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This is Findon Village — this website was created by Valerie Martin and contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.
FINDON’S FOOTBALLERS OF THE PAST
Text copyright Valerie Martin 1999
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A formidable and determined bunch of players to come out top in any league — the village footballers of the 1907/8 season. I believe that the player on the extreme right top row is William Ockenden from the woodyard in Nepcote. The young boy kneeling before him is most likely his younger brother Frank who as an adult drove the Ockenden's lorry. The player seated cross-legged on the left appears to be F. Brickle who can also be seen standing in a later season's photograph below.
It was in 1908 that I am told the Reverend William Dennis Allen the vicar of Findon said ...
"Complaints
have reached me of the annoyance that is occasioned by the playing of football
(in the village) on Sundays, and particularly of the noise and bad language that
accompanies it".
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The Findon squad c. 1912 looked a serious bunch of lads to take on the opposing team. In the back row from left to right are A. Blunden; unknown standing behind; L. Carson; W. Kinshett; Sidney Ockenden, (from Ockenden wheelwright, smith and timber yard business in Nepcote — he lived at Cedar Cottage in Nepfield Close in Nepcote); W. Hamlin; F. Brickle; Reginald Tipler (who lived in Findon's main street); and William Ockenden, (also from the timber yard in
Nepcote — he later built and lived at Glanville in Nepfield Close, Nepcote).Sitting are W. Brooks; E. Paris; Hugh Ockenden, (he lived at 4 York Terrace, Nepcote); A. Hards; and John Ockenden, (another of the seven brothers from the timber yard — he later ran the business).
Football in Findon was played at The Wicks (the field to the north of Long Furlong, A280, and some 200 yards after leaving the Findon roundabout).
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An interesting assortment of lads made up the squad for the season 1920-21 as one day they posed at the football ground, now at the Cissbury Estate. Nepcote House can be seen in the distance. The use of the land was granted by courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Richard Penfold Wyatt of Cissbury House.
In the back row are Gatley; E. Langham; F. Winton; O. Wyatt; Albert Constable (who lived in the main street); Robert Martin Mustchin, (of 3 York Terrace in Nepcote and son of Frederick Mustchin); F. Burridge and James Covey (from a family connected with
horse racing in Findon and he lived in Cross Lane).Sitting in the middle row from left to right are Langham; Frank Ockenden (from the timber yard — he later lived at Fairhurst in Nepfield Close, Nepcote); T. Holmes; C. Southey; unknown; and F. Winton, with the curate of
St. John the Baptist Church in Findon, Reverend Percy Leonard, who was obviously a supporter of the team, on the end.The Reverend Percy Leonard became curate of St. John the Baptist Church in 1919. He is most remembered for arranging the monthly Sing-Song in the
Wattle House on Nepcote Green. He sang Cockney songs to his audience and from all accounts he was a jovial character. Every Good Friday when the whole school children were marched to the church, "Percy" would afterwards lead a paper chase in the afternoon for the older boys. This was for a mile or two around in the Cissbury Ring area.In the front row from left to right are B. Overington, C. Jarvis, W. Robinson and Collyer.
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Cissbury Estate from Cissbury Ring in 1996. Cissbury House, the Wyatt's residence is in the distance. |
The Cissbury Estate football ground was behind Nepcote House in
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Nepcote Green with Church Hill in the background in 1997. The Wattle House is on the extreme left with the boarded-up windows and door. Facing the Green are Greenside on the left and its partner Coachmans with the green creeper on its façade. |
The team’s changing rooms were at the cottage called Coachmans facing Nepcote Green and from there the players of the day jogged across the lane to their game. Otherwise they could dress under cover of a clump of beech trees. No one worried in those days when the honour of the team was at stake and Findon was winning cups at the matches.
Later the football team used the old tearooms at the Black Horse public house as their headquarters and enjoyed many evenings of entertainment, especially after winning cups during the season.
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The old Black Horse public house in the main street, c. 1920s. |
The above inn was demolished to make way for the new Findon Bypass in 1939 and a new Black Horse public house was built as is illustrated below.
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The new Black Horse bordering the new Findon Bypass. |
It is not always remembered but on some occasions football was also played on the sloping ground of Nepcote Green. The photograph below shows the goal posts in position (if you look closely).
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Nepcote Green looking east pre 1912. The cottage named Coachmans is in the foreground on the extreme left. |
Last but not least, in 1955 Dennis Goddard of Nepcote Lane had just changed into his football gear to play as goalkeeper for Findon Football Club when the fire alarms sounded. Being a local fireman, he left immediately to fight the blaze. When he returned he proceeded to let in eight goals.
THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — was launched by Valerie Martin in January 1999 and will grow to be a historical record of life in Findon, West Sussex, U.K.
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E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com |
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