A bit of history

[cornishteddyboy]

I have just bought a football programme for the 1951/52 season, a friendly match, Penzance v Twickenham Town dated Friday 11th April 1952.

In the notes it says that

"Penzance Supports Club are running a bus to Truro on the 24th April in order that supporters can see the match between the South Western Side and Southampton. The bus leaves The First and Last at 5 o'clock on that date."

I wonder if it meant a SWL Representative side v Southampton or Truro's SWL side v Southampton.

At the time Southampton were in the Football League Division 2 or as the youngsters know it nowadays The Championship.

The Penzance side for the above game was our Reserve side and the score was 1-1 as penciled in by the original owner of the programme.

[Mike Odgers]

It was a South Western League X1 that faced Southampton on 24th.April 1952

with Alec Phillips (Falmouth)featuring for the League.

on the 12th.April 1952 Falmouth Town entertained the (all amateur) Twickenham club at Union Corner'

They play in the Middlesex Metropolitan League

Result 4-1 to Falmouth (M.Plummer 2-H.Goldsworthy 2--visitors goal Sly.

According to the Packet report Twickenham suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat at Penzance

Thats a good programme you have Paul was it on Ebay ?

[cornishteddyboy]

Yes. Got it for £6.59 including postage.

The Pz game was played at St Clare not the newly opened Penlee Park.

Perhaps you can help me Mike.

This is a message I sent to Richard Chown who hasn't answered yet as he hasn't been on-line.

"Hi Richard
I have just bought a programme for a
Penzance v Twickenham Town
match on Friday 11th April 1952

In the very brief notes it says the side is a mostly reserve side with a couple of invitation players as the first team are away at St Austell the following day in the South Western League.

The notes also give the next home games
Sat 12th April St Austell - Duchy League 3.30pm
Sat 19th April Newquay - Duchy League 3.30pm
Thur 24th April St Merryn - Duchy League 6.15pm
Sat 26th April Saltash - SW League 3.30pm

A couple of things, notice the games kick off at 3.30pm.
Also what league is this Duchy League. From the notes St Merryn and Pz, Newquay and St Austell were in it, obviously their reserve sides?

Wikipedia says the Duchy League was formed in 1965 so is this a different Duchy League?
Obviously I am asking you as perhaps you might know."

For your info Mike the Twickenham team that played Pz were

1. G Outram

2. G Nickless

3. J Simkins

4. G Challoner

5. J Pritchard

6. A Newhouse

7. R Holloway

8. A Sly

9. G O'Donovan

10. A Woodison

11. D Reynolds

Referee Mr W R Lawry of St Just

[John Richards]

Teddy Boy

The new Penzance ground at Penlee Park opened on the 25th August, 1952. The match was versus Luton Town.

They played all their remaining matches including friendlies up to the end of of 1951-52 season at St Clare.

When they played West Ham in April, 1952 this was played at the home of Penzance & Newlyn RFC, at the Mennaye Fields, which was played in torrential rain, although they were still satisfied with a gate of £80. West Ham included at team which boasted 4 internationals - Gregory (goalkeeper) newly selcted for England versus France; Kinsell (four international caps); O'Farrell (Irish international) later to become manager of Torquay Utd and Manchester Utd and Moroney (Irish international). Also in the West Ham team was Gerry Gazzard formerly of Penzance and Cornwall and Steve Forde who would later become player/manager of the Magpies.

I will be glad to give the Penzance Invitational side which included 5 from St Blazey, 3 from Falmouth 1 from Mousehole and 5 from Penzance. No subs in those days so I assume they changed the team at hlaf-time.

[Mike Odgers]

Paul in season 1951-52 when the South Western League began a new league was formed -The Duchy League which comprised most of the SWL clubs Reserve sides.

This League ran alongside the Cornish Senior league and in season 1952-53 these leagues amalgamated to form a Division 1 & 2 of The Cornish Senior League

This Newly formed Duchy league in 1951-52 saw each club play each other 4 times (32 games) and finished-

1st-St.Just-2nd.Newquay res.-3rd.St.Austell Res.4th.Wadebridge Town-5th.Truro City res.6th.-RNAS Culdrose-7th.Falmouth Town res.8th.Penzance Res.-9th.St.Merryn and St.Blazey withdrew.

St.Just played most of their games for(double) 4points and finished one point ahead of Newquay but the League table looked unacceptable as St.Just scored 42 goals wheras Newquay totalled 120goals

John Richards- could you please list the Penzance invitation team that played against West Ham United

[John Richards]

Mike,

Herewith the Penzance Invitational team that night:

Hanley (Pz & Irish International)

Skinner (Pz & Cornwall)

Southerley (Pz & Exeter City)

G Boase (Pz)

W Lawrey (Pz)

Swanson (Pz & Mousehole)

Phillips (Falmouth & Cornwall)

Martin (Falmouth & Cornwall)

Goldsworth (Falmouth & Cornwall)

Billing (St Blazey)

Rundle (St Blazey

Green (St Blazey & Welsh trialist)

Northmore (St Blazey)

Mabin (St Blazey)

[noahc]

early swl matches would kick off at 3.30, 3.15, 3.00, 2.45 and 2.30 for cup matches and then the sequence would go backwards so end of season games would also start at 3.30.

a rule change i believe in the late 1950s altered the kick off times.

[John Richards]

I have a Cornish Riviera Football Annual 1948-9, Price 1/-

Contents 25 Soccer and Rugby Photographs

Fixtures, Results, Records

Billiards and Snooker Fixtures and Results

+ Guide to West Cornwall's Entertainments

Some interesting footbal teams apart from the usual Porthleven, Penzance, Marazion, Pendeen, Rosudgeon-Kenneggy, St Just, there were Lelant Downs, Kenegie Hostel, RAF Sennen, Long Rock, Ashton, Goldsithney, St Levan. All with their officials, committee etc and histories.

West Penwith Minor League included: Penzance Minors, Penzance Grammar School, Hayle Colts, Ludgvan and Porthleven.

Plymouth Argyle's fixtures were interesting, among the teams were: Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, West Ham, Blackburn, Cardiff, West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield Wed, Coventry, QPR, Leeds, Leicester, Ipswich Tn. They were in the Football League Division II in those days - equal to our Championship now.

[Mike Odgers]

Mike,

Herewith the Penzance Invitational team that night:

Hanley (Pz & Irish International)

Skinner (Pz & Cornwall)

Southerley (Pz & Exeter City)

G Boase (Pz)

W Lawrey (Pz)

Swanson (Pz & Mousehole)

Phillips (Falmouth & Cornwall)

Martin (Falmouth & Cornwall)

Goldsworth (Falmouth & Cornwall)

Billing (St Blazey)

Rundle (St Blazey

Green (St Blazey & Welsh trialist)

Northmore (St Blazey)

Mabin (St Blazey)

I found this on google search

The goalkeeper Johnny Hanley had 11 international caps for the Republic of Ireland having played Gaelic football previously.

In 1952 Penzance advertised for a keeper and Hanley joined for £5-00 a week as a Semi Pro'.Penzance found him employment as a clerk with Unigate and had lodgings with the Clifford Prowse family.

His performances were noted in the South west as a top keeper after epic F A cup ties with Bideford and Taunton and in 1954 joined Truro City.

He married a local girl in Penzance later ran the Peppercorn restaurant in Causeway Head.

He died in 1997 aged 67

[noahc]

Johnny hanley was in the royal light infantry stationed at bodmin during his time st truro. In matches for them he was always played at centre forward. To my knowledge all his games for penzance and truro were as goalkeeper