WESTBOURNE
A village history in West Sussex
Like most boys, football was the number one sport. Our best friends were those who owned a football and whose parents allowed them to come out to play. In those days the balls were made of leather with an inner inflatable rubber lining that could get punctured. It was contained by a leather lace similar to those used in shoes. When the ball was wet it was like heading a lump of lead and if the lace had worked loose it could catch in your eye. Our favourite place was the common with our jumpers were the goal posts. A high shot at goal was often disputed as over the 'bar'. During the war with double summer time we could be playing until near midnight. Later I used to play for Westbourne and my brother Len too. He also played for Emsworth with Stan Peake, who lived in Manchester Terrace. In those days boots had nailed-on studs and were made of leather with hard toe caps. They had to be cleaned and dubbined after each match to keep them supple and water proof; that was the theory.
Westbourne Football Club
Back row: Keith Hart on right
Home ground was opposite Westbourne Cemetery
Emsworth "A" Team.Back row: R Roper S Peake A Hulse
R Maple D Nutley M J J Llewellyn (Chairman)
Front row: D Wooden R Cole L Hart M Hoar F Upfield
The other regular sport was playing cricket for the village team. Bowling was more successful that batting and in the field I was nicknamed 'buckets' for my record of catches. During the break tea would be taken at the Cricketers Pub. Matches were well supported with family and friends. The best venue for an away game was always Stansted Park on its wide sweeping lawns.
As an undergraduate at Newcastle in 1955 I was attracted to a completely different sport; rowing. Together with John Williams, my room mate, we had 3 years of successful rowing in coxless pairs, fours and eights, winning a few pots on the way. The major event of the year was the London Head of River Race. The course is in the reverse direction of the annual Oxford & Cambridge race. Over 200 crews took part from all over the country setting off at timed intervals. During the vacations John and I kept fit by rowing from a club in Old Portsmouth and going out to sea off Southsea. The boats were wider and stronger to withstand the more demanding sea conditions. As a post graduate at Imperial College, London my rowing in eights continued and for another 16 years in my working life. My favourite position in a boat was at stroke.
SPORTS