Shrewsbury House – The Football Story

We have started on a new project in our Archives group titled ‘Shrewsbury House – The Football Story’.  We are trying to gather as much material as possible that tells the story of the club’s football since 1903.  We haven’t managed to get quite that far back but we do have a photo of a club football team in 1907!

We’re not quite sure whether this turns into a book or what at this stage, but we have an impressive collection of records, words and pictures already. Below are a couple of extracts.

1949/51	PJ			Match report v St Marys
1950	See photos PJ		Team listed on photo	Billy Jones on National Service reports from abroad in a letter and includes a match report
1951	PJ			Match report v Florence Institute
1952
1953
1954	O.Boys	Finalists of Houston cup	George Marsden	Full team list available via G.M. Played at Anfield in front of c 600

Both Chris and Billy Lloyd, who later famously signed for Tranmere Rovers, could write a book about the Shewsy, remembering stories like old Billy Dalrymple, the storekeeper who predated Alf in the mid 1960’s, and his dishing out the footy gym kit and of course the ex-army issue brown pumps. “You were lucky to get two pumps the same size with laces and no holes before kicking off in top gym” says Billy Lloyd.

There were success stories  – winning the first ICI regional 7 a side tournament in Widnes – team: Arthur Rawlings, Chris Gallagher, big Billy Jones, Arthur Towers, Ian McElwee, Davie Hunt, Stan Coleman, all Shewsy stalwarts in their day.