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Grandpa Jack

maggie may

proper brummie kid
Hi! Folks,

Very long shot this but I'm wondering if anybody has stumbled across my Grandfather in old sports literature.

He was born Harold John Burton (known as Jack) in Handsworth in 1888 but a lot of his life was spent in Aston.

Apparently he was a well known local sportsman particularly in cricket and football.

With regard to the football we think that he may have played with a team called Aston Unity but I don't know where that information came from.

There was a pause in his local sporting activities when he served with the RAMC during WW1
 
UPDATE

We have now found a photograph of this team-possibly a copy of one that appeared in a newspaper.
The team was called ASTON MANOR FC winners of the Evelyn Cecil Shield 1911-12.The names on the back of the photo are;
Burnett (committee)-Bert Barratt-Jim Morris-Wright (quarry bank sec.)-J Bosworth trainer-Steve Elias-Harold J Burton-Fred Greaves-H Brooks-Jones (committee)-Dick Allday-George Bourne reserve-Burnett-Harry Mason
 
Maggie,

Aston Unity are a wel known local cricket team. They play in the Birmingham Leaguie or, at least, used to.

Old Boy
 
Thank you. This is where Mum is confused.Grandpa was well known as a local sportsman both in cricket and football.

After finding the photo of the football team and realising that they were called Aston Manor FC I did wonder where Mum had got the name Aston Unity from-you have solved a puzzle
 
I found a John Henry Burton (poss related given the same surname) who played for Aston Unity Football Club then joined Aston Villa. Although Aston Unity are still a well know cricket club they also had one of the first football teams in Birmingham which ran from 1867 to 1908. They also contributed to the formation of the Birmingham FA. In the latter years it was suspected that some the cricket players also played for the football team.
 
According to my late father, his father was something to do with the creation of Small Heath Alliance
who later became Birmingham FC and ultimately Birmingham City FC.

It has been suggested that a church choir cricket team were looking for some kind of team activity to take
them through the winter months until they could again play cricket.

This may in some way explain why individuals were known to play both sports.

I have looked into this for many years but never found any hard facts of a family connection
but it is intriguing never the less...

AnnS..
 
Hi Ann,
What was your grand father's name? I have a huge database of footballers in the Midlands and local teams dating back to their formations, and in particular have line-up's for Small Heath alliance (for my sins!)
According to my late father, his father was something to do with the creation of Small Heath Alliance
who later became Birmingham FC and ultimately Birmingham City FC.

It has been suggested that a church choir cricket team were looking for some kind of team activity to take
them through the winter months until they could again play cricket.

This may in some way explain why individuals were known to play both sports.

I have looked into this for many years but never found any hard facts of a family connection
but it is intriguing never the less...

AnnS..
 
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