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Attached is an essay on the football club and its evolution to a professional club in the late 1930s and why it did not play matches during the two world wars. There is plenty about the Cobbolds and the cream of society that ran the club in this period.
It’s about 30 pages long and if you can’t be bothered with reading it there’s an interesting picture of Portman Road in 1908 with Tug o War being played out on what would be today’s pitch. The old Chicken Run stand, which was relatively new at the time is in the shot. This was replaced in 1971 with the Portman/Cobbold stand, now the topic of much discussion.
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 12:11 - Nov 8 with 2586 views
A really interesting read. Especially so for me as I'm actually a (distant) relative of Leonard Thompson (see page 13). He's someone whose role in the formation of the club often gets forgotten, so it's nice to see it represented here.
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 22:17 - Nov 8 with 2229 views
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 20:37 - Nov 8 by Pique
Thanks for posting.
A really interesting read. Especially so for me as I'm actually a (distant) relative of Leonard Thompson (see page 13). He's someone whose role in the formation of the club often gets forgotten, so it's nice to see it represented here.
So he should be recognised. From what I’ve read, without Thompson the professional club might not have been formed until later, given the hold amateurism in the form described in the essay had on the club and the people who ran it - including the Cobbolds.
In the Ken Rice book Ipswich from the 1970s there’s a picture of him and plenty on the club’s early days. It’s actually a must read for anyone interested in Ipswich Town and a second hand copy can be bought for about £10
My grandad, who seemed to know everyone, was a friend/acquaintance of one of the directors when the professional club was formed. A gentleman called Nat Shaw and according to my dad it was through him we sat in the best seats in the house for my first game. Shaw died a year later, so it may have been one of the others.
[Post edited 8 Nov 2024 23:10]
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 22:32 - Nov 8 with 2220 views
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 22:17 - Nov 8 by Churchman
So he should be recognised. From what I’ve read, without Thompson the professional club might not have been formed until later, given the hold amateurism in the form described in the essay had on the club and the people who ran it - including the Cobbolds.
In the Ken Rice book Ipswich from the 1970s there’s a picture of him and plenty on the club’s early days. It’s actually a must read for anyone interested in Ipswich Town and a second hand copy can be bought for about £10
My grandad, who seemed to know everyone, was a friend/acquaintance of one of the directors when the professional club was formed. A gentleman called Nat Shaw and according to my dad it was through him we sat in the best seats in the house for my first game. Shaw died a year later, so it may have been one of the others.
[Post edited 8 Nov 2024 23:10]
Indeed. I never met Leonard sadly, he died before I was born, but his widow very kindly used to send me cuttings from the local Ipswich papers about the club (it was pre internet and we didn't live in Suffolk). She eventually gave me all Leonard's Ipswich related effects, including all of his old programmes, some of which are from the 1930s. I still have all of it and will pass it on to my son.
Thanks for the tip on the Ken Rice book, I wasn't aware of it - will have to order a copy!
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 23:09 - Nov 8 with 2177 views
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 22:32 - Nov 8 by Pique
Indeed. I never met Leonard sadly, he died before I was born, but his widow very kindly used to send me cuttings from the local Ipswich papers about the club (it was pre internet and we didn't live in Suffolk). She eventually gave me all Leonard's Ipswich related effects, including all of his old programmes, some of which are from the 1930s. I still have all of it and will pass it on to my son.
Thanks for the tip on the Ken Rice book, I wasn't aware of it - will have to order a copy!
It’s great that you kept that stuff. Most of the time things like that get lost or chucked out. It’s important and in its way part of the club’s history, especially with that provenance.
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 01:52 - Nov 9 with 2094 views
Thanks for such a concise and interesting essay. Astonishingly, Ipswich Town came very close to being Ipswich United. We owe those gentlemen who fought to get Ipswich on a professional standing a great deal. I'm sure in 1945 when the club started its 2nd season in the football league it would never have crossed their minds that within 17 years Ipswich Town would be champions of England!. What a football club, one I am so proud to support.
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 10:28 - Nov 9 with 1915 views
Many thanks for posting. There is an article in today's EADT based on this essay but to be able to see the whole essay is great.
As regards the photo of the Chicken Run, it is odd to see trees behind it where Portman Road would be as well as houses where the Churchman's factory would be.
I wonder therefore if it was subsequently moved to back on to Portman Road, especially given a 1905 Ordnance Survey Map showing the football ground not backing onto Portman Road, the Chicken Run having been constructed in 1906 I believe.
