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Oldest group photo of Aston Villa

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wakadowakado
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Wakadowakado

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Has anybody seen, or knows of an image of a Villa player in match kit before
1880. All comments and suggestions welcome WAK
 
I could find 1887:...
Fastonvilla3.jpg
 
I have posted this before but couldn't find it. We have the original it belonged to my father in law.
 
The earlist I have is the 1886/7 strip as shown by Mrs T, the one Wendy's posted could be a little eairler, or even later. I'm not sure, because there are three of the same playes that are in both team photos; Hodgetts, Hunter and Coulton.

Pom :angel:
 
Hi Pomgolian,
The picture is probably 1887 The Devey is likely to be Harry, as the more famous John did not sign until Mar 1891 WAK
 
In the book Aston Villa a complete record 1874-1984 there is a photo of the Villa team taken in 1880.....the shirts are dark in colour with a motif of some sorts on the chest of the shirt....George Ramsay was the captain at that time, Archie and Andy Hunter are also in the photo, they look like twins......I am unable to scan the photo, plus it would be almost impossible to take a photo of it also,
 
Wakadowakado said:
Hi Pomgolian,
The picture is probably 1887 The Devey is likely to be Harry, as the more famous John did not sign until Mar 1891 WAK
Click to expand...

Devey H.P 84 Apps 1 Goal
Played in the Clubs first League Game 1888.

Aston Villa were one of the dozen teams that competed in the inaugural Football League in 1888 with one of the club's directors, William McGregor being the league's founder. Aston Villa emerged as the most successful English club of the Victorian era. By the end of Villa's "Golden Age" at the start of the First World War, the club had won the League Championship six times and the FA Cup five times.
 
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The interesting point in Wendy's picture is Harry Percival Devey (not the more
famous John born 1866) Harry was a twin to Arthur Devey (born 10031860)
who played a match for Villa reserves as a defender The building structure is
almost certain to be in the Perry Barr area as other known images bear this out WAK
 
There was another Devey William Villa 1892 Apps 10 Goals 2 Born Brum 1865.

First Played for Blues 1898 did better with them Apps Apps 10 Goals 18

Retired 1900 they wore him out (Sorry Froth):)
 
Hi JKC Thanks for input. The origin of the 1880 picture (motif is of a rampant lion) pi came from C.B. Fry's magazine
of Outside Sports circa 1903 contributed by Wm McGregor relating interesting accounts
of the Perry Barr Pets (as Villa were known) He used to be one of the clubs first enthusiasts and watched the early games with George Ramsay. William Mc Gregor was largely responsible for engaging the Hunter brothers to play against the wishes of Andy's strict employer with religious convictions. He was listed as A.N. Other!
 
Hi All. Am very interested in the history of Aston Villa. My nan who was born in Aston in 1899 used to tell me stories about her brother. She had two and I am not sure which one she was talking about. It was either Alfred Heath or Frederick Heath. She used to tell me that he played for Aston Villa for was retired for health reasons and became a referee (for a time). A friend of the family who also lived in Burbury Street, I think their surname was Benbow, told me that her brother used to go with my nan's brother and play/train for Aston Villa. Her mother used to leave his clean football kit on the piano in the front room, for him to pick up as he left the house.

I would love to know if these stories were true. My nan passed away in 1999 having reached her 100 birthday. I was told them when I very young and consequently the memories are hazy.

I have another connection to Aston Villa. My dad supported them and always told me that his second cousins were Frank Moss and Amoss Moss. I would love to be able to confirm this. I also know there was a Frank Moss Senior. I have researched my family tree but have not been able to confirm the link.
 
Hi Jules65, Thank you for your input. The Heaths and Benbow do not appear
in the data base of Villa players I know The good news is the details of the Moss family are as follows Frank Snr. (Snowy) Aston DOB 17.04.1895 DOD Worcester 15.09.1965 His sons were: Frank Jnr DOB Aston 16.09.1917
DOD Looe 05.05.1997 Amos DOB Aston 28.08.1921 DOD Birmingham 04.08.2004 Profile of the famous Villa captain Played in the early 1920's
Born in Phillip Street close to the scene of the stolen FA Cup in 1895 At school he was taught by a famous Villa player by the name of Haydn Price
at Burlington Street School Signed by the cub in 1914 and captain in 1922
He wore sam Hardy's misfit boots all the time at Villa On one occasion he beat
Joe Davis at snooker. I will check to see if John Lerwill has any more facts
relating to the Moss family Best wishes WAK
 
Thanks for the info regarding the Moss family. I am unsure whether it was Frank Moss Snr or his sons who were supposedly my Dad's second cousins. Didn't Frank Moss Snr also play for England?

