*click for larger
Here’s a photo from Jo Fleet that’s been sat in my inbox for some time so apologies for that.
Jo comments: “This photo is of the Hoylake team 1921 – 1922. My grandfather is Fred Fleet (the goalie).
Does anyone know the name of the team? Is it Trinity?”
Left to right from back:
- W Cowin L Cookson Rev. Elstob F Bird F Fleet W Smith W Sherlock C.S. Sellars
- R Brassey H Black D Forster
- J H Bird A Salts F Wade W Lawrence F Bird
That’s a cracking hat that the goalie is wearing!
Do you reckon that this photo was taken in Hoylake? I think I recognise the buildings in the background but I can’t quite place them.
The Team was called Grove Athletic according to Gerald Fleet, son of Fred Fleet.
This is an area where I’ve been trying to find family information for some time. The “Hoylake Athletic and Football Company Ltd.” was I believe the formal name. I know my Great Grandfather Samuel Rowland Smith was very much involved. I think that the W Smith in the photograph was the son of George and Mary Ellen (nee Alexander) Smith. He was orphaned in 1901 and “adopted” by my Great Great Grandfather – his Uncle (just to confuse he was also called Sam Smith). The field used by the football “company” was sold in 1927 to Hoylake Rugby club. That’s the limit on what I’ve been able to find ( apart from a connection between my G Grandfather and Alex Latta the Everton player and boatbuilder, through joinery/boatbuilding). Any more info out there?
Possible family feud starting here Uncle Gerald … I think the team might be called Hoylake Cygnets. I hope so; it is a very romantic name for such a manly looking crew. As for the hat: given the hat size of the average Fleet – Grandad’s hat must have been huge!
Hello Jo, There is a thread somewhere else on here which shows a photo of Hoylake Cygnets which started up in the late 1940’s or early ’50’s by Jack Woodhouse from Alderley Road. It may be that he used the name from a previous team, but I have no recollection of one. There was a team called Hoylake Wednesday which played between the wars, at Sandringham Avenue I believe.