A RUGBY JUBILEE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20494, 12 March 1932, Page 4

A RUGBY JUBILEE.

Sydenham Football Club.

MEMORIES OF" EARLY DAYS. (By an Old Rep.) And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year. "A Jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you " (Leviticus, xx. 25.)

March 10th will be the fiftieth anniversary of tha formation of the Sydenham Football Club, and on that date will commence a week of celebrations in honour of the event. My first recollection of football in Sydenham goes back to the later 'seventies, when crowds of boys played both cricket and football in the open spaces, and before the days of clubs gangs of lads also played hockey in the boiough. The first football club the writer remembers in Sydenham was the Sandridge, tho name being derived from the ridge of sand which was most conspicuous at the southern corner of King street where it joined Colombo street. The officers of the Sandridge Club were W. M. Allardyce (captain), J. M. McLean (vice-captain), A. Smith (secretary and treasurer), and Andrew Shierlaw. Allardyce and McLean were later to play no mean part in the history of Sydenham and Canterbury football. After a season or two the Sandridge Cub decided to join in with other Sydenham and City players to form a move representative and stronger club. So, at a meeting on March 16th, held in the " bach " of Mr H. D. Kobinson, Sandyford street, the Sydenham Club was formed and the following officers elected:— Piesident, Mr John Joyce; vice-presi-dents, Messrs E. Pavitt, W. Langdown, W. White, and Charles Clark; secretary, Mr T. Beare; treasurer, i]r J. Rico; captain, Mr ' H. D. Ilobinson, vice-cap-to,in, Mr W. W. H. Smith; committee, Messrs W. Grantham, W. Lockwood, and V. A. George; custodian, Mr Joe Pleasants. It was decided that the colours be red and black, and the secretary was instructed to write to the Rugby Union applying for affiliation. That did not take placo until August, tho delay being due to the club taking the colours of tho Province and of the Christchurch Club. A photograph of the Sydenham First Fifteen was taken, and no history of the club would bo complete without the names being put on record. They were as follows: Messrs T. Marr, W. Grantham, A. Anderson, H. Newman, J. Costley, W. George, J. Jackson, W. Lcckwood, T. Beare, H. D. Robinson, W. M. Allardyce, A. lies, J. Anderson, George Mason, W. White, and E. U. Just (umpire). Newman, Jackson, George, and Lockwood arc still with us, and Mason and Beare arc in other parts. Some Jaunts. Trips with football teams were not so plentiful in tho early 'eighties as they are to-day, but tho Sydenham team had some pleasant outings. On the Queen's Birthday, 1883, there was a jaunt to Oxford, which introduced us to Mr Willie Pearson, M.P. for the district, and a .brother of Dr. Pearson. Tho team was also intrpduccd to one of Will H.' Ogilvie's "wee Scotch nichts." Pleasant visits were also made to Lincoln College, Rangiora and Timaru, and Dunedin, where matches were played against Zingari and Pirates. A Famous Bugbyite. On the team's first visit to Timaru the members had tha honour of being introduced to the famous stalwart. English Rugby International captain and forward,' Alfred St. George Hammersley. Club's First Representatives. The Sydenham Club was first represented in interprovincial matches in 1883 when J. M. McLean played forward against Otago, Wellington, and Auckland. Allardyce played in the three-quarter, line against Wellington, and lies at half-back against Auckland. Next year, 1884, Canterbury beat Otagn for the first time, and five Sydenham players took part—McLean, J. Hoban, and W. Sutherland (forwards) and lies and J. Fleming (backs). In 1885 McLean went back to three-quarters, where he and Allardyce. played i against Wellington, and J. Hoban and W. Sutherland played in the forwards. Change of Colours. Tho colours were again changed, this time to the present colours, Cardinal and Blue, that was in 1886, and a banner was made by the Sydenham Presbyterian Dorcas Society. Well Known to the Police. At the- dates under notice the population of Sydenham was saidvto be 10,000 and guardians of tho peace consisted only of a sergeant and a constable. Sergeant Stagpoole played for the club, and Constable Jim Bennets was an honorary member. Tom Main, of the City Force, also played, and Inspector Peter Pender was a vice-president. His son, Arthur, Avas a popular forward. From tho Pejpianent Artillery, Lyttelton, the club secured the services of Charlie Moir and M. O'Reilly, who played later for the province, and Tim O'Brien and Gray. Other members of tho Permanent Artillery Force also played for Sydenham, and among tho supporters were C. Bonner and Tom Ilastie. Tom Hastio later rose to the rank of Superintendent of Police. The Championship Won. In 1837 the cluli was runner-up lor the senior championship, and in 1888 the club secured a playing field in the A, and P. Show Grounds, now Sydenham Park, and won the much iovetcd senior championship after many a hard fight. It also won in 1889, and the champion team was as under:— Full-back: Tim O'Brien. Half-backs; J. Donnelly and Geo. Cochrane. Three-quarters: W. M. Allardyce, J. M. McLean, and D. Petre. Forwards: M. O'Reilly, W. Sutherland, Geo.- Dobbs, A, .j. Weeks, J. Hoban, J. McCourt, J. Sincock, Tom McKay, and R. E. Morrison. In the two reasons when tbe club lield the championship, the team was undefeated. In 1888 it won sis matches, and in 1889 seven matches out of nine, and made draws in the other two. In every match of the two seasons, McLean scored. Club Grounds. The first ground the Club had wns in Sandridge street, a few chains over Montrose street, and between King and Southampton streets. The Sydenham Juniors had a ground in the same paddock, nearer Croydon street. Plenty

