We delve deep into The British Newspaper Archive to look at cuttings that shed light on West Ham United’s history...
The rivalry between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur has endured for well over a century.
The first meeting between these two London clubs, separated by just a handful of miles of the English capital, was played in the Southern League First Division back in 1899.
Since then, the two have met well over 200 times in all competitions.
However, on one Monday afternoon in December 1930, the rivalry was cast aside as the two faced one another in a fundraising match that received Royal approval.
His Royal Highness Edward, Prince of Wales, was the guest of honour at the Boleyn Ground for a game ‘devoted to the funds’ to build an Earl Haig Memorial Hall to serve as the Headquarters of the East Ham branch of the Royal British Legion.
Earl Haig was Douglas Haig, a Scottish Army commander who led the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front from late 1915 until the end of the First World War. He had died in 1928, and the hall had been built in his honour that year and opened in January 1929 for the Royal British Legion.
Played on Monday 8 December 1930, the match was unfortunately played in ‘very inclement weather’, according to a report published the following Friday in the West Ham and South Essex Mail, meaning a ‘comparatively small number of spectators (were) present, despite the magnetic attraction of our popular Prince’.
HRH The Prince of Wales did indeed attend the match, as did an estimated 10,000 spectators.
However, with the light already fading and no floodlights in place at that time – it would be the early 1950s before they were installed at the Boleyn Ground – he did not arrive in time to take the ceremonial kick-off, as had been planned.
Regardless, His Royal Highness took his seat in the stand during the first half and was ‘an interested spectator’, before being introduced to the teams on the ‘very soft’ pitch at half-time, shaking hands with all the players individually.
The Prince’s presence at the fundraising match had caught the imagination of the local community, with a large flag inscribed ‘Welcome to the Prince of Wales’ hung outside the Boleyn Tavern and ‘a display of flags in the neighbourhood’, according to the newspaper.
Outside the ground, patriotic ‘vendors were busily selling the Three Feathers – the Prince’s armorial bearings – very gaily got up in red, white and blue’.
A Guard of Honour comprising members of the Royal British Legion was in place to welcome the Prince and, when his car pulled up, he was met by Admiral of the Fleet Earl Jellicoe, who had succeeded Earl Haig as the Head of British Legion following the latter’s death.
Among the Guard of Honour was veteran G.T. Golden, who was the Pearly King of Woolwich. A picture of his meeting with the Prince was printed on the front page of the Birmingham Mail.
A large number of Police ‘mounted and on foot’ ensured ‘everything was conducted splendidly and there was no hitch of any kind’.
Once inside the Boleyn Ground, the Prince took his seat alongside the Club’s Directors, local Members of Parliament, the Mayors of East and West Ham and other dignitaries of the Royal British Legion, including war hero General Sir Ian Hamilton.
Those present were entertained by the ‘K’ Division Police Band, who reportedly ‘played pleasing selections’ of music.
Sadly, West Ham’s performance was less pleasing for the supporters who braved the dull weather for a view of the Prince of Wales and the football.
“Except for very brief intervals, the visitors were always the home team’s masters, in one of the most remarkable games it has been our privilege to witness,” reported the West Ham and South Essex Mail.
“The pitch was impossible to a deplorable degree, the players being almost ankle deep in mud except at the extreme corners.
“The cause of West Ham’s defeat was probably owing to the complete failure of the home halves. Neither Barrett, Collins or Norris did themselves justice, while Messer, Skitt and Meads stopped every effort of concerted action by the Hammers’ forward line.”
Although the final scoreline is not reported, that Tommy Yews scored West Ham’s only goal, heading in a Stan Earle corner, and Jimmy Ruffell missed a penalty is. For the record, Tottenham won 2-1.
At full-time, the Prince of Wales, having departed early in the second half for another engagement in nearby Canning Town, Earl Jellicoe – another First World War hero who had commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 – presented winner’s medals to the Tottenham players.
Video footage of the occasion is available to watch online HERE.
The Prince of Wales would go on to be crowned King Edward VIII in 1936, but abdicated a few months later in order to marry his divorced fiancée, American socialist Wallis Simpson.
Sadly, the Earl Haig Memorial Hall was never built, and the Royal British Legion was based at the East Ham Working Men’s Club, just across Boleyn Road from the stadium, until its closure in 2019.
