Hermit Road
Encyclopedia
Hermit Road was the first home stadium of London football club Thames Ironworks
, the team that would become West Ham United
, and was located in Canning Town
. Thames had taken over the tenancy of the ground in the summer of 1895 from Old Castle Swifts F.C.
, who were the first professional football club in Essex
. The Hermit Road ground had been described as a 'cinder' heap' and 'barren waste'. It was surrounded by a moat and had canvas sheeting for fencing.
Thames Ironworks played their first ever fixture of the 1895-96 season against Royal Ordnance
reserves on 7 September 1895, the game ending 0-0. In Thames' first competitive game, they took on Chatham
in a preliminary qualifying round of the FA Cup . The match had to be played at Chatham's ground in Kent
as they had rated the Irons' Hermit Road Ground as unsuitable.
16 March 1896 saw an experimental 'floodlit friendly' in Thames' first encounter with Woolwich Arsenal
, in an epic encounter that they lost 3-5. These early attempts at floodlighting were set up using Thames Iron Works
engineers and equipment, and caused an amount of notoriety. They were also used for "The Irons" next game, in their first ever meeting with West Bromwich Albion
, which they lost 2-4.
In their first ever fixture in the London League
on 19 September 1896, Thames Ironworks beat the Vampires 3-0. Thames Ironworks next game at Hermit Road would also be their last. It came on 8 October, when they beat 1st Scots Guards
1-0. Later that month they were handed an eviction notice from Hermit Road by their landlords. The club had violated their tenancy agreement by charging admission fees and building a perimeter fence and pavilion. Thames Ironworks had to play their next four fixtures at the grounds of their opponents, until a new home could be found. The first of these games was against eventual champions 3rd Grenadier Guards F.C.
on 22 October 1896, which The Irons lost 1-4. At the turn of 1897, Thames' chairman Arnold Hills
had managed to lease a temporary piece of land for the team, located in Browning Road
, East Ham
.
Thames Ironworks F.C.
Thames Ironworks Football Club, the club that later became West Ham United, was founded by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd owner Arnold Hills and foreman Dave Taylor in 1895. Thames Ironworks took over the tenancy of The Old Castle Swifts' Hermit Road ground in Canning Town until their...
, the team that would become West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, and was located in Canning Town
Canning Town
Canning Town is an area of east London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Newham and is situated in the area of the former London docks on the north side of the River Thames. It is the location of Rathbone Market...
. Thames had taken over the tenancy of the ground in the summer of 1895 from Old Castle Swifts F.C.
Old Castle Swifts F.C.
Old Castle Swifts Football Club, the first professional football club in Essex, was formed by Scottish shipowner Donald Currie in September 1892 as Castle Swifts Football Club. Old Castle Swifts' demise saw several players join the newly founded Thames Ironworks, the team who later became West Ham...
, who were the first professional football club in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. The Hermit Road ground had been described as a 'cinder' heap' and 'barren waste'. It was surrounded by a moat and had canvas sheeting for fencing.
Thames Ironworks played their first ever fixture of the 1895-96 season against Royal Ordnance
Royal Ordnance Factories F.C.
Royal Ordnance Factories Football Club were a football club from south east London, England,that existed in the late 19th century.In 1893, the former workers' team at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, Woolwich Arsenal FC, was by now a professional side and had joined the Football League...
reserves on 7 September 1895, the game ending 0-0. In Thames' first competitive game, they took on Chatham
Chatham Town F.C.
Chatham Town are an English Association Football club based in Chatham, Kent. They currently play in Division One North of the Isthmian League and are nicknamed "The Chats"....
in a preliminary qualifying round of the FA Cup . The match had to be played at Chatham's ground in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
as they had rated the Irons' Hermit Road Ground as unsuitable.
16 March 1896 saw an experimental 'floodlit friendly' in Thames' first encounter with Woolwich Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, in an epic encounter that they lost 3-5. These early attempts at floodlighting were set up using Thames Iron Works
Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company
The Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Limited was a shipyard and iron works straddling the mouth of Bow Creek at its confluence with the River Thames, at Leamouth Wharf on the west side and at Canning Town on the east side...
engineers and equipment, and caused an amount of notoriety. They were also used for "The Irons" next game, in their first ever meeting with West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, which they lost 2-4.
In their first ever fixture in the London League
London League
The London League was a football competition that was held in the London and surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.In 1896 the president of the London League was Arnold Hills founder of Thames Ironworks F.C. . One of the men who helped draft the rules of the competition was...
on 19 September 1896, Thames Ironworks beat the Vampires 3-0. Thames Ironworks next game at Hermit Road would also be their last. It came on 8 October, when they beat 1st Scots Guards
1st Scots Guards F.C.
1st Scots Guards F.C. were an English football team that existed from at least 1891. They played in the Southern League from 1895-96 and finished third of nine in Division Two. This made them eligible to play in a test match promotion decider against Clapton, which they lost 1-4...
1-0. Later that month they were handed an eviction notice from Hermit Road by their landlords. The club had violated their tenancy agreement by charging admission fees and building a perimeter fence and pavilion. Thames Ironworks had to play their next four fixtures at the grounds of their opponents, until a new home could be found. The first of these games was against eventual champions 3rd Grenadier Guards F.C.
3rd Grenadier Guards F.C.
3rd Grenadier Guards F.C. were an English football team that played in the London League from as early as 1896 until 1898. During the 1896-97 season they were champions and during the 1897-98 season they finished 4th....
on 22 October 1896, which The Irons lost 1-4. At the turn of 1897, Thames' chairman Arnold Hills
Arnold Hills
Arnold Frank Hills was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and promoter of vegetarianism.Hills was the first President of the London Vegetarian Society and the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club, and also served as President of a London Vegetarian Rambling Club...
had managed to lease a temporary piece of land for the team, located in Browning Road
Browning Road
Browning Road was the home ground of London football club Thames Ironworks, the team that would become West Ham United, towards the end of the 1896-97 season....
, East Ham
East Ham
East Ham is a suburban district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Newham. It is a built-up district located 8 miles east-northeast of Charing Cross...
.
See also
- Arnold HillsArnold HillsArnold Frank Hills was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and promoter of vegetarianism.Hills was the first President of the London Vegetarian Society and the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club, and also served as President of a London Vegetarian Rambling Club...
- Old Castle Swifts F.C.Old Castle Swifts F.C.Old Castle Swifts Football Club, the first professional football club in Essex, was formed by Scottish shipowner Donald Currie in September 1892 as Castle Swifts Football Club. Old Castle Swifts' demise saw several players join the newly founded Thames Ironworks, the team who later became West Ham...
- Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding CompanyThames Ironworks and Shipbuilding CompanyThe Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Limited was a shipyard and iron works straddling the mouth of Bow Creek at its confluence with the River Thames, at Leamouth Wharf on the west side and at Canning Town on the east side...
- Thames Ironworks F.C.Thames Ironworks F.C.Thames Ironworks Football Club, the club that later became West Ham United, was founded by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd owner Arnold Hills and foreman Dave Taylor in 1895. Thames Ironworks took over the tenancy of The Old Castle Swifts' Hermit Road ground in Canning Town until their...
- Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1895-96
- Thames Ironworks F.C. season 1896-97
- West Ham United F.C.West Ham United F.C.West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...