of gorso and a deep ditch on the north side provided shelter. Then the club had the police paddock at the east end of Southey street, and also a ground in Spreydon between Strickland and Selwyn streets, and Dunn and Lcitch streets. At last, in 18S8, the Show Grounds of the A. and P. Association, now Sydenham Park, were secured, and this is still the club's ground. Often in the early days, the Club had difficulty to get a ground. Meeting Places. Meeting places and training rooms were many in the eighties. Some times they were in town, and at other times in the borough. Often we met in privntc houses or in hotels, and in the school and Council Chambers, and sometimes on John Baldwin's (the .schoolmaster') fence, where tho Sydenham Post Office row stands. Until the present club rooms were built, the best rooms were in Mann's Buildings, Colombo street, and tho old Sydenham Hotel, now St. Helens Home. In the 'Nineties. Most of the stars having left, the Club in 1890 was on the weak side, as regards players, but that year the Club was joined by H. C. Harrison, who was the backbone of the club for about 37 years during which he held office. Club captaincies were established in 1891, and T. W. Reese was the first to hold office. He was a worthy first captain. In a match with East Christchurch four Sydenham players were reported to the Rugby Union by tho referee. The men were suspended by the Union, and tho Sydenham Club, by way of protest, withdrew its teams from competing. Fortunately the matter was settled in the summer to the satisfaction of the-club, and it became affiliated again in 1892. A Trip to the West Coast. The big event of 1892 was a trip to the Golden Coast by the Sydenham team, and some barrackers. Hokitilca, Greymouth, and Reefton teams were played, and only one match was won by Sydenham; but they saw the country and the rivers in flood, and made -many friends. The trip gave an impetus to football on tho Coast, and con- : vinccd tho Sydonhamites that they J lived in a great country. The Club's Own Booms. It had long been the ambition of some members to see the club in possession | of its very own club rooms, and , in 1893 the scheme took shape. Subscription lists were issued inviting members,' past members, and to subscribe amounts according to their means, to bo paid in instalments, if so desired. This proved a great success, for within six months of tho meeting being held £2OO, the cost of the land, had been paid. Messrs G. J. Smith (patron), Moiklcham, W. M. Allardyce, 11. C. Harrison, with' Thos. Russell, a supporter of the- club, as architect, were appointed a Building Committee, and having arranged terms for financing the building, a contract was let oil Decern-' bcr 14th, 1903, for £1242. This amount, together with the costs of furnishing, seating accommodation, billiards table, and sundry requisites incidental to sucn premises brought the total indebtedness to iust on £2OOO, a somewhat ambitious undertaking for a football club. But to the credit of its members be it said j the club from that day never looked that the club to-day is the sessor of the building entirely free of dC Thc building was officially opened on May -24 th, 1904, by Mr T. b. lay lor, then M.H.R. for Christchurch, at a social gathering of some 500 members, supporters, and friends. For some years after the opening of the rooms the scene in tho club room was an animated one, for the room was largely patronised before the advent of the pictures and theatres, while in the training hall on nights allotted for that purpose, there was nothing but enthusiasm. Tho project evidently proved its worth for in .the first year, 1904, championships were gained by the second and third fifteens, in 1905 by the senior and second fifteens, and in 1907 again by the senior and. third fifteens, and other junior championships were attained in the following next year or two,. The club's weekly dancing assembly, which at that time was considered one of the best functions of the kind in Christchurch, was the main source of revenue for reducing the debt on tho building. The walls of tho club's rooms are adorned with a collection ,of photographs of teams of all decades in its history, together with others of kindred clubs a»d representative teams, and some fine enlargements of prominent officials of-the club past and present. The main hall is adorned with two handsome memorials, one a marble tablet to the late W. M. Allardyce, which was unveiled in 1918 before a memorable gathering of the club and "oldtime" footballers of Canterbury, and the other a neatly executed Honours Board in oak, to the memory of those members who served and those who made the supreme sacrifice during tho Great War, several being sons of some of the older members of ihe club. This contribution would hardly be complete without some slight reference to a few members other than those, a I read v mentioned, who have rendered veoman service in connexion with the subject of this article. Among tliem may be named:—Mr W. Harman, well' known for some years as Master of Ceremonies at the club's assembly, and nt the annual balls, and a staunch worker for the club, Mr J, Chappell, who followed in succession to those duties, Mr Edward Pollock, perhaps one of the hardest workers for the sucoes<? of the club's functions in the hall and a thorough football enthusiast, and Messrs W. J. and I'.. K. Clemens and 11. Harman, who for years gave their resistance at the club's dance assembly, and A. E. Love, A. E. Doell, and the late ,1, K. Ivett, who often rendered aid in their particular line of trade. Then there were those honorary officers of the club, who besides lending liberal financial assistance to tho club's undertaking allowed their names to be used in connexion with the necessary dec'ls and documents, etc. —Messrs H. N. Bates. A. J- Lawrence, W. E. Muhdav, n n(i W. Mann. The club-rooms were free of debt in K® and that year Waltham Park was secured for a night training ground and lighted with electric lights at the club's expanse.

