The sad case of a founding members and player of Wrexham Football Club (Massive history thread!)

[Inside Left]

Originally Posted by AlLondonred

Can't believe the thread was closed.

The thought police with no thought.

[eastsussexred]

Originally Posted by Inside Left

I for one find this interesting and no doubt others who have researched football history in Wrexham also find it of interest. Why was the original thread closed?? Keep up the good work ESR

Thanks Inside Left, I understand that others are also looking into our early history, which can only be a good thing for the club. There are, of course, those who have done such things for years, but I suppose that they just hadn't thought to research who the original 10 players were.
Hopefully, any forthcoming information will just add depth to our history.

[WasanActonlad]

Another one who finds the historical stuff interesting.
On the other stuff thread, there is a food sub section at top. Can there not be a historical
Sub section opened for all historical threads on club.

[WasanActonlad]

If memory correct does'nt the report of the first ever game make's a reference to the return of the "kick-ball game" suggesting football had been played earlier in the town.
Reports of gala's , fêtes and Sunday school picnics report football played. Though that first report is worded it was a real game.
Have read previously in respect of history of game how apprentices played in Chester in mediaeval times, where they used oak tree bark for shin pads.

[eastsussexred]

Originally Posted by WasanActonlad

If memory correct does'nt the report of the first ever game make's a reference to the return of the "kick-ball game" suggesting football had been played earlier in the town.
Reports of gala's , fêtes and Sunday school picnics report football played. Though that first report is worded it was a real game.
Have read previously in respect of history of game how apprentices played in Chester in mediaeval times, where they used oak tree bark for shin pads.

I believe that the game as we know it came from across the border in Shrewsbury, where grammar schools developed a dribbling game, rather than the old medieval game that you refer too.
A version of football, christened‘ douling’ had been introduced at the school in around 1842 and it was from this game that football began to be developed.
I think that the phrase that you refer to was the return of the 'old leg hit game' and was played earlier around Wrexham. If my memory serves me correctly there were a few teams around that were older than Wrexham although we were the one that went on to become a football league team.

There is a really good piece about football in the area in the early days, with reference notes, although I believe that some of his dates might be incorrect

?The New Craze?: Football and Society in North-East Wales, c.1870-90 | Martin Johnes - Academia.edu

[Rob]

bump

[WasanActonlad]

Rob thank you much appreciated....ta la'd

[jonesfach]

Originally Posted by WasanActonlad

Rob thank you much appreciated....ta la'd

[eastsussexred]

Agreed thanks Rob

[WasanActonlad]

Originally Posted by eastsussexred

Is there anyone who can help out with a bit of research regarding the remaining players from our original team who played against Prince of Wales Fire Brigade 1864?
The original thread was closed and there are still 3 players who need to be confirmed, although I have just started a new contract and so may not have much time for a while
The players in question are
J Taylor, G.R. Johnson and Jos Roberts.
I had originally posted that J Taylor was John Taylor who later became the secretary of the Football Association of Wales, although I now know that this is not likely to be true; Instead I have established that it was a John Taylor, born 1842, the son of John and Anne Taylor, the landlord of the Swan Inn Penybryn.
John Taylor snr was injured in an accident in 1859 and Anne taylor died the same year. John Taylor jnr then briefly became the Landlord of the Swan Inn, but he disappears from the radar after being recorded as the Swan Inn Landlord in 1868.
He had been a member of the Gentlemen of Denbighshire Cricket team in 1867 and was also recorded as being a Steward at Autumn Sports events at the Racecourse and was therefore the same John Taylor who played in our first ever game.
This seems very likely as his brother Thomas Buchannan Taylor b 1847 also later played for Wrexham Football club, winning silverware for being the best player twice during the 1870's and becoming a secretary for the club in the 1880's/90's. T.B. Taylor would also later become a counsellor For Wrexham Council .
John Taylors wife may have given birth to a son 19th September 1868 in Rhosddu.
But John Taylor then seems to disappear

G.R Johnson and Joseph Roberts both played for Provincial Cricket Club in 1864 and would likely have been insurance clerks at the Provincial Insurance office, High Street Wrexham. G.R was most likely a George R Johnson and he was a volunteer in the Prince of Wales Fire Brigade, but he then disappears from the records. Joseph Roberts may have been a shoe maker born 1841 and married and lived at crescent Terrace Wrexham in 1881, although I cannot tie him in as definitely being the same Jos Roberts who played for Wrexham.
I do not have the year of deaths for either of these people.
It is possible that either of these 3 may have had an association with the Denbighshire militia.
If anyone is retired, or anyone who has time on their hands , then any help to confirm who these people are would be very much appreciated.
a good source of information is found in Welsh Newspapers Online - Home

Have located a photograph of Thomas Buchanan Taylor though in later years.
In Alistair Williams 's "Old Wrexham" and Dodd's "History of Wrexham".
Its the Jubilee council photograph in 1907. T B Taylor is seated front row extreme right. In the Dodd's book he is listed as T. Buchanan Taylor.

There are reports on line in the Advertiser of Football club Athletic meetings were Buchanan Taylor appeared to win every race he entered . In the 1860's.