Photographic History of Eton Wick and Eton - Eton Wick 'Unity Players'

The photograph was taken at the finale of the 'Unity Players' first pantomime in 1948, 'Alladin'. The Players went on to produce 'Cinderella' (1950), 'Dick Whittington' (1951) and 'Spring Parade' (1950 and 1951). 

The shows were written by Fred Wiggett and Tommy Neighbour. As was the case in those somewhat austere post war years, the local communities, boosted by their restless ex-service personnel put a great deal of effort into raising funds for improving local amenities such as schools, and leisure facilities for both adults and youth, and had fun in the process. 

The proceeds of the 'Unity Players' sell out productions went to the purchase of new kit for the Football Club. 

Those identified in the photograph are: Fred Wiggett (with the boater on the right), Tommy Neighbour (half concealed, 4th from the right), John Cox (5th from the right), Zena Hunt (7th from right), Eva Bond (with bouquet), Francis Alder (left of Eva), and Joan Neighbour (5th from left). 

This article was first published in A Pictorial History of Eton Wick & Eton.

Eton Wick Youth Football Team 1962-63

 

Back row left to right

Jas Alder, N Johnson, A Harrison, W Welford, S Durban, Les Emery (Captain)

Front Row left to right

Barry Eaglestone, D Price, John Alder (Goalkeeper), F Ormond, F Hatch

Eton Wick History thanks Alan Harrison for his kind permission to publish this photograph.  Alan Harrison was a team member and is in the back row third from the left.

Eton Wick United FC 1919 - 20

Arthur Ernest Benham, Arthur V. Woolhouse, William J. Woolhouse, A. Bryant, 

F. Bryant, E. Bond, George Newell

William Bond, W. Percy, V. Elkins (Capt.), N. Lane, Albert Richards

Woods

The men in the photograph with first names in full were living in Eton Wick at the time of the 1921 Census.

We have been able to find the records of two of the players featured in this photograph who saw service in the British army during the First World War. These men were recorded as living in Eton Wick in the 1921 census.

Arthur Ernest Benham volunteeered for Army service on 2nd July 1915 and was demobbed on 21st May 1919.

George Newell was attested into the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 10th September 1908 and was demobbed on 9th September 1920.

There are likely to have been other players who served but records have not yet been found.

Village Community in the 1800's

In 1872 the Eton Work Society was also founded under the auspices of the church. It was a bark-back to ideas of earlier centuries whereby materials were bought by the parish and given to the poorer people to work. In Eton, it was to the women that the scheme was aimed. They did needlework during the winter months; they were paid for their labour and the garments were sold at cost price. It was an admirable scheme for the times and reflects the attitude of the clergy and parish workers of 'helping the poor without pauperising them'. Many of the parish poor lived in the 'poor out-district of Eton Wick'.

Earlier in the century, however, ordinary villagers, if not the poorest, had managed their own affairs quite successfully. The Eton Wick Friendly Society had been founded in 1811. It met on the first Monday of each month at the Three Horseshoes. Only those who could maintain themselves and their families could join; the entrance fee was five shillings, and there was a monthly payment of 1s 9d.  Meetings were meant to be an enjoyable occasion and there was an annual feast, but the rules of behaviour were strict. The most important function was as an insurance society. In times of sickness or infirmity a member would receive 10s 6d weekly for six months and then half of this for as long as the sickness lasted. Widows too were helped. Members took it in turns to be stewards and visit ailing members. For at least twelve years the Society prospered, but no records later than 1823 have survived and in all probability it became bankrupt in the lean years which followed.

In 1878 a group of villagers began another enterprise - the Eton Wick Horticultural and 

The Eton Wick Horticultural Show circa 1900

Industrial Exhibition, or Horticultural Society as it was later known. Its first meeting was held in  August that year.  Prizes were given for the usual classes of produce and crafts: fruit, vegetables, flowers, needlework and livestock. There was no doubt about its success, and by the following year it had become a parish affair open to all competitors from the town as well as the village and also Boveney and Dorney. Competitions were now arranged according to the class of the competitor- cottager, allotment holder,   professional and amateur. Special prizes were given by the Temperance Society. It was the highlight of the village year, an event to be looked forward to months ahead and talked about for weeks afterwards. There was no shortage of entries. Rabbits sleek in their cages, and bantams, hens and ducks in their coops formed a double line in one corner of Wheatbutts Field. The smell of hot, freshly cooked potatoes and new bread filled the air, complemented in later years by the sound of Eton Wick's own fife and drum band. Among the prize winners were one or two now very familiar names, such as Bond and Borrett, which make their first entry in the records of the village.