Some Successes. With the opening of the fine- clubrooms; and the possession of good grounds, it was expected that Sydenham would score many successes, and the club did. The junior grades had been going well for some years and the seniors won the championship iij 1905, led by that great forward, J. Roddick, ably, assisted by interprovincial players of repute, A. E. Lowe, D. McPhail, J. Mahoney, T. Bond, 4. It. Brunsden, and T. Nelson.. The high position was lost in 1906, but in 1907 Sydenham regain won the championship and D.C.L. Shield. Members of the winning team were B. Hopkins, V\V. Campbell, A. Alexander, J. Howison, W. Graham, A. Aitken, D. McPhail (captain), J. Maboney, E. Byan, M. Lyes, A. Norman, L. Hutchings, A. E. Doell, B. Fitzgerald, and G. Mahoney. Troublesome Times. Troublesome times began iti 1910 when the Marist Club took a few fine players from the Sydenham Club, but worse was to follow when the "League code started in 1912, for many members changed from Sydenham Club to the League. Even the foundations of amateur football in Sydenham were attacked, for at a general meeting the proposal was made, but, turned down. Sydenham stood fast to the old traditions and. preferred weakness to apoa- ! tasy. Then came the Great \Var and j more men were lost to the club—to j gain honour for New Zealand and the Empire. So low in men was the club j that in 1917 only, one team took the field, and that in the third grade. So weak was Sydenham that Lyttelton ,nnd Sunnier players were allowed to link up with the Cardinal and Blue. At the club's request, it. was .relegated to junior , status and its first fifteen won the second-grade competi-, tion in 1926 : = . • • . , The Call to Arms. Three times in the history of the club has there been a call to arms. The first was in 1884 when a number of members joined the Volunteers, a company of which had headquarters in Sydenham, Fortunately their services offered were not required. The sefcond call wfis nt the time of. the last Boer War, when a number of Sydenham l>oys went to South Africa, including J. Black, P. Doherty, F. Henderson, N. North, aud W. Campbell. Jack Russell, who played in the club's first, year, was in Africa at the time and he joined uy. The Great War saw sixty-two wearers of the Cardinal and ! Blue no to the different fronts. Some of them wero sons of old members. Of the sixty-two, fourteen paid the (supreme sacrifice. * ' Coming Back Into Form. In 1927 the club, again made progross. That year it was admitted into the Senior B grade, and in 1929: , again in the senior competitions. Last year Sydenham made a splendid effort to gain the championship, but had to be content with second place. But now, with the club fielding eight teams and with a membership of . over 200, the future looks brighter. „ Long Service. Tlie present patron of the club, the Hon. G. J. Smith, has held office since 1895. W. M. Allardycc started as a player in 1882, rose to be field captain and treasurer, and club captain, and lastly president, which office lie held until his. death in 1918. H. C. Harrison also put up a great record of service. He joined up „ i n 1890, tfas assistant-secretary in 1893, and secretary in 1896, was reflected for 25 years consecutively, and for 10 years of that period he held the dual role gf

