Hitchin Town Fans Forum

Hitchin folk are rightly proud that the Hitchin Club were involved in the first ever FA Cup competition in 1871/2.
However, much bad luck later hit the Club and those involved.
George Edward Hughes, who had been elected president of the Club in 1869, died aged just 50 in May 1872, having caught a chill while playing golf.
Francis Henry Lucas, who possibly captained Hitchin Club in the ill-fated second round tie against the Royal Engineers, died of diphtheria in October 1872.
Thomas Charles Mainwaring, who played in the first round tie against Crystal Palace, broke his neck in 1896, having dived head first off a bathing machine
William Hill, another player, committed suicide in 1914, after becoming distressed about the progress of World War 1. William's grave at Hitchin Cemetery is now fully obscured by a huge football-shaped bush.
George Dashwood Baker died in 1879 at the age of 29.

"The good old days" eh?

Wonder if George Dashwood Baker was related to the Dashwoods of Hell Fire club "fame"

Stuart wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 11:11 am "The good old days" eh?

Wonder if George Dashwood Baker was related to the Dashwoods of Hell Fire club "fame"

The briefest of cricketing careers but no reference to the Hellfire Club crowd
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ba ... born_1849)

The plot thickens.
George Edward Hughes and George Dashwood Baker both studied at Rugby School and Oxford Universities. Both had brief one-match first class cricket careers. George Hughes was head of the Offley Place estate. George Baker, at the time of the FA Cup match, lived on the neighbouring King's Walden estate owned by his father.

Thomas Charles Mainwaring's son became a captain in the Home Guard in 1939.

I’ve visited the Hell Fire Caves, they were very interesting

Henry Murray Downton (whose father Reverend Henry Downton accompanied Francis Henry Lucas to Geneva) also died at a young age. He died suddenly in 1887 at the age of 37. Henry Murray Downton (who also, like his father, became a clergyman) played about three games for Hitchin Football Club, including the game that was possibly the first played at Top Field (on 8th November 1873 Hitchin FC played out a goalless draw against Cambridge).
Other games he played: 23rd November 1872 Hitchin 1 St Albans Pilgrims 1 and 4th January 1873 St Albans Pilgrims 0 Hitchin 1.