We delve deep into The British Newspaper Archive to look at cuttings that shed light on West Ham United’s history...
A new era in the Club’s history began on 11 September 1897, when Thames Ironworks FC welcomed Brentford to their new home.
In early 1897, Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company owner Arnold Hills announced that he had bought a large piece of land at the Memorial Grounds in Canning Town. Hills announced plans to build a multi-purpose sports centre at the venue, which was named in honour of Queen Victoria, who had ascended to the throne 60 years previously.
Despite the sheer scale of the development, the new facilities were built in just six months and opened on Jubilee Day on 22 June, with around 8,000 people attending the opening ceremony.
The Memorial Grounds, it was said, had capacity for 100,000 spectators and a range of sporting events – it had a banked cycle track, which was one of the best in the London area, and the ground was believed to be fit to host an FA Cup final, although it never did.
The football pitch sat in the middle of the cycle track and hosted its first competitive match on Saturday 11 September 1897. West London side Brentford were the visitors for a London League Division One fixture which kicked-off at the unusual time of 3.45pm.
The Morning Leader newspaper of that date published their predicted teams for the occasion, with the Ironworks XI listed in the 2-3-5 formation of the time as: ‘Furnell; Chalkley and Tranter; Dove, Dandridge and Bird; Hatton, Gresham, Reid, Mills and Edwards. Reserves: Chisholm and Denham’.
As it happened, Simon Chisholm started, with Walter Tranter not involved. There were, of course, no substitutes in those days.
A wonderfully worded report in the Middlesex County Times published the following week told of a close match between the two capital clubs, settled by Edward Hatton's goal 15 minutes from full-time. There is a mystery over the goalscorer’s identity, however, as some reports and historians credit Jimmy Reid with having netted.
“The fine team now representing the Thames Ironworks had Brentford for their opponents in the London League on Saturday, and as the result of a hard and well-fought game sent them home defeated by one goal to none. The match was played on the Memorial track adjacent to Plaistow station, and there were quite a thousand supporters present.
“The first portion was finely contested, capital work being done by the forwards of both teams, but the capable defence exhibited formed an insuperable bar to any scoring, and at half-time the sheet was a blank.
“On resuming the game was again very even, Gresham and Read (note the spelling mistake) doing some conspicuously good work for the home team, Charlton and Richardson acquitting themselves well for Brentford.
“The only goal of the match came from the foot of Hatton, who scored with a straight shot, which Gillett could not deal with. Richardson putting on a point for Brentford, which was disallowed for offside, the result being as mentioned above.”
The Morning Leader’s own report of 15 September, written by TAM, was effusive in its praise for the Memorial Grounds compared to the Ironworks’ previous two home grounds.
“In days gone by, Canning Town possessed an unenviable reputation for the vile nature of its football pitches,” it began. “Visiting teams were either accommodated on a bed of cinders at Hermit Road, or a marshy swamp hard by the Beckton Road.
“But all that has passed away, and the new Memorial Grounds at Manor Road will bear favourable comparison with any arena in the metropolis.”
It is also fascinating to read that Ironworks were wearing new kit colours for the game, impressing TAM, who wrote: “It was noted that the Ironworks had discarded their somewhat sombre attire of dark blue for something of a brighter hue, white nicks (shorts) with red stockings and shirts of lighter blue being the order.”
Thames Ironworks would go on to win their next five London League matches, did not lose any of their first 14 and won all eight home games at the Memorial Grounds.
However, as the end of April 1898 approached, the title was still up for grabs, with Thames Ironworks and their opening-day opponents Brentford vying for top spot with two games to play.
You can read the full story of how the end of the 1897/98 season played out HERE.
