Rodney Brookes

Rodney Brookes, a former Dulwich Hamlet defender from the 1970s has passed away. We offer our sincere condolences to his family. 

Rodney made a visit to Champion Hill in December of last season when a large number of ex-Hamlet men met together to form the DHFC Former Players Association.

For a brief summary of Rodney's career see the Dulwich Hamlet official website.

1979/80: Rodney Brookes, standing 4th from right.

Top photograph by Mishi Morath

New Ground Planning Application

The Hamlet Historian magazine and website supports the planning application that includes the rebuilding of the Champion Hill Stadium on the site of the Astroturf on Greendale. The ground will be 4,000 capacity and to National League standard, with a 3G pitch. This will mean fewer postponements due to bad weather and a truer playing surface.

We would urge all Dulwich Hamlet supporters to contact Southwark Council’s Planning Department in support of the proposed new ground development (16/AP/1232). The well thought out plans that have been put forward by Hadley, the owners of the club, to my mind, will benefit the local community in a wonderful way and ensure Dulwich Hamlet Football Club has a bright future.

Dulwich Hamlet FC was this week awarded the prestigious Football Foundation CommunityClub of the Year Award for 2016. That is a fantastic achievement and genuinely deserved by the Club and its amazing set of supporters, who in recent years have done so much to bring to the fore the charitable spirit and community atmosphere that abounds at Champion Hill. Thousands of pounds have been raised for various schemes and charities. It is what marks our club out, hence the award.

As well as the unique character of the Club and its fans, few other clubs at the same level can match our rich and glorious history. For decades Dulwich Hamlet was one of the finest amateur teams in the country with tens of thousands visiting the ground week in week out.  

Yet, despite this wonderful history, it is THE FUTURE that is far more important to the Club. The real concern is that if they are not given the go ahead for the new ground on the adjacent piece of land, we may sooner rather than later witness the demise of Dulwich Hamlet FC.

Hadley’s proposed development – which will mean the Club will take the significant step of becoming a supporter-owned club – relocates the Club to the site of Greendale’s AstroTurf pitch. This could not be a better move for Dulwich Hamlet, as it would mean a return to the exact site they played on from 1912 to 1931.

A new all-weather pitch and improved facilities will not just be in use on matchdays, but will provide a permanent base for Gavin Rose’s Aspire Academy, so critical to the development of future Hamlet players, and will also be available for schools in the area on weekdays as well.

So if you want to ensure our great club survives, and provide a lasting legacy for the local community, make a comment at Southwark Council’s website. 

Exhibit A

One of the displays at the recent Dulwich Hamlet Pop-Up Museum showed some items relating to cricket. Some might have found this a bit unusual as the main emphasis was on the football club.

However, the Dulwich Hamlet Cricket Club was hardly a separate entity, as it was made up of players from the football team ...in a different set of togs. The DHCC, which eventually folded in the 1990s after a century, had always maintained a fixture list against clubs of highest reputation. And that quite was understandable when one realised the calibre of player in the Hamlet sides. 

Among those who wore the pink and blue of the football club and the ‘whites’ of the cricket club were Laurie Fishlock and  Geoff Whittaker (both seen above), Arthur McIntyre, Leslie Todd and Arthur Phebey – all of them more famous as county cricketers than footballers.

If selected for the Hamlet team, whether cricket or football, the player received a postcard or telegram instructing him where to meet. The 1950s ephemera we included belonged to Berard 'Bunny' Bullock. On display was a Football programme from Saturday 6 September 1952 and a Cricket programme from the following day Sunday 7 September 1952. Some players partook in both matches. 

One of the most popular items on display at the one day exhibition was the blazer that belonged to Sid Simpson. Simpson played in the inside right position for Dulwich Hamlet FC just prior to the Second World War and during wartime. More than one or two visitors said that if the blazers were available to purchase today they would seriously think about getting one.Jack McInroy

Twenty Victorian Pennies

In January 1893 a couple of senior pupils of Dulwich Hamlet School in Dulwich Village handed over to Pa Wilson a handful of coins. The one shilling and eight pence – or twenty Victorian pennies – was to help them start a football club. One of the lads was goalkeeper James RossWilliamson, who later became Club Secretary. A series of friendly matches were soon undertaken, but all were lost. The players then spent the summer on the cricket field, until football season once again commenced.

Rules were written up – one interesting one being that the original Club colours were dark blue and RED, and yet the team strip consisted of a white shirt and dark shorts!

Dulwich Hamlet began its first ‘full season’ of competitive football in 1893/94. Fixture cards were printed up and distributed to players, officials and the small band of supporters.  Many years ago one of these artefacts turned up with all the changes, postponements and results pencilled in.

Home matches were played at Woodwarde Road in Dulwich, while away matches took place at Brockwell Park, Streatham Common, Peckham Rye, Norbury Park and Dulwich Park. Some of the scores make it very clear that Dulwich Hamlet FC was a formidable local force even in its infancy.

Jack McInroy, May 2016

Note: The pennies image above was created as an exhibit for the Dulwich Hamlet Pop-Up Museum