Dudley Davies - A Charlton reserve. Your donations bring more history home

Henry Irving

When the museum asked for help in raising £1500 we got it in 36 hours. If you missed it here is the appeal and the article on the OS

http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/74784/help-the-museum-buy-a-1934-35-division-three-champions-medal-unashamed-plea-for-your-money

http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/charlton-museum-supporters-donation-joe-jobling-3323706.aspx



So generous were fans that we had £255 extra after all the late donations.

So we splashed out Harry Rednapp style on a set of letters and documents from a 1940s player called Dudley Davies.

We have a letter with travel arrangements for the 1949 tour of Turkey, a letter asking him to report for training as well as a copy of a letter he sent to the club asking, having signed as an amateur and played four reserve games, if he would be offered a pro- deal.

He was and we have one of his contracts. We have his contract (£8 in winter, £7 in summer).

The whole set cost £100 so I hope all of you who contributed think it was money well spent.

Ian Wallis @killerjerrylee met him when he was in his 70s at the first back to the valley dinner and he was emensely proud to have played for Charlton, even though he never made the first team.

He died last year aged 90 RIP


This is the only photo of him I could find (in Orient colours)

Henry Irving

As his player card shows (we already had this card along with 100s similar in the museum collection) he signed from Lancing FC as an amateur just a few weeks after we had won the FA Cup in 1947.

lancashire lad

Never erd ov im
But well done anyway

Henry Irving

He wrote the club asking when he would get a pro-contract. Not his agent, he wrote the letter.



In pencil you can see a note that says 7 Jan demobbed. @Tom_Hovi or @SE7toSG3 might be able to tell us more about his military service

Henry Irving

He got his pro - contract as you can see

Henry Irving

He lived at various "digs" in the area as the back of his player card shows

Henry Irving

But he then shared a house in Welling with Jock Campbell and Gordon Hurst

stonemuse

Great memorabilia ...where did you find it?

GlassHalfFull

Good stuff indeed - is it known who is the signatory "Bob" ? Note from the letterhead that the station is referred to as Charlton Junction - it lost the suffix some time in 1956/57 when the station was completely rebuilt, the previous buildings having been demolished years earlier by a V2.

Henry Irving

stonemuse said:

Great memorabilia ...where did you find it?

A dealer had it all and offered it to us. It's hard to say what it is worth but we could have let it gone to auction and paid less, paid more or missed out completely.

I assume that as he died last year it was part of his estate and was sold by his family/heirs.

That he kept it all these years tell us what it meant to him.

GlassHalfFull said:

Good stuff indeed - is it known who is the signatory "Bob" ? Note from the letterhead that the station is referred to as Charlton Junction - it lost the suffix some time in 1956/57 when the station was completely rebuilt, the previous buildings having been demolished years earlier by a V2.

I wondered who Bob was. An assistant to Seed perhaps.

Good trainspotting info there.

bobmunro

GlassHalfFull said:

Good stuff indeed - is it known who is the signatory "Bob" ? Note from the letterhead that the station is referred to as Charlton Junction - it lost the suffix some time in 1956/57 when the station was completely rebuilt, the previous buildings having been demolished years earlier by a V2.

Pure guess - perhaps the club secretary? Do we know who was the secretary in 1947? The list of directors includes 'R. Law' - Bob perhaps?

[Deleted User]

Dudley Davies At The Valley

Henry Irving

AsianZidane said:

Dudley Davies At The Valley

Fantastic.

Where did that pic come from @asianzidane?

And can I nick it?

Siv_in_Norfolk

Superb.

Six-a-bag-of-nuts

Lovely

SporadicAddick

Six-a-bag-of-nuts said:

Lovely

This is what differentiates us - great work from everyone involved

MountsfieldPark

I shouldn't say it, but the glorious history of the club? We do give a damn.

Henry Irving

bobmunro said:

GlassHalfFull said:

Good stuff indeed - is it known who is the signatory "Bob" ? Note from the letterhead that the station is referred to as Charlton Junction - it lost the suffix some time in 1956/57 when the station was completely rebuilt, the previous buildings having been demolished years earlier by a V2.

Pure guess - perhaps the club secretary? Do we know who was the secretary in 1947? The list of directors includes 'R. Law' - Bob perhaps?

Jimmy Seed was Secretary/Manager but I assume by 1947 he had other people helping him.

Henry Irving

Dudley Davies was part of the 1949 tour of Turkey when we played and beat Fernabache, Besiktas and Galatasary.

Henry Irving

He did, finally, get his club badge too



And we did pull away from relegation that year as well

[Deleted User]

Henry Irving said:

AsianZidane said:

Dudley Davies At The Valley

Fantastic.

Where did that pic come from @asianzidane?

And can I nick it?

Sure use it if you wish, Think it was in an Valley Review