History
A Brief History of Groleston Hockey Club
Gorleston Hockey Club was founded in 1910 by Frank Spencer, George LeGood and Harry Bishop with the objective of bringing hockey to the grass pitches of Great Yarmouth Borough Council's new Recreation Ground, off Church Lane Gorleston. Previously, the only hockey club in the area had been Yarmouth HC but its membership was limited to fomer pupils of the Great Yarmouth Grammer and High Scholls, which remained the position until shortly before WW2, when the Men's section disbanded. The ladies of Tarmouth HC continued and to this day remain a strong and thriving force in local hockey.
Like many clubs of that time Gorleston HC was initially a mixed team and affiliated to the Suffolk County Hockey Association. The games played were al friendlies against opposition such as Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Bungay Scarlet Runners, North Walsham Old Pastorian's, Norwich Exiles and Norwich Grasshoppers. Gorleston HC often entertainedtouring sides from as far away as Cambridge and Ipswich. After WW1 and with more players available, the Club split into two teams, one Men's XI and one Ladies XI, and in 1925 transferred to the Norfolk Hockey Association for more localised administration. Gorleston HC are believed to be one of the founding members of the NHA. Records show that off the pitch in the 1920's and 1930's, the Club had a thriving social life, with funds raised regularly from two Dances a yar the popular Yarmouh Goodes Assembly Rooms, and Whist Drives at the Cliff and Pier Hotels in Gorleston.
At the AGM held in September 1930, the Ladies voter to sever their connection with the Club and Gorleston HC was to continue to be male dominated until 1978. Those pre-war days were when the Club played in maroon and white, and had a strong professional core of players, with many well know Yarmouth names such as England, Stubbs, Howard, Ecclestone, Ferrier, Killin, Delf and Crawshaw on the team-sheet.
In September 1946, the Club held its first post WW2 AGM and applied to hire the Gorleston "Rec' again, once the balloon blocks had been removed. In a new all black strip and under the successive captaincies of P. S. Paul, George LeGood Jr and Jack Baker, the Club thrived. With an influx of players in the early 1960's, a second XI was created. In 1975, the advent of the Greene King Hockey League provided a further stimulus and with the Shrublands Ladies Hockey Club merging with the Club, by 1986 Gorleston HC ran four Men's XI's, two Ladies XI's, a Men's Veteran's XI, a Sunday Mixed XI and a talented Indoor League squad.
With Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Cricket Club, they had also purchased the Recreation Ground Clubhouse from the Gorleston Football Supporters Club. Unfortunately, the tide turned in 1992 when Great Yarmouth Borough Council opted to close the Recreation Ground to Hockey, and for a while the Club played at Southtown Common. The Club had a difficult time there, but by then Astroturf pitches were beginning to emerge and the Club applied to join Cliff Park High School when their new Community Astropitch opened in 1994.
As founder members of Cliff Park Community Pitch Association with Yarmouth Ladies HC, it was no surprise in for the ladies of Gorleston HC to vote to merge with their Yarmouth colleagues in 2001. But a bigger blow came for the Club three years later when, with the Men's 1stXI riding high in Division 3 of the Norwich Union League, nearly the whole of the squad transferred to bigger Clubs during the middle of the season. An emergency Club meeting took place and rather than upgrade the 2ndXI youngsters (then playing in Division 6) to a standard of hockey likely to be detrimental to their future, the Committee voted to withdraw their 1stXI from the higher division. It is pleasing to note that now, some seven years later, after several promotions; many of the players from that 2ndXI are the force behind the Club's proud record in Division 3 of the League in 2009/10.
Throughout its long history, Gorleston HC has been indebted to man y individuals and families who have been the backbone of its fortunes. In particular, long service recognition must go to; Frank Spencer (Chairman 1910-1952), Harry Bishop (Secretary 1910-1936), Claude Perrett (Captain 1918-1935), Leslie England (Chairman 1946-1981), John Dawson (Secretary/President 1963-today), Tim Thomas (Treasurer 1983-today), and Hugh Wiltshire (Treasurer/Chairman 1977/2010) and still Umpiring for the Club. Over the years, all of them have reported from time to time that without the support of their respective Committees, Officials, Umpires and the camaraderie of the players, none could have carried out their duties successfully for so long or indeed would have wished to do so.
