We think it’s the first time we’ve had anyone related to two players from before the first world war in the Museum.
Harry Gritton was a regular first team player for several seasons, starting in 1908/09, up until the first world war. The first match that he definitely played in was on 14/11/1908 when he scored the first goal in a 5—0 win v Pellipar Old Boys in the Blackheath League II. In the Lewisham League I he scored the only goal at Rotherhithe Town on 2/1/1909 in a 1-0 win which was Rotherhithe’s first home defeat of the season. Harry was Vice-Captain in 1912/13. After the first World War he was the Assistant Financial Secretary (later Financial Secretary).
It was Harry that measured the ground at the Valley (with Archie Watt’s walking stick) – he found that hundreds of tons of chalk would need to be moved from one end to the other to make space for the football pitch.
W Reed was a Charlton player just before the first World War and has the distinction of missing Charlton’s first-ever penalty in the FA Cup, in the FA Cup replay at Dartford on 17/10/1914.
Harry Gritton would have won many medals playing for Charlton in those days.
We wonder if any of them survived and where they are now.
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Harry Gritton was a regular first team player for several seasons, starting in 1908/09, up until the first world war. The first match that he definitely played in was on 14/11/1908 when he scored the first goal in a 5—0 win v Pellipar Old Boys in the Blackheath League II. In the Lewisham League I he scored the only goal at Rotherhithe Town on 2/1/1909 in a 1-0 win which was Rotherhithe’s first home defeat of the season. Harry was Vice-Captain in 1912/13. After the first World War he was the Assistant Financial Secretary (later Financial Secretary).
It was Harry that measured the ground at the Valley (with Archie Watt’s walking stick) – he found that hundreds of tons of chalk would need to be moved from one end to the other to make space for the football pitch.
W Reed was a Charlton player just before the first World War and has the distinction of missing Charlton’s first-ever penalty in the FA Cup, in the FA Cup replay at Dartford on 17/10/1914.
Harry Gritton would have won many medals playing for Charlton in those days.
We wonder if any of them survived and where they are now.
After that clubs in England were forced to go "amateur" and reorganise into regional leagues.
Charlton reformed late in the war initially to play Charity games.