8 minute read
Bert’s boys
Alight-hearted argument ensues as the group tuck into their sandwiches. A makeshift picnic area has been created for the friends at the bottom of Racquets Court Hill, and the sun is shining on this summers day. It’s 4 July 2019 and 15 Londoners have been invited to Charterhouse for a reunion picnic and afternoon tea. Despite very different avenues in later life, they have one thing in common: they all attended the Charterhouse Boys’ Club in Crosby Row in Southwark, London, during the 60s.
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The Club was established as part of the Charterhouse Mission, a charity founded in 1885 by Old Carthusians with the aim of helping families in this part of London. As the programme developed, the Club became a key element of this work and a great source of comfort for many boys who had nowhere to go and little to do.
“Through my bedroom window, in a block of flats, I could just see the window of the gym at the top and, if the light was on, I’d get my gear and go,” explains one of the guests. “Sometimes it would be late Sunday night and there was someone up there kicking a football about. Brilliant, it was.” 32 Crosby Row was a four-storey building equipped with a chapel downstairs (“If memory serves me correctly - not one of us went into the chapel,” confesses one); a first floor with a games room boasting snooker tables, table tennis tables and a snack bar; and a second-floor gym. It was the gym that attracted most of the individuals returning for the picnic.
“From there, we arranged Saturday and Sunday football teams and were quite successful,” agrees another. The boys played in the local Southwark
Above: Some of the boys pictured here in the 1960s returned for the picnic (above right)
League and the London Federation of Boys' Club, even travelling abroad for matches. “Remember when we was on the boat we were with the Crystal Palace team? They bought us all lagers!”
But it wasn’t just football that bonded the group. For many, the arrival of Bert Nolan from Kennington Boys' Club to run Crosby Row had a big impact. Although described as “rough and ready” in his
tactics, Bert was a very positive influence in the direction of the boys’ lives.
“We needed someone like Bert,” says one. “I remember Bert as a strong man,” interjects another. “A very hard man. Physical. Somebody who knew how to treat tearaways.” There are a few wry smiles around the table at this, with some freely admitting they may have needed keeping in check.
Under the watchful eye of Bert, the football squad flourished and, in keeping with many modern outreach programmes today, the boys were often taken to Charterhouse to camp and mix with the pupils. “We used to play the Charterhouse boys at cricket one day and football the next. They always beat us at cricket and we always beat them at football.”
The friends remember fondly their time camping at the School. Some remember eating in a boarding house, but only on the first night, with cooking in the camp the norm thereafter. Staff member Fred Seaman was fondly recalled, although perhaps mostly for his over-zealous use of Stork margarine when frying up bacon and eggs! “We had a quiz night one time,” recalls one. “It was the Latin teacher, Norman Evans (BH57–91). And we beat the boys. He done us a lovely meal.”
Many of the boys dated girls from the Girls’ Club at 39 Crosby Row. “I met my wife there. She must have been about 13. We used to go to the Girls’ Club on Fridays, for discos and whatever. Now we’ve had our 50th anniversary.”
The men joining us at the picnic attributed much of their future direction to those pivotal years at the Club and the people they met along the way. When asked what the experience gave him, one responded,
Above: The ‘boys’ reminisce about the days they were coached by Bert Nolan
“Friendship. How to depend on players when you’re playing football… and many of the boys achieved great things… sales director of Coca-Cola; third in charge at Saatchi & Saatchi; senior partner in the Stock Exchange and the like… and we’ve stayed friends for 50 or 60 years. And probably 98% of the guys here have been with their partners for 40 or 50 years. And that is an achievement!”
Much smiling and nodding greeted this reaction as, raising a final glass to Charterhouse on this sunny day, organiser John Farrow tried to sum up how they all felt: “We were just boys going into the Club, taking everything for granted. You reminded us today of how you supported us, in depth, and it’s been really rewarding. And I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done.” b
Continuing the good work
“Today, Charterhouse in Southwark is a fundraiser rather than a direct provider of services,” writes Director Madeleine Aldridge. “We are now a grant-making trust that provides funds to charitable organisations running projects for young people in the Borough of Southwark. We work in partnership with several service providers with the aim of raising aspirations beyond limits imposed by circumstances. If it were not for the steady support from OC donations, fundraising and the board, it would not be possible to continue this valuable work. Also, to honour our link with the School, we offer a biennial 50% scholarship to a child from Southwark to attend Charterhouse Sixth Form.”
