddington but by 1921 was living in Cross Street, Hampton Hill. As ‘J’ Baker was formerly playing for Hampton Hill FC, I think that we are on fairly firm ground in identifying him as Joseph.

Edward George Berry, born probably in 1903, in 1939 living in Richmond and was (a Railway Porter. He died in 1965. Recruited from Hampton Nursery Workers FC.

George Charles Cockman, born in 1901, in 1 Elm Cottage, Oldfield Road, son of J Cockman, a Stationary Engine Driver. He scored for Hampton in their second ever league game, a 3-3 draw against Kingston Albion and appeared in the first two seasons, that we know about. In season 1921/22 he scored 8 goals. It would seem that George didn’t stay long as he was playing for Polytechnic, of the Spartan League, in 1928 playing for the Spartan League against the Army. In 1939 he was a Hotel Manager, of the Star Hotel, in Tonbridge, and passed away in 1985 in Worthing. Joined from Hampton Nursery Workers FC.

Harry Driver, born in 1898, in Hampton Hill, lived in Pantile Cottages (beside what is now Pantile Bridge). Harry was the son of a Railway Labourer, Albert Driver. When Harry enlisted into the Army he was a Nurseryman working in the Manor Park Nursery and joined the 8th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, signing up for four years. He played in 1921/22 & 1922/23. Harry joined from Hampton Hill FC.

To be continued……..


The Old Historian