secretary and treasurer. He still held, this office at the time of his death--a> few weeks ago. The • yice-presidents, Messrs Munday, W. Mann, and \A/'J.'"-I&wf N re nee, have been in office from 1895 until, the present day, ancT H. 'NVSBates anti' H.'G. Ell have been in.the same office, one from 1900, and theofcberfronLl9ol. Others with very lengthy seryice are. Geo; Doljbs, Geo. Scott, T r S. Mortlock, D. B. Halliday, Walter Gasson, W. Har-. man, and T. W. Reese. The. president of the club, Mf W. A;< Britten, has also done considerable serfvice on the Rugby "Union, of which he is a vice-president. He has. been-presi-dent of the club since 1924, and .was a club captain, from 1913 to 1923, . "Notes. ■ i , ' John Joyce, who was first president of theclub, was Mayor of Sydenham. Later 'he ' was also the first patron, from 1887 till 1892, • and he was also M.P. for Lyttelton. ' " - The Sydenham* Club has supplied four treasurers to the C.R.U.,,nairiely: Messrs T. W; Reese, Geo. Scatty I?; !/. Asquith, H. C. Harrison. ThepreSent president of the Union, Mr A. JE. McPhail, is also a member of the B.F.C. . Mr T. S. Mortlock was treasurer of the Canterbury Athletic Clubs', Protection Association, and Mr H. C. Har- ' rison was secretary- for, many, years. _ Since 1891, seventeen club captains have been elected, and since 1885 thirty-six life members. , .. - „ . a T. Walls, a forward of the eighties, went to Australia and has since been Mayor of Geelong, Victoria. Winter Hail, a forward, and a teacher at the Sydenham School, went on the stage and achieved success as an actor. In recent years he went to Hollywood, where he became' a 6creen artist." Captain Meikleham, who used to be on' The Prebs staff, was presidentof the club from 1895 to 1910. He was also a vice-president of the C.R/U., and was the means of establishing the Sydenham Football Club Church parades on June 24th, 1900. Noted cricketers in the club: were Johnny. Fowke, Dan Reeise, and Ted (Jum) Barnes, • A. E. Doell, the Sydenham arid Canterbury full back, was the Nepia among us. He olayed 38 times for Canterbury. THE HONOURS BOARD. The names on the. club's honojirs board of. Sydenham players who represented Canterbury are J. M. McLean, W. M. Allardyce, A. lies, J. Hoba-.i, W. Sutherland, J. Donnelly, A. J. Weeks, J. McCourt, M. O'Reilly, J. Fleming, Geo. Ihjbbs, C. Moir, Geo. Cochrane, J. Sincock, J. R. Duncan, P. O'Brien, R. Waddell, Dnii Reese, A. West, J. Forde, A. Mason, J. Mahoney, D. McPhail. A. E. Love, J. Roddick, A, Alexander, T. Nefsop, A. Aitken, A. Brunsden, J. Auld, R. Mason, W. Graham, A. E. McPhail, B. Hopkins,. A. E. Doell, T. Hotfison, W. Lyes, J. J. M. Watson, L. ffittchings. E. Fraser, E. Kennedy, Jeffries, P. Giles. K. Hazelhurst. W. Brown, K.. Brown, I. Crockett, C. T. Greatbatch.