Dulwich Hamlet History Notes

Rare hamlet badge

 

John Daniels
@JDanielscricket
Currently tweeting items that were once in my football history collection

 

think you will find capacity was cut due Bradford fire in may 1985 mishi. All very sad

 

DH on the Wednesday Ground, FA Amateur Cup v Hallam 1952/53.

 

Not exactly rare...no rarer than any other Hamlet badge made over the last twenty years...they all become rare, in time, because only a few hundred are made.

 

Probably a combination of the two, but we really got hammered after Hillsborough, when all grounds with large capacities were looked at, turned out some of our wiring hadn't been updated since the ground was opened! The capacity later increased in the last couple of years, when a few steps were concreted at the bottom of the old terracing, and the rest of the huge old terraces fenced off. While we were still playing at the old ground, in the last few months, the cover on the far side, come down, in preparation for Sainsburys, being built on the old Top Pitch behind.

 

After half a century finally got around to having the poster as seen framed ! well better late than never ha
paper was so thin in them days but now looks the Dogs
Irritating it aint got the year on it as a few will know it was 1964
Think it was shown somewhere before so must be at least 2 knocking about , Anyone ?
Left to me by a uncle of mine with the programme whos son actually played for Dulwich and his daughter married my uncle who did a bit of coaching/spongeman for the club , actually first met in the upstairs bar at the old ground
Anyway thought i would share

 

Re 1989/90 Season

quote from programme 18th March 1990
v Wokingham Town
venue Bromly FC

"For the benefit of those "neutrals" and all connected with Wokingham, we must explain that our own ground at Champion Hill is closed to spectators at present whilst essential rewiring work is carried out in the Main Stand area. This electrical work was nearing completion at the time of writing these notes, so provided it passes an LEB (London Electricity Board) inspection and we can obtain the necessary safety certificate from Southwark Council in good time. We hope to be back at Dulwich for our game with Dagenham March 31st. Meanwhile, we are most grateful to our good friends from Bromnley FC for allowing =us to use their ground and facilities, not only this afternoon but also for out two "home" games last week" (Aylesbury United and Slough Town)

 

Yes, we had a run of three home games at Hayes Lane. they had a much longer spell at our place in the early Nineties, when their stand 'conveniently' 'accidentally' burnt down not once, but twice!

The above seems to suggest that safety was tightened up everywhere post-Hillsborough, not Bradford, as I thought.

The problem was, despite our low crowds, we were classed as a 'designated sports ground', which was legally based on ANY ground over 10,000 capacity, and not based on actual attendances.

Anecdotally, of course, I do know that 'allegedly' the only reason our old ground with its huge wooden stand, never burnt down in an 'accident' was because the insurance cover, or low level of it, wouldn't have made it 'worthwhile'....

 

What was saved from the old stadium ?
What happened to all that wood - seats etc was it just burnt

I understand some of the turnstiles, obviously the War memorial (Roll of honour) but anything else ?

 

The simple answer is nothing....apart from what you mentioned.

 

Am I right in thinking there are some plaques by the pitch where people's ashes were scattered or have I made that up completely!?!?

 

No plaques, but two peoples' ashes are under the pitch, behind the goal, at the car park end. Brian Weber & Dave Harris.

 

Thought some might find this of interest went for £88 via ebay

 

A post this afternoon on the Charlton Life messageboard from his daughter says that Tom Bedford, who played for Dulwich in the 1940s and was later an official at the Hamlet, has died aged 89. (Sign In - the thread is login-only)

His daughter says: "Sadly my dad Tom Bedford peacefully passed away on Monday aged 89.

Dad first watched Charlton as a five-year old when his parents used to take him to the Valley. He used to sit on his father's shoulders to watch the football. Dad played football with Derek Ufton at Dartford Grammar School and I think they both played for a team called Borough Juniors.

Dad did sign for Charlton as an amateur, but didn't ever play as he had to do his National Service with the RAF in Egypt. However I think most of his time was spent playing football for the RAF!

He played for Dulwich Hamlet for many years and was heavily involved with the club and I can remember being taken to watch him play when I was a child."

I think he features towards the end of this piece Dulwich Mishi wrote for Hamlet Historian: The Hamlet Historian: The first game of my life… by Mishi D. Morath

 

Reg Anderson's name on the Wilson's School Roll of Honour at Wallington, photo courtesy of Mr Cole, the Headmaster. The WW2 history is almost there with just some final polishing to be done - if all goes to plan, it'll be another booklet along the lines of "When Shall Their Glory Fade" and aiming to have it available by November 2017 in time for Remembrance weekend.

 

Alan Smith, manager at Dulwich Hamlet

 

Assistant manager Stuart Scott.

 

The Admiral kit looks burgundy ?
any idea what shirts we were wearing ?
Shorts blue with white and burgundy stripe

 

Those are just drill tops, always pink n blue for matchday!

 

Those shorts were the old 1970s Admiral England shorts - royal blue with red/white stripe. We usually wore them with royal blue shirts with a pink collar, but for a couple of seasons we wore all sorts of strange kits, even for home games: there was an all red with white trim, an all white with blue trim, and sometimes the all yellow with blue trim away kit was worn at home.

 

This question on Twitter

 

Ah Matt Norris. Does anyone know whether the Matt Norris of Dulwich graffiti still exists at Croydon Arena?

With the benefit of hindsight it's probably a good thing the attempt to super glue their committee to their seats in the midst of a promotion season transfer dispute failed. Super glue doesn't work if left on a seat overnight......

 

Not sure, but can possibly find out if I remember to dig out subsequent relevant programmes when I get home. I've got that programme at home somewhere. John Charles was Merthyr's player-manager at the time.

 

Thanks - any idea - why they would play a friendly against Merthyr ? does it say in programme

 

Before my time, but I don't think there was any real connection. They would have asked for the game, as they were planning to have a pre-season game, or maybe even two, in the London area.
Around the same time we played the Singapore National side.
It's a shame we don't record pre-seasons in our stats. It would be interesting to see a full list, if anyone ever complied them.

 

one of the old hanbooks has a list of international tour games we played

 

Yes, indeed they did. But they wouldn't have been pre-season. they were generally around the Easter holiday.