If anyone could shed any light on this that would be great, because it might suggest the Chicken Run has been moved twice, the second time to Foxhall Stadium.
EDIT: this map from 1928 shows the ground (and Chicken Run) backing on to Portman Road (Portman's Road on the 1905 map).
Many thanks for posting. There is an article in today's EADT based on this essay but to be able to see the whole essay is great.
As regards the photo of the Chicken Run, it is odd to see trees behind it where Portman Road would be as well as houses where the Churchman's factory would be.
I wonder therefore if it was subsequently moved to back on to Portman Road, especially given a 1905 Ordnance Survey Map showing the football ground not backing onto Portman Road, the Chicken Run having been constructed in 1906 I believe.
If anyone could shed any light on this that would be great, because it might suggest the Chicken Run has been moved twice, the second time to Foxhall Stadium.
EDIT: this map from 1928 shows the ground (and Chicken Run) backing on to Portman Road (Portman's Road on the 1905 map).
The first picture in the attached shows the Chicken Run in the 1930s. It sits on land that was waste ground - you can see the outline of it in the pic. It was built there an 1906 and if memory serves me right extended. The waste bit of ground, the white area on the OS map, with the stand was initially rented out to a chicken farmer (presumably out of season?) and it really was a chicken run!
It is incredible how quickly the ground developed after 1933, presumably when the idea of professionalism began to take hold. My grandad told me decades ago that originally the West Stand (Pioneer, Co-op etc etc) consisted of piled up railway sleepers before an actual terrace was built.
I believe the pitch originally ran down the side where the car park/main entrance is when the ground was shared with cricket etc.
Below, there is a selection of pictures taken from the air. The first shows the cattle market in 1920. On the top left you can just see the Chicken Run stand. What is noticeable is the number of buildings and trees between the market as was and Portman Road, presumably all cleared in the 1920s.
I first went to Portman Road in 1950 and sat in the Chicken run. I think it must have been a Suffolk Senior Cup Final with Bury Town as my father, a low paid worker, could never have afforded to pay for a seat at a League match. For us it was a three bus journey from Honington leaving at 10 in the morning and three buses later arriving back at Honington at 9 in the evening. I can remember the west side of the ground being railway sleepers and the building of the West Stand paid for by the then Supporters Association. In 1953 I stood in the North Stand to see John Elsworthy score his one and only hat trick against Coventry. My father went blind, through diabetes, in 1962, so he missed so much of the development of Portman Road. He would be amazed if he could see the ground now. He did, of course, just manage to see the triumph of the League Championship, one of his last visits.
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 13:56 - Nov 9 with 1669 views
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 12:56 - Nov 9 by oldburian
I first went to Portman Road in 1950 and sat in the Chicken run. I think it must have been a Suffolk Senior Cup Final with Bury Town as my father, a low paid worker, could never have afforded to pay for a seat at a League match. For us it was a three bus journey from Honington leaving at 10 in the morning and three buses later arriving back at Honington at 9 in the evening. I can remember the west side of the ground being railway sleepers and the building of the West Stand paid for by the then Supporters Association. In 1953 I stood in the North Stand to see John Elsworthy score his one and only hat trick against Coventry. My father went blind, through diabetes, in 1962, so he missed so much of the development of Portman Road. He would be amazed if he could see the ground now. He did, of course, just manage to see the triumph of the League Championship, one of his last visits.
Thanks for posting.
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 14:15 - Nov 9 with 1649 views
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 12:56 - Nov 9 by oldburian
I first went to Portman Road in 1950 and sat in the Chicken run. I think it must have been a Suffolk Senior Cup Final with Bury Town as my father, a low paid worker, could never have afforded to pay for a seat at a League match. For us it was a three bus journey from Honington leaving at 10 in the morning and three buses later arriving back at Honington at 9 in the evening. I can remember the west side of the ground being railway sleepers and the building of the West Stand paid for by the then Supporters Association. In 1953 I stood in the North Stand to see John Elsworthy score his one and only hat trick against Coventry. My father went blind, through diabetes, in 1962, so he missed so much of the development of Portman Road. He would be amazed if he could see the ground now. He did, of course, just manage to see the triumph of the League Championship, one of his last visits.
