History
Old Elthamians RFC has a long and varied history and still quite a few old boys at the club that are able to recount it! Following is a history of how the club came to be. If anyone would like to offer any old pictures, or stories from OEs history, please send to admin@oldelthamiansrfc.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Before the first world war the Old Elthamians Association had a ground near Lee Green held on a leasehold basis. It was decided to find a permanent ground between the two world wars and Geoff Goemans father suggested that the Foxbury field should be bought. In 1936 the Foxbury Estates Limited bought the ground with the idea of developing the ground into a large housing development.
The war came and the land was requisitioned by the war office. After the war a new government department called the Town and Country planning Act came into being and along with the Old Elthamian Association the ground we know and love today became home to a great rugby club. The money for development came from the Eltham College Centenary and War Memorial fund, the whole of the available fund of the Old Elthamians Association, the generosity of individual old boys and a loan from the RFU.
The RFU president visited the ground and is reported to have said "Don’t have anything to do with cricket put sheep on the field during the summer" .The Association then owned a beautiful undulating meadow and through many hours of voluntary labour turned the ground into the beautiful playing field we have today.
To this day although less than 10 miles from the centre of the city of London, it feels as if we are in the heart of the countryside. Foxbury has become a major centre for the playing of senior, junior and mini rugby, senior and junior cricket, and more recently lacrosse. The founding fathers would be happy to see the activity going on today at Foxbury and we have tremendous gratitude to those that made it all possible.
Before the first world war the Old Elthamians Association had a ground near Lee Green held on a leasehold basis. It was decided to find a permanent ground between the two world wars and Geoff Goemans father suggested that the Foxbury field should be bought. In 1936 the Foxbury Estates Limited bought the ground with the idea of developing the ground into a large housing development.
The war came and the land was requisitioned by the war office. After the war a new government department called the Town and Country planning Act came into being and along with the Old Elthamian Association the ground we know and love today became home to a great rugby club. The money for development came from the Eltham College Centenary and War Memorial fund, the whole of the available fund of the Old Elthamians Association, the generosity of individual old boys and a loan from the RFU.
The RFU president visited the ground and is reported to have said "Don’t have anything to do with cricket put sheep on the field during the summer" .The Association then owned a beautiful undulating meadow and through many hours of voluntary labour turned the ground into the beautiful playing field we have today.
To this day although less than 10 miles from the centre of the city of London, it feels as if we are in the heart of the countryside. Foxbury has become a major centre for the playing of senior, junior and mini rugby, senior and junior cricket, and more recently lacrosse. The founding fathers would be happy to see the activity going on today at Foxbury and we have tremendous gratitude to those that made it all possible.
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