Gorleston Hockey Club was founded in 1910 by Frank Spencer, George LeGood and Harry Bishop with the objective of bringing hockey to the grass pitches of Great Yarmouth Borough Council's new Recreation Ground, off Church Lane Gorleston. Previously, the only hockey club in the area had been Yarmouth HC but its membership was limited to fomer pupils of the Great Yarmouth Grammer and High Scholls, which remained the position until shortly before WW2, when the Men's section disbanded. The ladies of Tarmouth HC continued and to this day remain a strong and thriving force in local hockey.
Like many clubs of that time Gorleston HC was initially a mixed team and affiliated to the Suffolk County Hockey Association. The games played were al friendlies against opposition such as Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Bungay Scarlet Runners, North Walsham Old Pastorian's, Norwich Exiles and Norwich Grasshoppers. Gorleston HC often entertainedtouring sides from as far away as Cambridge and Ipswich. After WW1 and with more players available, the Club split into two teams, one Men's XI and one Ladies XI, and in 1925 transferred to the Norfolk Hockey Association for more localised administration. Gorleston HC are believed to be one of the founding members of the NHA. Records show that off the pitch in the 1920's and 1930's, the Club had a thriving social life, with funds raised regularly from two Dances a yar the popular Yarmouh Goodes Assembly Rooms, and Whist Drives at the Cliff and Pier Hotels in Gorleston.
At the AGM held in September 1930, the Ladies voter to sever their connection with the Club and Gorleston HC was to continue to be male dominated until 1978. Those pre-war days were when the Club played in maroon and white, and had a strong professional core of players, with many well know Yarmouth names such as England, Stubbs, Howard, Ecclestone, Ferrier, Killin, Delf and Crawshaw on the team-sheet.
In September 1946, the Club held its first post WW2 AGM and applied to hire the Gorleston "Rec' again, once the balloon blocks had been removed. In a new all black strip and under the successive captaincies of P. S. Paul, George LeGood Jr and Jack Baker, the Club thrived. With an influx of players in the early 1960's, a second XI was created. In 1975, the advent of the Greene King Hockey League provided a further stimulus and with the Shrublands Ladies Hockey Club merging with the Club, by 1986 Gorleston HC ran four Men's XI's, two Ladies XI's, a Men's Veteran's XI, a Sunday Mixed XI and a talented Indoor League squad.
With Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Cricket Club, they had also purchased the Recreation Ground Clubhouse from the Gorleston Football Supporters Club. Unfortunately, the tide turned in 1992 when Great Yarmouth Borough Council opted to close the Recreation Ground to Hockey, and for a while the Club played at Southtown Common. The Club had a difficult time there, but by then Astroturf pitches were beginning to emerge and the Club applied to join Cliff Park High School when their new Community Astropitch opened in 1994.
As founder members of Cliff Park Community Pitch Association with Yarmouth Ladies HC, it was no surprise in for the ladies of Gorleston HC to vote to merge with their Yarmouth colleagues in 2001. But a bigger blow came for the Club three years later when, with the Men's 1stXI riding high in Division 3 of the Norwich Union League, nearly the whole of the squad transferred to bigger Clubs during the middle of the season. An emergency Club meeting took place and rather than upgrade the 2ndXI youngsters (then playing in Division 6) to a standard of hockey likely to be detrimental to their future, the Committee voted to withdraw their 1stXI from the higher division. It is pleasing to note that now, some seven years later, after several promotions; many of the players from that 2ndXI are the force behind the Club's proud record in Division 3 of the League in 2009/10.
Throughout its long history, Gorleston HC has been indebted to man y individuals and families who have been the backbone of its fortunes. In particular, long service recognition must go to; Frank Spencer (Chairman 1910-1952), Harry Bishop (Secretary 1910-1936), Claude Perrett (Captain 1918-1935), Leslie England (Chairman 1946-1981), John Dawson (Secretary/President 1963-today), Tim Thomas (Treasurer 1983-today), and Hugh Wiltshire (Treasurer/Chairman 1977/2010) and still Umpiring for the Club. Over the years, all of them have reported from time to time that without the support of their respective Committees, Officials, Umpires and the camaraderie of the players, none could have carried out their duties successfully for so long or indeed would have wished to do so.
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