Purely for my Amusement

A very minor twig on my tree is found on the 1911 census in Leylang Road, New Cross, Greenwich Reg. District. RG14 PN2621 SN208

Ann Daniels (who has shaved a fair few years off of her age at her 2nd marriage) b1865 Havant Hampshire and husband Henry (b1874 Bermondsey) have 4 boarders living with them

One is John Gunn b1889 Chesterfield Derbyshire, and his occupation is professional footballer.
Can anyone find out anything about John Gunn's footballing career?

(I have Ann Daniels sorted she dies in 1916)

 

There's a John Gunn, who played for Notts County & Woolwich Arsenal in the 1896 & 1897 seasons.

 

Junior side perhaps? He was b. 1889

 

In the obituary for Billy Gunn, cricketer, and president of Notts County Football Club, who died in 1921, reference is made to his nephews, George and John Gunn, " the present Notts County players".

 

John Gunn, the cricketer, was born 19th July 1876. There was a John Gunn who played for Manchester City, but he was born 1st January 1873. He appears to be the chap who also played for Notts County and Woolwich Arsenal. There are a few mentions in the papers of a J. Gunn who played for Newbold Rugby Club (I think that's Newbold on Avon RFC) in 1910/1911, so I wonder if the 'footballer' refers to rugby football as opposed to Association Football?

 

Thank you all , I had drawn a blank other than the John Gunn's you have mentioned. It was the term 'professional' that struck a chord, as many sportsmen in those times were amateurs, or in the case of Cricket - gentlemen.
I did find some London league tables and were surprised at how many teams there were, some we still know and others a surprise (like Pinner - only a small place back then).

Ann

That thought had not even crossed my mind

 

I doubt it would refer to rugby - at that date the professional game was rugby league, which was played almost exclusively in northern England. Rugby union, still today the predominant variant in the south, was fiercely amateur until 1995.

 

From The Globe, 14 Mar 1911 (p.2):

"The Millwall F.C. have transferred Walker, their inside right, to Luton, and have also signed on Gunn, a goalkeeper, who hails from Chesterfield. He will play against Chatham in the Kent League to-morrow at New Cross."

 

Brilliant @arthurk, thank you so much, that just has to be the chap boarding with my family

 

Great find Arthur

 

There's a website with detailed records of everyone who has played for Chesterfield FC (plus a lot more besides) at:

Code:

https://www.cfchistory.com/

Unfortunately I can't find a record of a John Gunn there, though there was a goalkeeper called "Steve" Gunn who signed for Hardwick Colliery in 1912 and had a trial with Chesterfield in 1919:

Code:

https://www.cfchistory.com/NO%20FIRST%20TEAM.xlsx

I found a Millwall FC history site but it doesn't go back beyond 1920, and John Gunn doesn't appear on it:

Code:

http://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Millwall-Stats.htm

 

Beat me to it Arthur, I think I now know more about Chesterfield and Millwall than I really wanted to

 

I have a professional goalie on my maternal side from around that era. I managed to find a cigarette card of him for sale on eBay (which I paid over the odds for), but can't find a John Gunn, other than the cricket-playing gentleman of that name. It was worth a try.

 

That was an interesting read, thank you all for your time and help.

 

My great grandfather's occupation in 1914 was Professional Footballer on his son's birth certificate. They were paid wages (nothing like today's) but regarded as amateurs.