A sporting father and son – all England
JENNY Sherwin hopes that Bugle readers will be able to discover more about the sporting exploits of her grandfather and father.
Jenny’s grandfather was Tom Gutteridge, a well known chap in Roseville, Coseley, in his day and her father was John Gutteridge, a building contractor who was also an accomplished footballer in his youth.
Jenny is particularly interested in any photographs or information relating to their sporting careers.
Champion
Tom Gutteridge was born in 1883 and when he passed away in 1951 he earned an obituary in the local paper. Jenny has the clipping, which gives tantalising hints at the career of this all England champion.
Tom’s sport was quoits, not the gentle garden game played with rope coils but the older version of the game, played with heavy iron quoits in the backyards of pubs for centuries before the game declined in the 20th century.
The obituary gives details of this forgotten sport and described Tom as a county and national champion and a regular in the England team.
The only photograph Jenny has of her grandfather is from another newspaper clipping, from when Tom won a spot-the-ball competition.
Tom’s son John was just as sporting but his chosen game was football and he had trials with a least two top clubs.
Carefully preserved by the family for more than 90 years, Jenny has some letters relating to her father’s trials. The earliest is dated November 20, 1923, and is from West Bromwich Albion. Signed by the club’s long-serving secretary-manager Fred Everiss, the letter concerns the 6s.6d that was paid to John to cover his expenses when attending a practice match at the Hawthorns on the day before.
Further letters indicate John had more trials with the Baggies but they weren’t the only club interested in him. In April 1924 John had a trial with Tottenham Hotspur.
Later that month John was selected by Albion to play for them in a Wednesday evening away match against Kidderminster Harriers. Unfortunately, the letter doesn’t indicate at which level or competition this game was.
Colts
The latest surviving letter is dated September 11, 1924, when John was picked for the WBA Colts in a game against West Bromwich Amateurs at their ground in Claypit Lane. The letter makes clear that John was expected to make his own way there.
A few years later, John played for Cradley Heath FC in the Birmingham and District League, and for Bloxwich Strollers in the Birmingham Football Combination.
Is there anyone who can help Jenny find out more about her father’s playing career with West Bromwich Albion? In particular, she wants to know how far he advanced with club and if he ever made it to the first team.
And has anyone more information on Tom Gutteridge the Coseley quoits and cribbage champion?
•If you can help, please email dshaw@blackcount rybugle.co.uk or contact Black Country Bugle, Dudley Archives and Local History Centre, Tipton Road, Dudley, DY1 4SQ, 01384 889000.