John Pardoe: Local Hero
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2020 5:31 pm
Reverend John Pardoe, the man I consider the driving force behind the first Hitchin F.C, founded in 1865.
A selected chronology of the life and times of a super Hitchinite, who deserves better than his usual simple description as Hitchin F. C's first ever club secretary.
1st April 1839 John Pardoe is born in Leytonstone, the son of Reverend John Pardoe (senior).
12th May 1839 Baptised.
Founder member of Forest F. C.
15th March 1862 He plays his first game for Forest F.C. v Crystal Palace, a 1-0 win for Forest. First ever game for both Forest AND Crystal Palace! According to Palace blogger Steve Martyniuk this game was also 'the world's first-ever game between future members of the FA'. The FA was formed in the following year.
5th April 1862 Scores a hat trick at Crystal Palace as Forest beat Palace 4-0.
7th November 1863 Scores a goal in Forest's 3-0 away win at Richmond.
14th November 1863 Scores a goal in Forest's 5-0 away win at Barnes. C. W. Alcock scores twice.
19th December 1863 Plays for Forest in their 4-0 home win against 'Thompson's XI'. C. W. Alcock is on the score sheet again.
13th February 1864 Scores in Forest's 2-2 draw against 'Thompson's XI' C. W. Alcock also scores. 'Pardoe for the Forest was justly admired' Bell's Life 20 Feb 1864.
27th February 1864 He plays his final game for Forest F.C., a 0-0 away draw at No Names, Kilburn.
2nd April 1864 Forest F. C. becomes Wanderers F. C.
3rd July 1864 Ordained Curate for Hitchin.
Founder member of Hitchin F. C.
24th November 1865 Elected (first ever) secretary of Hitchin F.C.
24th February 1866 Plays and scores in Hitchin F.C's first ever match against Mr Elphinstone's XI, a 2-1 win for Hitchin. A. C. Conder the other Hitchin scorer.
R. D. Elphinstone scored for his side (a scratch team of mainly Wanderers players sent up from London)
17th March 1866 Plays for Hitchin F. C against Mr Lucas's Team (a scratch team as previous game)). A 1-0 win for Hitchin.
9th March 1867 Plays for Hitchin F.C as they lose 0-3 at home to The Old Harrovians of Trinity College, Cambridge.
3rd April 1869 Time-keeper for Hitchin F. C's Hare and Hounds cross country race (taking in Charlton, Offley, Preston, and back, including a water jump). The race was won by 'Logsdon' and the 'handsome two-handled' cup was presented to him (Logsdon) by Hitchin F. C's first captain, the Solicitor & Coroner Francis Shillitoe, who will be featuring as founding father number 2.
1871 The Census shows him as Curate of Ippollits & Wymondly.
5th Sep 1872 Re-elected Captain of Hitchin F.C.
1873 Lord of the Manor of Leyton Grange, Essex 1873-92.
11th August 1876 Marries Isabella Charlotte Wilson (1857-1953) in Hitchin.
1881 The Census shows him living in New England, Hitchin with his wife and year old son Frank. Rector of Graveley.
1891 Living at the Rectory, Graveley. Wife and five children shown.
23rd April 1892 Dies.
His close contact with 'the father of modern football' C. W. Alcock and Association Football supremo A. F. Kinnaird ensured that Hitchin played regularly against Wanderers teams and offshoots of them like C. F. Reid's, R.D. Elphinstone's and Mr Lucas's XI.
If anyone can add to this brief summary of John Pardoe's part in the formation of the first Hitchin F. C. that would be great.
A selected chronology of the life and times of a super Hitchinite, who deserves better than his usual simple description as Hitchin F. C's first ever club secretary.
1st April 1839 John Pardoe is born in Leytonstone, the son of Reverend John Pardoe (senior).
12th May 1839 Baptised.
Founder member of Forest F. C.
15th March 1862 He plays his first game for Forest F.C. v Crystal Palace, a 1-0 win for Forest. First ever game for both Forest AND Crystal Palace! According to Palace blogger Steve Martyniuk this game was also 'the world's first-ever game between future members of the FA'. The FA was formed in the following year.
5th April 1862 Scores a hat trick at Crystal Palace as Forest beat Palace 4-0.
7th November 1863 Scores a goal in Forest's 3-0 away win at Richmond.
14th November 1863 Scores a goal in Forest's 5-0 away win at Barnes. C. W. Alcock scores twice.
19th December 1863 Plays for Forest in their 4-0 home win against 'Thompson's XI'. C. W. Alcock is on the score sheet again.
13th February 1864 Scores in Forest's 2-2 draw against 'Thompson's XI' C. W. Alcock also scores. 'Pardoe for the Forest was justly admired' Bell's Life 20 Feb 1864.
27th February 1864 He plays his final game for Forest F.C., a 0-0 away draw at No Names, Kilburn.
2nd April 1864 Forest F. C. becomes Wanderers F. C.
3rd July 1864 Ordained Curate for Hitchin.
Founder member of Hitchin F. C.
24th November 1865 Elected (first ever) secretary of Hitchin F.C.
24th February 1866 Plays and scores in Hitchin F.C's first ever match against Mr Elphinstone's XI, a 2-1 win for Hitchin. A. C. Conder the other Hitchin scorer.
R. D. Elphinstone scored for his side (a scratch team of mainly Wanderers players sent up from London)
17th March 1866 Plays for Hitchin F. C against Mr Lucas's Team (a scratch team as previous game)). A 1-0 win for Hitchin.
9th March 1867 Plays for Hitchin F.C as they lose 0-3 at home to The Old Harrovians of Trinity College, Cambridge.
3rd April 1869 Time-keeper for Hitchin F. C's Hare and Hounds cross country race (taking in Charlton, Offley, Preston, and back, including a water jump). The race was won by 'Logsdon' and the 'handsome two-handled' cup was presented to him (Logsdon) by Hitchin F. C's first captain, the Solicitor & Coroner Francis Shillitoe, who will be featuring as founding father number 2.
1871 The Census shows him as Curate of Ippollits & Wymondly.
5th Sep 1872 Re-elected Captain of Hitchin F.C.
1873 Lord of the Manor of Leyton Grange, Essex 1873-92.
11th August 1876 Marries Isabella Charlotte Wilson (1857-1953) in Hitchin.
1881 The Census shows him living in New England, Hitchin with his wife and year old son Frank. Rector of Graveley.
1891 Living at the Rectory, Graveley. Wife and five children shown.
23rd April 1892 Dies.
His close contact with 'the father of modern football' C. W. Alcock and Association Football supremo A. F. Kinnaird ensured that Hitchin played regularly against Wanderers teams and offshoots of them like C. F. Reid's, R.D. Elphinstone's and Mr Lucas's XI.
If anyone can add to this brief summary of John Pardoe's part in the formation of the first Hitchin F. C. that would be great.