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Bristol City v Sheffield Wednesday Matchday Thread number 12


cidered abroad

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Less than a mile from Ashton Gate on the Hotwell Road, is a 1930’s built block of flats named “Hillsborough”. I lived across the road for a while but could never find out why they were so named.  Then last year, I saw a short bit of film from around 1950, with Viscount Alexander of Hillsborough cutting a ribbon to open a new jetty at Burnham on Sea.

So now with Wikipedia and others available, I discovered that Albert Victor Alexander was born in Weston-Super-Mare in 1885. The house where he was born is marked with a blue plaque. The son of a blacksmith, his family moved to Barton Hill Bristol when his father died a year later. He left school at thirteen and began working to help sustain the family.

He worked for Somerset County Council. Later he was trained as an officer for the First World War but never saw action and worked in Trade Unions in London until, in 1922, he was asked to stand as candidate in the Hillsborough constituency of Sheffield. He gained election and was their MP until 1931 and then again from 1935 until 1950.

He was First Lord of the Admiralty in the war cabinet from 1939-45 and then Minister of Defence from 1945-50 when he accepted a peerage and was prominent in the House of Lords until his death in 1965.

He was a football fan, but not apparently of Sheffield Wednesday in the constituency he served for almost thirty years. His club was probably chosen when he worked in London before becoming an MP; he became a Vice-President of Chelsea FC until his death and was succeeded by the late Richard Attenborough.

In 1963, Alexander was created Baron Weston-Super-Mare and Earl Alexander of Hillsborough. An amazing career of public service for a lad born into such poor surroundings and without any higher education.

I have been unable to find any link or reason for the block being named Hillsborough in Hotwell, Bristol, but with Labour Councils more likely in office, it could be that it was named in recognition of Alexander's contribution to the Labour movement.

I was very interested to find out all this about a lad brought up in Bristol yet who reached very high political status because my Great Uncle, Ernest Bevin, who was born in Winsford in Exmoor, Somerset, moved to Bristol aged 13. His education was probably much less than Alexander’s but he became a noted and well respected trade union leader, culminating with his formation in the early 1920’s of the Transport and General Workers Union of which he was General Secretary until 1939.

Like Alexander, Bevin was brought into the War Cabinet as Minister of Labour and from reading his biography, he was one of the most important members of the cabinet because we could not fight a war if we did not have the people in the right jobs. For example, prior to the war and apart from some areas of the country like the cotton mills of Lancashire, most married women did not work. Bevin got women working as bus drivers, shop assistants and many other too numerous to mention, to replace those who were away in the armed forces. These actions changed our society for ever even if it wasn’t fast enough for some.

At the end of the war and a Labour landslide win in the 1945 election, Bevin was Foreign Secretary. The world was still in turmoil, even if the global war had ended. The Russians blockaded Berlin, The Jews and Palestinians were warring, Britain was absolutely bankrupt in 1947 due to the big cost of the war. Bevin went to Washington and pleaded with President Truman to help us with our financial difficulties. He got nothing from the Americans, but continued diplomacy paid off and a year later the US made us a very large loan. Repayable over sixty years, the last payment was made in 2008!

Two men with strong links to Bristol and Sheffield, who made careers in unions and politics for themselves from very humble beginnings. Both of whom, helped to shape the country we live in today. Yet today, if one hasn’t a university degree, one doesn’t even get to the list for prospective candidates. Perhaps a degree of common sense  is more important.

And so, to Wednesday on a Sunday afternoon. Once again, we welcome all the travelling fans of both clubs. Like the early part of this post, there is much to unite us, yet for a couple of hours from 13.30 on Sunday, the Robins and Owls will be trying to kick lumps out of each other. Biting and pecking not allowed.

My first recollection of seeing Wednesday at Ashton Gate was in the 1950's. Wednesday were the yo-yo club, up and down between the First and Second Divisions. Albert Quixall, later of Man U after Munich, was having a running battle with City wing half, Cyril Williams, culminating in a right hook from "Twink" that laid out Quixall. No red cards then but it was a long walk off from the Park End for Cyril. But we won 3-2. Many years later, I met Jack Wilkinson who played right wing for Wednesday in the game and he confirmed that Quixall was a brilliant footballer but a wind up merchant. Quixall was of slight build. Now who else have we seen here recently trying to con the ref and acting like a three year old?