F www.charterhouse-insouthwark.org
The Quadruple
The dominance of the Old Carthusian 1st XI (OCFC 1s) continues to be the envy of other schools. Ant Beddows (G08) reports on the outstanding footballing heroics of 2018–19 – supported by strong 2nd and 3rd team performances
The last decade has seen huge achievements for OCFC 1s with seven Arthurian League titles, eight Arthur Dunn Cups (ADCs), five Jim Dixon 6-a-side trophies and a London Old Boys Cup. This success is unparalleled in the history of old boys’ school football (OCFC have now won more ADCs – 27 – than any other). But until this season, there was one key piece missing: a victory in the best competition available to the side – the coveted AFA Senior Cup, a competition made up of the best amateur clubs in the country. 2018/19 saw a change in leadership with myself stepping up and an increase in fresh talent in Julian Hornby (g10) and Tom Gilbey (W12) joining from semi-pro clubs. What followed was nothing short of miraculous: 32 games, 91 goals and five trophies later, the team had put themselves in the history books, not only by winning the AFA Cup for the first time (in our third final – much
like the School’s first ISFA cup victory, in the School’s third final appearance in 2008) but also by being the first closed club to win in the history of the competition.
This exceptional squad, including eight school football captains, blends seasoned campaigners such as the record-breaking Jamie Cameron (g06), who now has more ADCs (9) than any other, and Alex Fenton (B07) on 20+ goals a season, with a younger cohort of players epitomised by James Garrard (F18) who came through the ranks to shine in all three finals and will no doubt go on to achieve great things.
Perhaps surprisingly, the highlight of the season was not any of the finals but the AFA Cup semi-final against a West Wycombe side, rated the best in amateur football. The team won through on penalties following a heroic goalkeeping display from Rob Procter (L08) after a 0–0 draw. With five key players missing, a couple of early injuries and down to 10 men, it was a show of Carthusian spirit at its peak.
This season, OCFC have redefined dominance in old boys’ sport, and set an increasingly high bar for all other clubs and schools alike. Our thanks to the guidance and nurture of Malcolm Bailey (BH74–13) and the School football programme; the OC teams and players; and Charterhouse for cultivating the ‘Carthusian spirit’ and continuing to provide excellent facilities – special thanks as always go to Lee Marshallsay and his Grounds Team. Charterhouse is a special place to play football and one that is admired across the amateur footballing world. As put by the Arthurian League Chairman: “The Carthusians always find a way to win.” Long may that continue. b ALL IMAGES: ANDY NUNN
KEY RESULTS
ARTHUR DUNN CUP FINAL
F Old Etonians 0–3 Old Carthusians
OLD BOYS CUP FINAL
F Old Parkonians 1–3 Old Carthusians (aet)
AFA CUP FINAL
F Old Michendenians 1–3 Old Carthusians (aet)
Arthurian League winners Vic Merritt Cup winner
Old Carthusian 2nd XI “The primary focus of the 2s was to win the Arthurian Division 2 title and the team worked well together across the season,” writes Charlie Evans (2nd XI Captain). "We achieved an undefeated run from October 2018 through to our last game of the season in April 2019, when the title was already secured.
To single out only a few names in the squad seems unjust with strong performances coming from all over the pitch. It really was a group effort that resulted in the success. However, top scorer Sam Godby (W08) will need a callout for his lethal finishing. To add to this, a late flurry of goals from Mike Manches (g07) really helped us close out the end of the season. Solid week-in, week-out performances from Sam Parsons (V08), Seb Cox (S10), Henry Clinton (W14), Ally McAlpine (g07) and Monty Parker (D06) were also crucial.” Old Carthusian 3rd XI The 2018/2019 season was a transitional one. Having been relegated recently, the challenge was to rebuild the squad and seek a quick promotion.
Captains Freddie Fitzherbert (R10) and James Adams (S10) worked relentlessly on and off the pitch to keep the team ticking and integrate old and new players.
The team put in a host of spirited performances and finished sixth out of nine in the league.
