Extract from the CHRONICLE OF A TWENTIETH CENTURY BRAMFORD MAN Vol 4
By Les Beckett
It was in the late twenties, in the company of my elder brothers, that I became keen to watch and follow the game of football. I supported the Bramford village team who played on the large Broadwaters ground located near the fertilizer works, in Works Lane, (now Paper Mill Lane). Opponents, who normally arrived by coach or bus, used the access to the ground through Packard’s factory and then across the railway lines.
Often on a bleak Saturday afternoon I made my way on foot, facing the biting east winds, along the field pathways and through the Street, across Chapel Field and down Pound Lane to Bushman’s Bridge over the River Gipping. The bridge was treacherous to cross in its dilapidated state, there were wide gaps between the rotten boards and one was ever fearful of the river below.
I preferred to watch the matches from behind the goal nets, or if wet, from the hatch-way of the changing hut. The team notes and match reports which appeared in the “Green Un” sports paper on Saturday’s were written by an anonymous scribe under the title of ‘Bramford Breezes’ presumably because of the cold winds which blew across Broadwaters.
The team shirt colours were Blue and Amber halves and white shorts. Jack Barrell in his bright red jersey played in goal. Other team members were Jim and Ted Page, Sunny Rodwell, the Cook brothers Bill and Charlie, Jack Lambert, Albert Lillyman, Albert Garner, Geo. Markham, Jack Francis, Lawrie Garnham, (Secretary), and Gilbert Lambert (linesman). Bramford had a very successful season in 1928/29 when they were champions of the Ipswich Junior league and runners up in the Suffolk Minor Cup. The final, played on the Portman Road ground, was the only match lost throughout the season. Other village lads played football for the local team at various times later including Jack and Bob Barfield, Cliff Francis, Frank Boggis, Babe Lay, Herbert Rodwell, Ron Tibble, Charlie Stagg and Nunky Cook.
Wilfred Hurry, was for many years the Club President who, with Mrs Hurry and their terrier, were rarely far from the touchline on match days. Shotley Swifts and Brantham were teams I well remember visiting Broadwaters. The result which gave me the most disappointment as a youngster, happened when Bramford had to play Barham House away in a cup match. I thought Bramford would have a comfortable win but when I saw the result in the ‘Green-un’ next day I could not believe they had lost by 5 goals to nil. I was almost in tears, the result was a bitter disappointment, probably my first and one not forgotten.
From left to right.
Back Row: G Lambert, W Cook, J Barrell, L Garnham (Secretary)
Middle Row: A Page, A Lillyman, A Garner
Front Row: A Rodwell, G Markham, E Page, J Francis, C Cook
In the 1928/29 season the team played 29 matches and only lost 1
They scored a total of 155 goals and only conceded 6
Champions of the Ipswich Junior League
Runners-up in the Suffolk Minor Cup
Matches were played at “Broadwater” – a field owned and used by Fisons/Packards as a sports field. The field is on the opposite side of the railway line and partly bordered by the river.
From the 1782 Bramford Estate map (North is to the right)
From an 1850 map showing the railway (North is to the right)