My nan's brother would have been playing or maybe training in the early 1900's. I would like to think there is some truth in her story. Maybe he didn't play for the first team?? Am I clutching at straws here. I know they attended the Wesleyan Church on the Villa Road, Handsworth. Was it called Villa Church? It was by Villa Cross.

Thanks for your help.
 
Hi Wak, sorry to come back to you but I have just searched the FreeBmd website and found a Frank Moss married in 1916 in Aston. There is no record of the christian name of the lady he married but she had the surname Jackson. Do you know who Frank Snr. married? My dad's father married a Clara Jackson so this would bear out the 2nd cousins theory. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions but it would be lovely if the family story were true.
 
Jules65 said:
I have another connection to Aston Villa. My dad supported them and always told me that his second cousins were Frank Moss and Amoss Moss. I would love to be able to confirm this. I also know there was a Frank Moss Senior. I have researched my family tree but have not been able to confirm the link.
Click to expand...

Well, I am also second cousin to Frank and Amos, through their maternal grandmother, who was a sister of my grandfather.

Would be glad to know where you fit in Jules!!!

Up the Villa,

Cheers,

John
 
Jules65 said:
Hi Wak, sorry to come back to you but I have just searched the FreeBmd website and found a Frank Moss married in 1916 in Aston. There is no record of the christian name of the lady he married but she had the surname Jackson. Do you know who Frank Snr. married? My dad's father married a Clara Jackson so this would bear out the 2nd cousins theory. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions but it would be lovely if the family story were true.
Click to expand...


See my ealier message Jules.

Yes, Frank Snr's wife was a Jackson - definite. As stated, I've got the family tree on these connections.

Cheers,

John
 
Hi John

It would be great if I could see you family tree. I have researched my Dauncey family back and my grandfather Alfred Dauncey married a Clara Jackson in 1890. Clara's parents were a George Crawley Jackson who died in 1877 and her mother was a Caroline A Jackson. On the 1881 census she lived with her widowed mother and brothers Robert W Jackson b1874 and Thomas B Jackson b 1873. There is also an infant Jackson shown (whose child was this??) and also a couple of lodgers. I'm very new to this forum and I suppose this is not the right place to be posting this message. Any help would be much appreciated.

Julie
 
Jules65 said:
Hi John

It would be great if I could see you family tree. I have researched my Dauncey family back and my grandfather Alfred Dauncey married a Clara Jackson in 1890. Clara's parents were a George Crawley Jackson who died in 1877 and her mother was a Caroline A Jackson. On the 1881 census she lived with her widowed mother and brothers Robert W Jackson b1874 and Thomas B Jackson b 1873. There is also an infant Jackson shown (whose child was this??) and also a couple of lodgers. I'm very new to this forum and I suppose this is not the right place to be posting this message. Any help would be much appreciated.

Julie
Click to expand...

Please send me a private e-mail, Julie, to john.lerwill@btinternet.com

I won't have time to reply straight back to you, but should be able to do it over the week-end.

Cheers,

John
 
Jules65,

I have already posted a message to say that Katie Jackson married Frank Moss,

Caroline A Jackson in 1881 had a infant child (male), the father of that children I would say was the lodger George Mumford....the child was Henry Mumford, and in 1891 Caroline had either married George or took his surname....maybe of some help
 
JKC

Thanks for that info. I too had reached the same conclusion. Unsure if she married him or took his name. Have a death for a Caroline A Jackson in 1897 but may not be my Caroline. In 1901 I have Henry Mumford living with his half brother Thomas Jackson.

I think I have proved my family connection to Frank and Amoss Moss. Their mother Katie Jackson was the daughter of Robert William Jackson who was my great grandmother's brother.

Thanks for your help.
 
I haven't been on the forum for ages and have missed reading all kinds of interesting posts :-)
I have been reviewing the information I have on Frank Moss. I have (hopefully) attached a photo of Frank's baptism record. It seems that he wasn't born in Phillips Street as stated. At his baptism his family were living at 11 court, 8 House, Dartmouth Street. Baptism Record Frank Moss.jpg
 
My father DOB 1893, went to school with Frank Moss, I remember him talking about an ex Villa player who was the sports master getting Frank a trial at Villa.
Nick
 
Quinton,

Yes that is the famous 1880 Birmingham Cup winning tea photo which is believed to be the oldest in existence.

The names at the bottom of the pic are not entirely correct.
 
I bet those players shown in all the pictures could at least score goals unlike today's team who have managed 11 in 21 games in the Premier League!!!!!!
 
Posts relating to recent events at Villa Park have been removed - as is well known posts concerning current football matters is not acceptable on this history forum.



BernardR
 
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