Ransom's Field

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anthony.brown
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Ransom's Field

Post by anthony.brown »

A vote of thanks was proposed to Mr A.Ransom for the use of his field which he has kindly granted for the ensuing season.
Hertfordshire Express Saturday 7th September 1872

This would have been the Hitchin FC's third ground, if the offer was taken up; but where was it (the field)?
Mr A.Ransom was the farmer at Grove Mill.

The first two grounds were a field at Dog Kennel Farm, Charlton, and Hitchin Hill Cricket ground, and these are also difficult to place exactly on the map.


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Stuart
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Re: Ransom's Field

Post by Stuart »

Fascinating stuff Anthony as always.
I absolutely love those "then & Now" type of photographic history books and would love to be able to visit the exact locations and compare the "now" against photos of "then" were any in existence. Sadly, how quickly time buries the past!
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KEITH
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Re: Ransom's Field

Post by KEITH »

Sadly most of the "then" sites are usually buried under new houses these days. Not football related but if you drive through Ickleford & don't know the village that well you'd be hard pushed to spot where the old Hitchin to Bedford railway line passed through the village. There are houses either side of the road where the embankment used to be with a bridge linking them. I would say that it was next to Ickleford Motors garage but that's now new house too 😕. It was, for those who don't know, approx. 500yds from the village hall & school. At least no one can build on your memories.
Last edited by KEITH on Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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KEITH
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Re: Ransom's Field

Post by KEITH »

Sadly most of the "then" sites are usually buried under new houses these days. Not football related but if you drive through Ickleford & don't know the village that well you'd be hard pushed to spot where the old Hitchin to Bedford railway line passed through the village. There are houses either side of the road where the embankment used to be with a bridge linking them. I would say that it was next to Ickleford Motors garage but that's now new house too :-( . It was, for those who don't know, approx. 500yds from the village hall & school. At least no one can build on your memories.
Last edited by KEITH on Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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anthony.brown
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Re: Ransom's Field

Post by anthony.brown »

Another of Mr Ransom's fields was to the south of Hitchin Cemetery, which in 1870 he offered to sell to the local Burial Board for a cemetery extension. This site is close to Hitchin Hill Cricket Ground, which Hitchin FC had used for matches since late 1869.
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Steve
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Re: Ransom's Field

Post by Steve »

Keith, a certain Andy Melvin lives in a house he had built where the Bedford Line ran through Ickleford next to where the bridge was and had the railway bank removed where his garden is now!
In fact the chalk from it is under the concrete terracing that was built at the Bedford end of Too Fiekd!
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DarrenW
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Re: Ransom's Field

Post by DarrenW »

Having worked on Henlow Camp for 3 years there is a car park on the camp with clear evidence of a turn table and tracks having once been there. Pretty much just concreted over.

Also a disused tunnel between there and Bedford but forget exactly where the article said it was.

Bit outside of Hitchin I understand but still plenty of evidence the line existed and it was a major line for the war effort I believe.
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anthony.brown
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Re: Ransom's Field

Post by anthony.brown »

The Football Annual for 1872 (published late in that year) confirms that the club moved its games to Bedford Road from the 1872/3 season. Does this suggest that Mr Ransom's field is one and the same as 'the field opposite Mr W.Lucas's', and that it was this field that was sold to a former Trust in about 1880 and which was later 'inherited' by the Cow Commoners in about 1889, and is now known as Top Field?

Perhaps we should be celebrating Top Field's 150th anniversary in 2022?
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Re: Ransom's Field

Post by anthony.brown »

The harvest home of Messrs Alfred and William Ransom was celebrated on Friday last. At eleven o'clock the men and youths in the employ of Messrs Ransom assembled together, and commenced the day by playing at cricket and football in the Fishpond Closes, adjoining the dwelling of Mr Alfred Ransom.
Hertford Mercury Saturday 22nd August 1868
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