Two other events which caused considerable excitement in 1878 were also reported in the parish magazine, and although the information given is meager, each appears to be the first of its kind in the village. Both took place in July on the common; the first was a political meeting and the second a steam circus. As the century drew to its end several other innovations were taking place in the village. A cricket club was started in 1889 and a football club some time previously. The football team won all its matches in 1885. The old schoolroom became the meeting place of the Eton Wick Working Men's Club, and there was also a Young Men's Club. Treats and concerts were becoming quite usual features of village life. Vans and wagons took the children to Langley Park and another year the Sunday School treat took place on Fellows' Eyot. The Temperance Society visited Cliveden; village parties were held to see in the New Year, and public teas were held in the schoolroom in the summer, followed by entertainment in Mr Nottage's orchard. Christmas 1885 was marked by a magic lantern show at the school. There were many concerts, but one of them merits special mention, for it appears to be one of the earliest known occasions when the village organized a collection to help one of its members. The proceeds were given to the widow of young Arthur Benham who died after catching a chill in the floods, leaving a wife and seven children.


This is an extract from The Story of a Village: Eton Wick 1217 to 1977 by Judith Hunter.

30th July 1966

England played Germany in the World Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday 30th July 1966.  Bobby Moore was presented with the Jules Rimet Trophy by HM Queen Elizabeth 2^nd after the thrilling 4 v 2 victory.

Tickets for the tournament must have been easy to obtain for at least some of the matches as I was a spectator at the Mexico v Uruguay match that was played at Wembley on 19th July. I went along with my two brothers and a friend from Devon. It was a sunny day and the score ended 0 v 0 just as England v Uruguay had ended in the first game of the World Cup.

You may think that the population of Eton Wick and every other community in England would have been glued to their black and with TV for the final, but that was not the case.

John Coke took me and other members of the 1^st Eton Wick & Boveney Scout Troop to South Wales for a week’s camp. All the tents and other camping gear was loaded on the back of one of Bob Bond’s Bedford lorries and driven to the Neath Valley by John Fennel. I personally have a distinct memory of going down the long hill on the A4 going into Marlborough in Wiltshire as the M4 had not opened the way to Bristol.

When we arrived at our destination we scouts discovered that the camp site was some distance from the road so all the equipment and supplies needed to be carried. This was done with the troop’s trek cart. Each patrol taking turns to race down the track with the cart fully loaded. Scary to recall with its potential dangers, but I certainly remember it was great fun at the time. My overriding memory of the week is of rain and there was plenty of it during the seven days we were in camp. This memory is equally shared with the brilliant week that we had.

Another group who were not in the village on World Cup Final day were members of the Youth Club who were in St Ives in Cornwall enjoying their annual camp. Frank Bond says that a neighbouring farmer invited to campers into his home to watch the match.

My brother Andrew told me that much to his annoyance he was taken by our mother, Betty Denham to the Royal Tournament at Earls Court on a trip organised in the village. My sister Amanda says as an 8 year old she found the event very loud and action packed too.

Rev. Alan Paice

And yet another group of young people were on a trip to the Isle of Arran with Alan Paice, Priest in charge of St John’s the Baptist. My brother Michael was in this group who stayed in the Scottish National Trust hostel in the grounds of Brodick Castle. He remembers listening to the final on a radio as there were no TVs at the hostel.

Ford Transit mini bus and hostel accomodation

Rhododendron clearing. 

   

So one of the greatest day in the history of English Football found four village organisation taking young people and old out to participate in other events. Remarkable, do you think that the same would happen now?

If you were in St. Ives with the Youth Club, Ystradfellte for the Scout Summer Camp, Brodick Castle with the Church youth group, the trip to the Royal Tournament or any other organised outing please let us know what you remember of 30th July 1966. If you have any photographs we would be delighted if you share them on our website site.

Five - a - Side Football Juvenile Challenge Cup Rules from 1920

Five - a - Side  Juvenile Challenge Cup

Presented by DISCHARGED SOLDIERS and SAILORS of Boveney, Dorney and Eton Wick

RULES

To be played for annually on Easter Monday by boys over the age of 8 years, and under the age of 15 years.

Captains to be drawn from the eldest boys.

Any boy drawn for and not on field to play will not be entitled to a substitute.

Names of the winning teams to be engraved on the cup out of the funds.

Names of the loosing finalist to be engraved on the Dick Mitchener memorial cup out of funds.

The Captains will hold the respective cups for twelve months.

Medals will be presented to the winning and losing finalist.

The draw for the teams will take place on the field of play on the day the competition takes place.

No boy will be allowed to compete, that does not reside in one of the above mentioned villages.

Mr. H. Howard - President.

