The Surrey Club

by Surrey Football Club

THE SURREY CLUB.

On Wednesday the first of the "weekly" winter meetings of this club was held at the Oval, when there was a numerous attendance. In the course of the evening Mr Denison, who occupied the chair on the occasion, stated they were all aware that by means of the devotion of the Oval to the purposes of cricket the formation of a county club had been accomplished, and that thus they had been enabled in four years to resuscitate the game in Surrey so far as nearly to have placed her within that brief period in her former high position as a cricketing county. But there was another healthful vigorous game for which certain parts of Surrey had in bygone days been somewhat celebrated—namely, "foot-ball." Some 60 years ago there was a gymnastic society, which had been established by gentlemen who were natives of Westmoreland and Cumberland, for the cultivation and practice of their favourite sports "wrestling" and "foot-ball." The first named of those sports the society, had carried on upon the bowling green attached to the Belvedere Tavern at Pentonville; but the latter game was practised upon Kennington Common, where matches for small and large sums were played in the course of each year; the last of these contests had taken place in the summer of 1789, when twenty-two gentlemen of Westmoreland were backed against twenty-two gentlemen of Cumberland for one thousand guineas; after a severe contest the gentlemen of the former county proved victorious. This was the last great match that was made, for, as several of her leading members retired from business, and went to live, some in the north and two in Gloucestershire, the "Gymnastic Society" was dissolved. Since that period, except on two or three days in the year, the wrestling and foot-ball play continued to dwindle, until at length Good Friday became the only day upon which they were brought into operation. Of these exhibitions Kennington Common still remained the scene for many years. At last, however, the wrestling was taken to private grounds, amongst which were those attached to a tavern at Kentish Town, then to the Eyre Arms, St John's Wood, and at Highbury Barn, and eventually at Copenhagen House, where the matches were played in the present year. The foot-ball playing had been abandoned in consequence of the want of room at the places where the other game had been taken to, and the result was that its practice had been discontinued in the neighbourhood of the metropolis. The only locality where the game could now be said to exist near to London was that of Kingston. Well, then, as the Surrey Club had resuscitated cricket at the Oval, he was anxious that the body should restore the equally healthful game of foot-ball also to that district [hear, hear]; with that view he had drawn out some rules, which he would now submit for the approval of and adoption by that meeting. By the first of those rules it would be seen, he proposed that the members of the Foot-ball Club should be confined to those gentlemen who belonged to one or other of the cricket clubs which met at the Oval [hear, hear].

The rules were then read, and having been approved of, Mr F. Noad moved that they be adopted.

Mr White seconded the motion, which was then unanimously agreed to. The days for practice are every Wednesday and Saturday (the weather permitting), commencing in the first week in October, and ending the last week in April in each year. The gentlemen present enrolled themselves as members.

"THE SURREY FOOT-BALL CLUB.

"1. The club to consist only of such gentlemen as are members of the Surrey Cricket Club, the Surrey Paragon Club, the South London Club, and the Union Club.

"2. That a subscription of five shillings by any of the above-named gentlemen shall entitle him to all the privileges of the 'Surrey Foot-ball Club.' That the money so subscribed shall be appropriated to the defrayal of the expenses of the club, namely, the cost of the balls and ropes, and the payment of a person who shall keep the balls, &c., in proper condition. The members shall dine together at the end of the season, and any surplus of the subscriptions which may then be in hand, after the payment of all expenses, shall be applied to such dinner.

"3. That the days for practice be (weather permitting) every Wednesday and Saturday in the afternoon, commencing the first week in October, and continuing until the last week in April in each year, the play to begin at three o'clock.

"4. That the sides shall consist of not more than twenty-two each; but if that number of members shall not be in attendance, then of any smaller number, to be arranged by those present.

"5. That wilful kicking shall not be allowed.

"6. That the ball shall be tossed up in the centre of the ground, and the game be determined in favour of that side which shall first kick the ball over the "goal rope" of their opponents. Should the ball be kicked over the fence on either side of the ground, then the ball, when regained, shall be tossed up in the centre of the ground in a line with the place where it went over."