I’d like to think that we will get another 4-0 but maybe three of those in a row is asking too much. Enjoy the game everyone 

@Owl Visiting

@Owl1867

 

 

 

  

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18 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Less than a mile from Ashton Gate on the Hotwell Road, is a 1930’s built block of flats named “Hillsborough”. I lived across the road for a while but could never find out why they were so named.  Then last year, I saw a short bit of film from around 1950, with Viscount Alexander of Hillsborough cutting a ribbon to open a new jetty at Burnham on Sea.

So now with Wikipedia and others available, I discovered that Albert Victor Alexander was born in Weston-Super-Mare in 1885. The house where he was born is marked with a blue plaque. The son of a blacksmith, his family moved to Barton Hill Bristol when his father died a year later. He left school at thirteen and began working to help sustain the family.

He worked for Somerset County Council. Later he was trained as an officer for the First World War but never saw action and worked in Trade Unions in London until, in 1922, he was asked to stand as candidate in the Hillsborough constituency of Sheffield. He gained election and was their MP until 1931 and then again from 1935 until 1950.

He was First Lord of the Admiralty in the war cabinet from 1939-45 and then Minister of Defence from 1945-50 when he accepted a peerage and was prominent in the House of Lords until his death in 1965.

He was a football fan, but not apparently of Sheffield Wednesday in the constituency he served for almost thirty years. His club was probably chosen when he worked in London before becoming an MP; he became a Vice-President of Chelsea FC until his death and was succeeded by the late Richard Attenborough.

In 1963, Alexander was created Baron Weston-Super-Mare and Earl Alexander of Hillsborough. An amazing career of public service for a lad born into such poor surroundings and without any higher education.

I have been unable to find any link or reason for the block being named Hillsborough in Hotwell, Bristol, but with Labour Councils more likely in office, it could be that it was named in recognition of Alexander's contribution to the Labour movement.

I was very interested to find out all this about a lad brought up in Bristol yet who reached very high political status because my Great Uncle, Ernest Bevin, who was born in Winsford in Exmoor, Somerset, moved to Bristol aged 13. His education was probably much less than Alexander’s but he became a noted and well respected trade union leader, culminating with his formation in the early 1920’s of the Transport and General Workers Union of which he was General Secretary until 1939.

Like Alexander, Bevin was brought into the War Cabinet as Minister of Labour and from reading his biography, he was one of the most important members of the cabinet because we could not fight a war if we did not have the people in the right jobs. For example, prior to the war and apart from some areas of the country like the cotton mills of Lancashire, most married women did not work. Bevin got women working as bus drivers, shop assistants and many other too numerous to mention, to replace those who were away in the armed forces. These actions changed our society for ever even if it wasn’t fast enough for some.

At the end of the war and a Labour landslide win in the 1945 election, Bevin was Foreign Secretary. The world was still in turmoil, even if the global war had ended. The Russians blockaded Berlin, The Jews and Palestinians were warring, Britain was absolutely bankrupt in 1947 due to the big cost of the war. Bevin went to Washington and pleaded with President Truman to help us with our financial difficulties. He got nothing from the Americans, but continued diplomacy paid off and a year later the US made us a very large loan. Repayable over sixty years, the last payment was made in 2008!

Two men with strong links to Bristol and Sheffield, who made careers in unions and politics for themselves from very humble beginnings. Both of whom, helped to shape the country we live in today. Yet today, if one hasn’t a university degree, one doesn’t even get to the list for prospective candidates. Perhaps a degree of common sense  is more important.

And so, to Wednesday on a Sunday afternoon. Once again, we welcome all the travelling fans of both clubs. Like the early part of this post, there is much to unite us, yet for a couple of hours from 13.30 on Sunday, the Robins and Owls will be trying to kick lumps out of each other. Biting and pecking not allowed.

My first recollection of seeing Wednesday at Ashton Gate was in the 1950's. Wednesday were the yo-yo club, up and down between the First and Second Divisions. Albert Quixall, later of Man U after Munich, was having a running battle with City wing half, Cyril Williams, culminating in a right hook from "Twink" that laid out Quixall. No red cards then but it was a long walk off from the Park End for Cyril. But we won 3-2. Many years later, I met Jack Wilkinson who played right wing for Wednesday in the game and he confirmed that Quixall was a brilliant footballer but a wind up merchant. Quixall was of slight build. Now who else have we seen here recently trying to con the ref and acting like a three year old?