Mr W. Swain - Chairman.

Mr W. Stacey - Hon. Secretary.

Mrs J. Howard - Hon. Treasurer

COMMITTEE L. Jarrett, A. Kelly, F. Millis. R. Pitcher, A. Pethybridge

The 5 a-side Football competition

Juvenile Challenge Cup

presented by

Boveney, Dorney and Eton Wick

Discharged Sailors and Soldiers

When the First World War ended on 11^th November 1918 the British Army had a strength of nearly 3.8 million men. A year later over nearly 75% of these servicemen had been returned home and demobbed. Eton Wick received its share of these former soldiers as well as demobbed sailors. As they returned to the normality of civilian life one of the events that they added to the village calendar was an annual 5 a side competition. 

Originally this was open to boy under the age of 15 who lived in the villages of Boveney, Dorney and Eton Wick. The Cup was played for annually from Easter 1920. In recent years it has changed to a 6 a side competition with the event taking place in July.

If you played in this village tournament or have photographs and further information about the competition please let us know by leaving a comment at the end of this article.    

This is a list of the WINNING TEAMS from 1920 to 1994.

Easter 1920. Frederick Binfield (Captain), William Mitchell, Edward Watson, Henry Slaymaker, William Pardoe. 

Easter 1921. W.Mitchell (Captain), A.Young, E.Slaymaker, H.Harman, W. Jones

Easter 1922. H.Harman (Captain), R.Martin, T.Willcox, W.Pardoe, T.Barnett.

Easter 1923. H.Cooley, Captain), F.Willcox, G.Green, E.North, C.Hutton.

Easter 1924. E.Woodley Captain), G.Green, B.Cavenaugh, E.Benham, E.Pardoe.

Easter 1925. A.Benham (Captain), D,Martin, R.Prior, L.Clark, B.Adams.

Easter 1926. T.Barnett (Captain), M.Benham, J.Oxlade, O.Brown, L.Clark.

Easter 1927. D.Martin (Captain), F.Reader, E.Coke, W.Lunnon, J.Lane.

Easter 1928. E.Coke (Captain), W.J.Benham, G.Prior, S.Marks. W.Neal.

Easter 1929. G.Prior (Captain), J.Benham, H.Binfield, L.Chamberlain, A.Bryant.

Easter 1930. R.Hood (Captain), F.Huse, F.Slaymaker, J.Stannett, J.Slaymaker.

Easter 1931. G.Bright (Captain), D.Martin, J.Ling, J.Cox, M.North.

Easter 1932. S.Bond (Captain), B.Bavin, A.Bryant, R.Huse, M.North.

Easter 1933. J.Stannett (Captain), C.Chamberlain, M.Benham, M.North, N.King.

Easter 1934. A.Rryant (Captain), J.Cox, R.Huse, D.Slade, W.Gell.

Easter 1935. R.Huse (Captain), W.Pates, D.Slade, A.Bond,

Easter 1936. H.North (Captain), H.Wilson, M.Young, J.Newall, K.Hewitt.

Easter 1937. E.Lynch (Captain), D.Slade, D.Hailey, K.Hewitt, T.King.

Easter 1938. J.Newall (Captain), A.Robson, C.Paintin, R.Mortimor, C.Brown.

Easter 1939. J.Newall (Captain), A.Bond, G.Attride, E.Bond, G.Budd.

Easter 1940. R.Wilson (Captain), J.Butt, G.Budd, P.Mitchener, H.A.Prior.

Easter 1941. A.Bond (Captain), L.Pardoe, F.Wells, K.Bloxam.

NO COMPETITION FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS DUE TO WORLD WAR TWO.

The recreation ground where the tournament took place was ploughed up for wartime food production. Frank Bond remembers that the ground was very stony and not very productive.

Easter 1948. D.Robson (Captain), W.A.Swain, J.Bass, M.Tarrant, J.Alder.

Easter 1949. J.Webb (Captain), N.Sherman, B.Hessey, L,Hood, D.Glibbon.

Easter I 950. D.Swain (Captain),J.Bond, P.Webb, M.Rayner, T.Foster.

Easter 1951. D.R.Swain (Captain), D.Springford, A.Lewis, D.Glibbon, A.Dowson.

Easter 1952. M.Collins (Captain), A.Lewis, A.Benham, A.Johnson, R.Harman.

Easter 1953. A.L.Lewis (Captain), J.O.Flarerty, A.Dowson, B.Wilcox, W.Stacey.

Easter 1954. T.Harman (Captain), A.Benham, J.Weston, R.Harman, J.Stacey.

Easter 1955. T.Johnson (Captain), J.Sumner, R.Hood, W.Welford, A.Burt.

