Albert Tasker: The 'Happy Warrior'

[anthony.brown]

From the Hertfordshire Express Saturday 20th December 1930

Express Pen Sketches

ALBERT TASKER

Albert Tasker is one of the veterans of Hitchin football.
Rightly known as 'The Happy Warrior', he is a fine forward who always 'puts his back into it.'
He is well known to the crowd because of his young son, Albert junior, who has brought frequent rounds of applause by yelling 'Now then, Tasker! Pull your socks up!'
Tasker was born at Willian. He did not play football until after his school days. His first team was Baldock Athletic, for which he played for two seasons in Division 1 of the North Herts League. He then joined Norton and played for them in the Herts County League for one season. He then signed for Letchworth and played for them for seven or eight seasons, during which time they won the Letchworth Hospital Cup, the Herts Charity Shield, the Hinchinbrooke Cup, topped the Herts County League, and were runner-up in the Hinchinbrooke Cup the year after they won it. Tasker played in all these matches, and for each one received a medal. Soon after the re-inception of the Hitchin Town Club in 1928 Tasker gave them his services, and he has played for them ever since, being awarded a Herts Charity Shield winner's medal in the 1928-29 season, when Hitchin beat Letchworth by 5-3 in the final. Tasker incidentally scored two of the Hitchin goals. He has only just recommenced playing after being badly 'crocked' in the first match of the season against Luton Amateurs. Tasker has invariably played at inside-left, except that for Hitchin Town he has played in that position and at centre-forward.
Tasker also plays cricket for the Tabulaters, and in common with most of the Hitchin footballers plays darts!
To sum up, Tasker is a hard worker and a keen sportsman.

[anthony.brown]

Born in Willian, Hertfordshire on 9th October 1898. Died on 29th April 1968 at Hitchin.
Father: Joseph Tasker (1858-1915)
Mother: Elizabeth Walker (1862-1942)
Wife: Hannah French (married Apr 1926)
Son: Albert Edward Tasker (1926-1986)

[Stuart]

Fascinating info Anthony, somehow when you see the specifics and dates it brings it to life and also brings home how fleeting our time is and no matter how large or small the footprint we leave it all too soon fades into the past.