Thank you for posting this. Really interesting. So there really was railway sleepers where the west stand is now! Excellent. My dad first went with his father in 1938 and sat in the Chicken Run. They were actually at the Aston Villa FA Cup replay in 1938 too for which there are plenty of photos and was probably the biggest game to be played at PR up to that point.
I’m pleased your father got to see the Champions. To this day one of the greatest achievements in the history of football in this country in my view.
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 15:04 - Nov 9 with 1586 views
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 11:14 - Nov 9 by Churchman
The first picture in the attached shows the Chicken Run in the 1930s. It sits on land that was waste ground - you can see the outline of it in the pic. It was built there an 1906 and if memory serves me right extended. The waste bit of ground, the white area on the OS map, with the stand was initially rented out to a chicken farmer (presumably out of season?) and it really was a chicken run!
It is incredible how quickly the ground developed after 1933, presumably when the idea of professionalism began to take hold. My grandad told me decades ago that originally the West Stand (Pioneer, Co-op etc etc) consisted of piled up railway sleepers before an actual terrace was built.
I believe the pitch originally ran down the side where the car park/main entrance is when the ground was shared with cricket etc.
Below, there is a selection of pictures taken from the air. The first shows the cattle market in 1920. On the top left you can just see the Chicken Run stand. What is noticeable is the number of buildings and trees between the market as was and Portman Road, presumably all cleared in the 1920s.
The last one in particular is interesting. It shows the Constantine Rd power station, tram depot, but also the old training pitch area. The cricket square is visible and shows how the Pavilion fronted on to it (where the dressing rooms are now). The edge of the pitch is on it (loss of grass from the goal mouths) and of course the houses on Alderman Rd behind what is now North Stand - which of course are still there.
The players’ kit used to be washed down that road.
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 16:38 - Nov 9 with 1539 views
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 14:15 - Nov 9 by Churchman
Thank you for posting this. Really interesting. So there really was railway sleepers where the west stand is now! Excellent. My dad first went with his father in 1938 and sat in the Chicken Run. They were actually at the Aston Villa FA Cup replay in 1938 too for which there are plenty of photos and was probably the biggest game to be played at PR up to that point.
I’m pleased your father got to see the Champions. To this day one of the greatest achievements in the history of football in this country in my view.
That Villa cup match was certainly the main talking point for years until the sixties. One story about that match was that when the scores were level we got a penalty. Apparently just as the ball was about to be despatched a Villa player threw a lump of mud at it and it moved just at contact with the penalty missed. Villa then scored a late winner. 28,000 there and the record crowd for years.
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 17:00 - Nov 9 with 1503 views
interesting reference to the unpopularity football received after the professional Football League completed the 1914-15 season, despite the outbreak of WWI in July 1914. As a result, after the Great War, many public schools abandoned football in favour of rugby.
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 16:38 - Nov 9 by oldburian
That Villa cup match was certainly the main talking point for years until the sixties. One story about that match was that when the scores were level we got a penalty. Apparently just as the ball was about to be despatched a Villa player threw a lump of mud at it and it moved just at contact with the penalty missed. Villa then scored a late winner. 28,000 there and the record crowd for years.
My dad was about 11 for that game and remembered it well. Because he was in the stand he had a good view but how the rest of the 28000 got on goodness only knows! Must have been fun though.
It was of course a replay, the first match played in front of 35,000. A 1-1 draw. I wonder how many Town supporters made it to that game?
Edit- Here is 30 seconds of it:
[Post edited 9 Nov 2024 23:29]
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 01:22 - Nov 10 with 1318 views
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 23:21 - Nov 9 by Churchman
My dad was about 11 for that game and remembered it well. Because he was in the stand he had a good view but how the rest of the 28000 got on goodness only knows! Must have been fun though.
It was of course a replay, the first match played in front of 35,000. A 1-1 draw. I wonder how many Town supporters made it to that game?
Edit- Here is 30 seconds of it:
[Post edited 9 Nov 2024 23:29]
Half expected Harry Enfield on that clip!
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Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 08:02 - Nov 10 with 1206 views
Ipswich Town 1907 to 1945 on 01:22 - Nov 10 by bluebudgie
Half expected Harry Enfield on that clip!
I think the old bloke shaking hands with the Villa captain is Jimmy McLuckie. Believe it or not he’s only 30 years old in that shot.
McLuckie was transferred from Aston Villa in 1936 and played over 100 times for us and won a cap for Scotland. He became the first Captain of the professional club. WW2 ended his career really. He died in 1986.
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