Easter 1956. M.Phillips (Captain), P.Goodall, R.Hood, M.Kelly, D.Price.

Easter 1957. B.Alder (Captain), R.Hood, R.Young, J.Marks, J.Alder.

Easter 1958. Rob Hood (Captain), J.Stacey, R.McNeish, L.Emery, D.Bennal.

Easter 1959. J.Marks (Captain), John Alder, A.Pardoe, F.Hatch, P.Sherwood.

Easter 1960. M.Bell (Captain), S.Durbin, R.Steele, P.Brennan, W.Meakin.

Easter 1961. L.Emery (Captain), B.Eaglestone, D.Pound, S.Blay, D.Hudson.

Easter 1962. S.Durbin (Captain), B.Hurlock, A.Whitrod, F.Emery, N,Crook.

Easter 1963. N.Frazer (Captain), N.Cundy, T.Skeels, F.Emery, G.James.

Easter 1964. S.Hatch (Captain), T.Skeels, R. Reeves, A.Rainer, C.Rigden

Easter 1965. P.Attride (Captain), T.Evans, G.Rainer, G.James, S.Maw.

Easter 1966. C.Seddon (Captain), F.Emery, D.Walsh, M.Swadling, R.Carey.

Easter 1967. M.Atride (Captain), P.Burt, M.Swadling, M. Rainer, P.Atride.

Easter 1968. G.James (Captain), M.Swadling, A.Hawles, R.Pethbridge, G.Miller.

Easter 1969. M.Dobson (Captain), R. Farrell, N.Short D.Bosher, M.Lynch.

Easter 1970. A.Piaseck (Captain), C.Paintin, J.Moss, P.Miles, N.Simpson.

Easter 1971. R.Farreil (Captain), P.Reader, M.Fearn, M.Lynch, C.James

Easter 1972. C.Paintin (Captain), P.Reader, A.Emery, C.Brennan, M.Goldswain.

Easter 1973. C.Lynch (Captain), N.Wright, G.Brennan, J.Morrell, C.Jaycock.

Easter 1974. T.Gyngell (Captain), C.Benham, C.Goldswain, D.O.Flarerty, K.Rhodes.

Easter 1975. C.James (Captain), S.Thorn, R.Pitcher, K.Knight, D.Ash.

Easter 1976. M.Fogarety (Captain), K.Weeks, S.Addaway, D.Ash, N.Groves. .

Easter 1977. M.Francis (Captain), J.Critchell, N.Goldswain, ',Traynor, L.Addinwell.

Easter 1978. J.Huggins (Captain), P.Jeffries, T.Cross, S.O'Flyn, L.Stacey.

Easter 1979. K.Morris (Captain), N.Atride. B.Pitcher, M.Emery, M.Hood.

Easter 1980. B.Pitcher (Captain), M.Ralph, D.Gale, M.Handcock, P.Ross.

Easter 1981. S.O'Flyn (Captain), A.Wells, N.Bamton, R.Keith, S.Pygall.

Easter 1982. L.Ansell (Captain), R.Armfield, J.Brown, J.Shiels, M.Stafford.

Easter 1983. L.Stacey (Captain), M.Emery, P.Steptoe, J.Wells, M.James. 

Easter 1984. N.Bampton (Captain), P.Ross, J.Wells, C.Beere, K.Woolly. 

Easter 1985. D.Coates (Captain),P.Steptoe, S.Minett, D.Pitcher, B.Tweddle. 

Easter 1986. M.Riddle (Captain), W.Lloyd, S.Cunnea, D.Stacey, J.Hood. 

Easter 1987. M.Coates (Captain), D.Lloyd, D.Pitcher, A.Murry, R.Sutton. 

Easter 1988. J.Alder (Captain), P.Riddle, G.Seaborne, W.Saran, A.Fitton. 

Easter 1989. P.Riddle (Captain), L.Daly, W.Pitcher, J.Coward, A.Gregory.

Easter 1990. J.Hood (Captain), W.Saran, A.Wigley, A.Everle, T.Lewis. 

Easter 1991. J.Hood (Captain), A.Wigley, D.Tull, P.Huggins, C.Jaycock.

Easter 1992. W.Pitcher (Captain), A.Everle, J.Bond, S.Pardoe, D.Crowe.

Easter 1993. W. Pitcher (Captain), G.Belson, A.Lucas, M.Fearnley, S.Lingham-Wood.

Easter 1994. L Niven (Captain), J.Tweddle, J.Oakley, K.Marks, S.Shueville.

