Old football pictures wanted

AN historian is appealing for old pictures of Rotherham footballers to help her complete a book into the origins of the game in the town.

Patricia Hamilton, from Ferham, has spent the last two years researching the book specific to the period 1870-1880.

She needs photographs from the 1850s onwards to illustrate the new publication and would be grateful for any shots of old local players, whether in their playing days or in later life, or documents or other football memorabilia from the time such as cigarette cards or the old Football Annuals once printed by Henry Garnett, printers of the Advertiser.

Patricia said: "The photos I'm appealing for are of well-known footballing figures of the time such as the Duke brothers from Kimberworth, the Woodcocks from Holmes, the Outram brothers from Rawmarsh, the Thirlwells, the Corbett brothers (Tom and Mal), the Badger brothers (Alan and Thomas) and the secretary of the very first Rotherham club, Walter Frederick Brindley.

"Descendants of these people may still be living in Rotherham and I'm sure that pictures and other interesting items are out there."

Patricia, a graduate historian, promises that the book will contain a few surprises and claims to have unearthed evidence that Rotherham had a team before the official formation date of big city rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

"I've also identified 60 teams in Rotherham from the period," she added.

Anyone who may be able to help is asked to ring 01709 543745 or drop items and contact details in an envelope to Rotherham Central Library's archives department, which is open Tuesday to Saturday. The envelope must be marked "Football" and donors must state if they want items returning.