Tag Archives: Football

1919 Christmas & Boxing Day Football Matches

Once the Great War had concluded, Sutton at Hone (known as Sutton Athletic) and Hawley Football clubs started up again, as local football leagues had been abandoned in 1914 “for the duration”.  Both Sutton Athletic and Hawley played in the Darenth Valley League, and Hawley also played in the Dartford & District League.

On Christmas Day morning in 1919 the local ‘big’ match was between Hawley and Sutton Athletic, with the teams playing at Hawley, where Hawley won 3 – 2.

hawley - football field

The Football Field in Hawley – with cattle grazing. This postcard shows Leigh Place (in the middle of the card) and Hawley Terrace (to the right), with Shirehall Road in the distance. Part of this field is now covered by the M25 embankments.

On Boxing Day the return match was played at Sutton, when Hawley lost to Sutton for the first time that season, the score being 2 – 0, and it is noted that the match was watched by some 1,000 spectators.  The first Sutton Athletic goal was scored by J. Foster after 15 minutes, and their next attempt was blocked by Hawley’s W. Chalcraft.  The second Sutton goal was again scored by J. Foster, before half time, and J. Foster had scored both Sutton goals during the Christmas Day match the day before.

However the Christmas Day match in Hawley ended with two court cases thanks to brawling in the Bull Hotel at Hawley after the match and both cases were caused by the same incident.

On Tuesday 30th December at Dartford Police Court, Harry Tidy, papermaker, living at Bank Houses, Hawley, was charged with afflicting grievous bodily harm on Alfred Couchman, licensee of the Bull Hotel in Hawley on Christmas Day.

After the Hawley v Sutton Athletic match on Christmas Day, a group of about 14 men entered the Bull Inn and called for three glasses of bitter each at about 2.40pm.  At 2.55pm, time was called as the pub was due to close at 3pm, and it was very full,  but the group tried to order another 14 glasses of bitter but were told that it was closing time and they were too late.

Mr Tidy first swept a tray with 14 glasses off the counter, breaking them all and damaging the piano with broken glass.  Mr Tidy (who was not known to Mr Couchman) then went after Mr Couchman, striking him in the chest with his fist, knocking him down, injuring his back, chest and arm.

After the assault “the party had to be got rid of by a sort of scramble” and Mr Tidy managed to smash several bottles of  wine and spirits before he was safely back on the ‘public’ side of the bar and removed from the premises.

Edward Langridge, a stoker, of 2 Leigh Place, Hawley, corroborated the account given by Mr Couchman.

PC Clayton stated that he had been contacted at 3.15pm and then went in search of the prisoner, whom he found the following day (Boxing Day) at the football ground in Sutton at Hone.  Mr Tidy, when asked if he  was present at the time of the assault , said “Yes, but I do not know what happened.  I am very sorry“.

As Mr Couchman thought his arm had been broken in this attack, he consulted Dr Renton, and had his arm x-rayed at the Livingstone Hospital.

The case was adjourned as Dr Renton was unavailable, and his opinion was required

On Thursday 1st January (it was not a public holiday), Dr Renton stated that Mr Couchman was suffering from shock and was knocked about when he examined him on Boxing Day.  After x-raying his arm it was clear it was not broken but it appeared to have been twisted and it would be a considerable time before he could lift weights with it.

Mr Tidy was committed for trial.

The following day, a second court case took place at the Dartford Petty Sessions,  where Frederick John Barnett (48) and Frederick William Barnett (20), father and son, pleaded not guilty to assaulting Ernest Couchman at Hawley on Christmas Day.

Ernest Couchman, the son of Alfred Couchman, had tried to clear the pub at closing time and he was hit by Frederick Barnett senior and Frederick Barnett Junior stripped and wanted to fight. During the struggle Ernest Couchman’s jacket and waistcoat were pulled off, he was much hurt and assistance had to be fetched to get rid of both the Barnetts.

Sydney Arthur Dimond, 4 St John’s Terrace, Sutton at Hone, said he saw both the Barnetts at the Bull on Christmas Day and Mr Barnett senior had struck Ernest Couchman in the back.  Edward Langridge, Frederick James Castle and Alfred Couchman corroborated.

The magistrates took a serious view of the case but as neither Barnett previous convictions, the were given the option of either a fine or going to prison. Frederick Barnett senior was fined £4 or a month and Frederick Barnett junior was fined £2 or 14 days.

Mr Tidy was back in court the following week where he pleaded guilty to common assault. It was stated that until this incident he had had an exemplary character, and had served in France and Gallipoli, and had been gassed.  Mr Tidy expressed regret to Mr Couchman for the injury he suffered as an indirect result of the blow.

The Bench decided, in light of his previous good character, to bound Tidy over for 6 months for the sum of £10.