MR CYRIL TARRANT - Farming and other memories

James Tarrant became the tenant of Saddocks Farm in 1894, the year of the big flood, and Manor Farm in 1906. In those days Manor Farm was owned by William Dugdale Stuart, the Lord of the Manor. His affairs were managed by his agents, Watney & Sons, a London firm and Saddocks was owned by the Crown.

A flock of sheep were kept up to about the early 1920's - hurdle sheep, that are kept in pens by wooden hurdles and given a fresh pen every day over roots grown especially for them. The ground would be ploughed up as soon as one strip had been fed off by the sheep and pressed by a three-wheeled press, then sown by hand.

During the First War the Army would purchase hayricks compulsorily. They appeared to have some sort of a baler as they had a rick at Manor Farm which they baled or pressed into trusses. Bob Blake, whose parents lived in Hope Cottage, lived in a caravan at Manor Farm later on in the War and for a while afterwards. George Prior, known as 'Tichy', lived in the cottage with his family up to the time when the South View houses were built, he was the first tenant in one of those.

In those days the Common was not fenced, the roads leading off the Common had to be gated and there was a large number of horses besides cattle on it then, and often the horses decided to change from one Common to the other. When they came along the road and into the lane to the Little Common at the gallop on a dark evening, one had to get out of the way a bit sharp. It was dark as there was no street lighting anywhere around then.

Long Close, where the Motor Museum is now at the bottom of Little Common, was occupied by Edward Quarterman and his wife as a pig farm, up to sometime before the Second World War They were quite old, and it was very isolated, no road, no 'phone, no electricity or gas, in fact there is no gas even now.

Also on Little Common in the old days, there were three cottages; the tenants were the Hester's, Pither's and Wilcox families. They must have been very old cottages when they were pulled down and the tiles removed, they had been thatched previously.

All the ponds have been filled in now; they provided excellent Winter sport in the old days. There was also a large one outside Manor Farm which spread into Saddocks Meadow, and one in Saddocks Yard.

These ponds attracted quite a few youngsters, and older ones from the village, when frozen over and a lot of fun was enjoyed in the way of slides, skating and ice hockey with a tin can for a ball, which was not very pleasant when someone got hit on the side of the ear with a can.

There was the game of 'dicky-night - show your light' in one of the meadows on dark evenings.

On the Common there was usually football going on, with coats for goal posts; lots of players had hobnail boots which were very harsh on the shins. No vandalism in those days to speak of - a bit of mischief "yes". Then there was Major Morrel and his team who spent their Sunday mornings ratting with their ferrets which went a long way to keeping the rat population down. Pigeon shoots on Boxing Day were held for some time after the First War (with live birds not clay) but died out, rabbiting taking its place for a while.

Eton Wick Cricket Club started up again just after the First War, having been played on the Common before the War. This time they played in Saddocks meadow, their secretary being Mr Percy, senior.

A familiar sight between the Wars on the Slough & Windsor Railway was the Chalvey Matchbox driven by Bill Percy for quite a time until he was driving in and out of Paddington. The line was quite busy in those days, having through trains from Paddington to Windsor and Special Day trips from further afield; the line runs through North Field on its eastern side.

Another article  about Cyril Tarrant can be see here....

The Colours of Eton Wick

What are the colours of Eton Wick?

 

Amber and black are the colours of Eton Wick Football Club and have been for well over 100 years. It has also been the sports colours of the village primary school.  When a junior football team was started in 1947 they played in white and black. This was a result of clothing and many other  everyday items being on ration.

The years immediate after the end of the Second World War were a period of harsh austerity both financially and materially.  Frank Bond recalls cycling around West London with a friend in a vain search for army surplus football kit. It was decided that a white, or very pale shirt was the most commonly available among the boys and black out material which was off ration was used to make the shorts.

In the early years of the 20th century the Eton Wick Football team was known as the wasps because of the black and amber strip they played in.

The Boy Scout Troop also chose black and white for the colours of the scarfs in the early 1930’s.

 

 

 

The design of the masthead at the top of our website were chosen specifically to reflect the colours that have represented the Village for so long. 

If you know of the colours that any of the other village organizations or groups used that were unique/specific to them please do let us know by using the comment box below.

 
The photograph of Eton Wick Primary School football team was provided by Martin Deebank.

cricket

Eton Wick Cricket Team, 1930s

The Cricket Club was founded c. 1889 and played in its early seasons on the Great Common. After the 1914-18 war, home fixtures were played on Saddocks Farm, where the rural outfield attracted several visiting teams. The Club won the District Cup in 1931.

Who were these village sportsmen?

Eton Wick Cricket Team, 1923

Eton Wick Cricket Team, 1923

 

Who were these village sportsmen?