I’d like to think that we will get another 4-0 but maybe three of those in a row is asking too much. Enjoy the game everyone 

@Owl Visiting

@Owl1867

 

 

 

  

Very interesting post with a bit of football tagged on . 

You are a tad premature with your elucidation though .

 

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Early bird catches the worm.

Excellent thread @cidered abroad.

Fascinating that your Great Uncle was Bevin. My husband's family has strong  links with the T&GWU. His portrait was on the local branch banner for years before a new one was made, when the union merged with Amicus to form what is known as Unite today. I had no idea he was from our neck of the woods.

 

I hope the union blood has flowed down the generations Brother Cidered?

 

As for City. Can't see us doing well. 2-1 loss I feel. We fans should strike.

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Should be interesting. We have the same points totals and look just below thst play off pack in terms of performances so far this season. 

Obviously i can't speak for yourselves but we have been fairly decent since the first 3 awful games. W4 D2 L1 in last 7. But actual performances in that time haven't blown anyone away. All our games have been close. We're the only club not to keep a clean sheet yet this season and that might have a bit to do with our very new/young defence made up of academy players. Dawson, Thorniley and Penney. But they all look really decent to say its their first proper taste of 2nd tier pro football. 

Hopefully be a good game, can see goals for both sides. 

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2 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

Very interesting post with a bit of football tagged on . 

You are a tad premature with your elucidation though .

 

Thanks Major. I got the post going today partly because I'll be too busy tomorrow but also in the hope that any older Wednesday fans might see it and there may even be some who knew Alexander while he was their MP.

I'm sure someone will take it off thread.

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2 hours ago, Septic Peg said:

Early bird catches the worm.

Excellent thread @cidered abroad.

Fascinating that your Great Uncle was Bevin. My husband's family has strong  links with the T&GWU. His portrait was on the local branch banner for years before a new one was made, when the union merged with Amicus to form what is known as Unite today. I had no idea he was from our neck of the woods.

 

I hope the union blood has flowed down the generations Brother Cidered?

 

As for City. Can't see us doing well. 2-1 loss I feel. We fans should strike.

The blood is RED.

Red for City, Red for Wales, Red for Labour.

No blue blood at all!

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Interesting bit of history @cidered abroad

This is the 3rd of 4 consecutive games on Sky for us, seems odd as we're a mid table side these days. That's not including the red button thing either, 4 actual main event matches. 

Should be a decent game, the last few have been very entertaining. We've played quite well recently and thought we were excellent against West Brom a couple of days ago. 2 daft goals given away right at the end undid 85 minutes good work. 

Bannan back from suspension, I know he has plenty of admirers on here. He's been absolutely fantastic so far this season. Reach in great form also.

Hoping for an improvement on 4-0, would happily take a draw. I'll go for 1-1.

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8 hours ago, Owl Visiting said:

Interesting bit of history @cidered abroad

This is the 3rd of 4 consecutive games on Sky for us, seems odd as we're a mid table side these days. That's not including the red button thing either, 4 actual main event matches. 

Should be a decent game, the last few have been very entertaining. We've played quite well recently and thought we were excellent against West Brom a couple of days ago. 2 daft goals given away right at the end undid 85 minutes good work. 

Bannan back from suspension, I know he has plenty of admirers on here. He's been absolutely fantastic so far this season. Reach in great form also.

Hoping for an improvement on 4-0, would happily take a draw. I'll go for 1-1.

Looking forward to it. From our point of view we need to put a stop to four games in a row without a win.

Always had respect for Sheff Weds. A proper club with a long distinguished history.

It won't be 4 - 0 again,  but I just hope we sneak a win by one goal. 

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8 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

It’s not on sky, is it..?

Correct, apart from red button

7 hours ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Yes

No

1 hour ago, Major Isewater said:

So that means not available on BCTV . 

:badmood:

I must prepare myself for some illicit low quality streaming.

The good news is that I'm very popular with beautiful Ukrainien women who want to meet me for some strange reason. 

 

It is available on BCTV

 

What's with all this fake news.  Is this asschat or something?

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