Victoria Park, Clarence Road, Hartlepool. Home of Hartlepool United FC. Formely known as Victoria Ground and as of 2016, officially called Northern Power and Gas Stadium who are sponsors. It is known by fans as 'The Vic'.

Another intriguing item from the Robert Wood Collection advertising a fund raiser for Mr J Cuthbert injured at Sunderland, presumably a player from West Hartlepool?

The West team is given and shows a Rev E F Every as playing, sporting clergymen were not uncommon in the sporting scene at this time, especially with the Church support for Muscular Christianity, this Reverend was the curate at St Pauls Church in Grange Road and down as centre-forward.

As to the date 21^st April fell in 1888, and a tantilisingly brief reference in the "Mail" for this time, reveals that due to rain "the Association match at The Oval did not come off," neither did a Rovers v West Match also down for that day.

The site of the match is of interest, it shows it as “on the Oval, Grange Road” which means today the homes between Park and Grange Roads. The poster though states entrances as Bellerby Terrace (Hart Lane) and Grange Road! Could this Oval have been where in the Wilson Street/ Rosebery Road area?  Plus, as usual in Charity match days , an early kick between North Eastern and South Stockton Albion  to whet the appetite for the big game. North Eastern being presumably the N E R team that played on a ground in Belle Vue.

Unusually, this poster has F W Mason giving his name as Fred Mason!

 CMcL

This image is West Hartlepool Amateurs FC taken around 1905; it is from a postcard franked in Middlesbrough on April, 8^th 1905. The picture was taken at “Rosebank” a ground often mentioned in the Victorian era in connection with Soccer and Rugby. Belonging to the Pyman Family, it was situated where Newlands and Queensberry Avenues now stand. One of the houses in the background is  “Broomhill” (now demolished), which stood at the corner of Queensbery and Elwick Road, opposite “Ambleside” and built originally as “Browne Hill” by Robert Lauder, Timber Merchants, and eventually belonged to Miss Forslind, who sold it on condition that is was demolished. The name “Broomhill” continues with a modern home on the site.

The Amateur’s won through to the Final with wins over Saltburn at home 5 – 1, Skinningrove United away by 3 – 1, and in the Competition proper the run to the Final was as follows. Round One Grangetown Athletic (home) 2 – 1, away to Nottingham Jardines which saw a 4 – 1 win. The 3^rd Round, again away, saw them account narrowly for Darlington, St Augustine’s by 1 – 0 before facing Stockton in the North Division Final at Stockton where the beat Bishop Auckland by 2  - 0. They took the F.A.Amateur Cup against Clapton by 3 – 2 at Shepherd’s Bush.

The side on the day of the Final was J.Bainbridge (goal), T.Hegarty and J. Hegarty, F. Black, J.Hyslop, S.Stokes, D. Larkin, W.Fairweather, R.Hodgson, A. Robinson, R. Warner.  Richard Hegarty was to die whilst serving in France in 1917.

Among the officials are probably Christopher and Stephen Furness, William C Gray and members of the Trechman family. The Secretary was Mr John Proud.

The West Amateur soccer side can date its history back to 1881/82 when they were formed and played in the Northumberland & Durham Association. Two years later they were founders of the Durham F.A.  They played in Amber & Black halved shirts (this appears to be the strip on the pic).

They joined the Northern League in 1898,playing the likes of Newcastle United, Middlesbrough and Sunderland “A” teams among the pro teams. In addition they played Amateur sides such as Stockton and Shildon, finishing 4^th in 1908 season. They had announced plans as early as March 1903 to become a professional outfit, despite finishing bottom of the League that season! The club folded in 1910 and all their assets and liabilities were taken over by Hartlepools United which had been formed in 1908 out of the West Hartlepool RFC.

This Amateur Cup win occurred coincided with Rugby being at its lowest ebb in the area, the arrival in the same year of the All Blacks which led to a revival of the Rugby game nationally, and ,albeit very slowly, in the two towns.

 (sources Gillian Smith – P L Hogg – I Lightfoot)

A glimpse into the Music Hall passion for bringing novelty to the programme, this is one of a pair of posters from April 1905; giving audiences the chance to applaud local sporting achievements at the Empress.

The Amateurs had been invited to open Friday nights’ Second house programme on 14^th April, 1905 and give everyone a chance to see the Cup. A week later Hartlepool Rovers appeared on the 20^th with the Durham County Senior Cup on display, the Rovers poster can also be found on the HHT&N site under "1905-1914" Hartlepool Rovers etc.

The Empress is better known by its later name of the Palladium and stood in Northgate near the Railway Station.

An Image from the 1927 “Mail” Golden Jubilee Supplement contained a picture of the Captain, team, and officials from the 1905 Amateur Cup win.

Thanks to the attached  recollection of Jim Brownlee, this image is of the 1953 – England Schools Shield clash on Victoria Ground in February, they had accounted for Stoke Boys in the previous round and faced Chesterfield in the next.

A goal from Greenwood on 12 minutes sealed the West Boys win against Manchester Boys, , and their side on the day was

Field; Beavs, Norris; Eyre, Dixon, Deathers; Greenwood, Musgrave, MacGregor, Clyburn.

 Norris was from Elwick Road School, Eyre (Sacred Heart) Deathers (St Bega's), all the rest were from TDS in Lauder Street.

 (Source CMcL)

According to Mr Jim Brownlee, the match was played at Victoria Park with over 14.000 attending. 

He recalls players such as brothers Terry and Peter Mcgregor, King who played in goal, Deathers a half back and Clyburn the outside left. Many of the side were from what was then the Technical Day School. 

He goes on to say the Terry and Peter's father Jim Mcgregor was instrumental in setting up the local Sunday League once Sunday football was sanctioned by the FA. 

Jim Brownlee was a former pupil of the rugby playing Grammar School who enjoyed many years in the Sunday League for Teesmouth and West Rugby. 

The NER played in Teesside League for around a decade before folding, with West Hartlepool Amateur FC reformed (there had been a West Hartlepool a. f. c. from 1883) from the ashes of the NER in 1898. After the success of West winning the FA Amateur Cup in1905, that sowed the seeds of professional football in the minds of many, with 'Pools being formed in 1908, West folding two years later and being absorbed by Pools.

A poster with an interesting historical link, both clubs played in the Northern League, East End from South Byker had been formed in 1881 and were a professional club. These sides met on several occasions at this time, the 1890 clash on 6th Sept 1890, it could be this match, ended up 5 -1 the visitors

 West End played on the Town Moor and later up on the Great North Road area before moving to St James Park and were derby rivals with East End. Despite the rivalries the two clubs amalgamated to form Newcastle United!

The Olympic team of 1902-03 enjoyed a successful end to the campaign in the Waller League, runners up in the Bennison Cup Final to Middleton Wanderers by 1 – 0 and then winning the Adlard Medals Competition, defeating Central Rovers to collect the Cup and gold Medals.

The West Hartlepool Police Football Team 1920-21.

Ten boys of the team pose outside the main entrance to West Hartlepool Secondary School in Lauder Street.

Dated 1918, this is Westbourne Methodist Church football team probably according to the reverse at Easington Colliery. The minister appears to be on the right.