Social History...

[dazzybabie]

I've just been talking to my dad about the history of united some 40 odd years ago. Basically because of the stuff said on the money worries thread.

Dad tells me that many years ago the social club was a prefabricated place that had been unsed for some years and my grandad and a few chaps got together n went in and tarted it up and opened it up as a social club. Dad was about 15ish and he used to help out my nan who worked in one of the tea huts, (im told there was only one open origionally) and dad wouldfill up a bucket n take water to the huts for the hot water for tea.

He said at the time boston still had wooden flood lights and the whole place was a lot different.
Once the club was up n running Mr Malkinson took control so grandad n co backed off n started a sunday league club at cherry corner cafe and they had a game at spalding or summink n got fined cos the team had no transport and couldnt push bike to spalding for the match. This went onto form the starts of boston fc. At my gradads funeral the other week, we even had a chap turn up who used to play for cherry corner. There cant be many of em left but dad says the guy that owned cherry corner, Alf? is still alive.


Dad tells me there was a picture in the social club to do with Tottenham hotspur coming and beating us 6 -1or so n wondered if it was still about.


So there you go a bit of social history...

Daz

no doubt Mr Fox will have some thoughts or knowledge of all this.

[Ken Fox]

I would suggest you try and get hold of a copy of the history of Boston Town - "Come and Sit With Us" by Simon Ashberry. There is an honest account in there of the formation of Boston Town in 1964. There must be a copy in Boston Library if you can't get one to buy. I highly recommend it. The Malkinsons do not come out well.

You're getting a bit confused about the Tottenham game. Have a look through the Classic Games page and I'm sure you'll work it out!

[Shodfried]

If you need a copy of the FC book I've got a spare, a couple of quid will secure it....

I really enjoyed that Book but in fairness BUFC could have won the Nobel Peace Prize and they still wouldn't have come out of that book very well.

[dazzybabie]

lol, well i was rite about the losing to tottenham bit, and as to the cherry corner, reading back over it it may be that some of the team went on to join or form fc, i dunno.

i shall speak to me dad again and clarify the finer points. and no doubt find out i got it all wrong

Really must listen to him n stop just saying yes in the rite places!!

Daz

[Bob Lee]

Shodfried Nobel Peace Prize, now that always goes to who deserves it

[Stumpy]

People of that era have assured me that the land on which the current stadium now stands was purchased by Ernest Malkinson for the sole purpose of being Boston United's home ground, in fact it was sold with a covenant attached that stipulated that the land was forever to be used for sporting purpose.

On to the stadium in its current form. Surely the people of Boston and the surrounding area financed its development through the once proud "Pilgrims Lottery". I just wonder if that lottery enjoyed charity status and as such did not qualify for tax as well.

Its a bit rich that this facility is now being used to hasten the demise of the club that it was always intended to benefit.

[Bob Lee]

Two sisters owned the land and sold with the clause that it was to be used for sporting events.  I was told it even had a greyhound track around the outside, ( how they got round such a tight pitch I do not know.)  I am led to believe that, that clause no longer exsists.

[Stumpy]

Two sisters owned the land and sold with the clause that it was to be used for sporting events.  I was told it even had a greyhound track around the outside, ( how they got round such a tight pitch I do not know.)  I am led to believe that, that clause no longer exsists.

I've heard the speculation about the covenant myself, Bob, but one thing cannot be contested, it was attached to the original sale.

Probably an email to the planning department would solve the issue, one way or the other.

[Bob Lee]

I'll have a word in the right ear mate

[green hats mate]

Having supported Bufc over 60 and havig helped voluntary to erect the stand at Tattersall Rd one thing to state is that the then FC ground was paid for by Sportfunds and is owned by them . The project was overseen by Bert Platt who older people will recall was I think a member of Sportfund and the first chairman of Boston FC. Bob was about right about the monies of Sportfund , except it was called the United Pool not Pilgrim Lottery. U P was run by chaps called Worrel & Beechham (Cookie knew Derek Beecham well ) but them and Malkinsons had a bust-up and after a legal battle the money in UP coffers whent to newly formed Sportfund instead of BUFC.

[Stumpy]

I'll have a word in the right ear mate

That might be worthwhile Bob.

I am wondering whether, with the passage of time, some people are hoping that this complication has simply gone away and been forgotten about.

After all, if it was a condition of sale at the time who has the authority to simply say we are going to vary the terms of that agreement now, becuase it suits us to do so. I could try similar trick with my mortgage but I doubt it would work.

[Bob Lee]

GHM, I remember they were big white tickets.  I was young at the time but remember that some monies aledgedly went missing   Some player or other was sold twice Peterborough got in the league instead of us and Mr Malkinson was si nied ( my latin is siht ) but it means they are banned from sitting on a board I think.  Hence Boston United then being Boston FC for a year.  Our history is very sordid

[Bob Lee]

Oh and it was about this time Spannerman pooed his pants

[spannerman]

I dont think bob is going back as far as you green hats ,in the early 80s i helped in selling scratch
card lottery tickets for united which helped pay for the new stands which if memory serves me
right was called the pilgrims lottery.
In the good old days before the national lottery and when we used to get paid cash on a friday i
would go round work and sell loads to my work mates , i think it was 20p a card and most weeks i would sell out on pay day ,shame we can not think of a good money spinner were we can get a lot of cash from non united supporters as we did then .

[spannerman]

getting a bit personal bob , i found it unwise  not to stand down wind from you after a night on
the beer a long time ago