Former QPR Club historian, Gordon Macey, was born on this day in 1954. He had attended St. Luke’s Primary School in Queen’s Park and I remember Joe English telling me that they had both attended Marylebone Grammar in the 1960’s. His first Rangers game was the FA Cup tie against Newport County at the White Continue reading
‘How Keen Can You Get!’ (R’s Fans Travelling by Air)
On 6th January 1962, a party of 19 R’s fans (plus a journalist), flew from London Airport to Manchester. The group then continued their journey by coach to Turf Moor, for the FA Cup 3rd round-tie against Burnley. The 4th April 1981 home match programme (v Grimsby Town) included a photo of five R’s fans preparing Continue reading
The Sounds of West London: No.3 – ‘Dear Old Shepherd’s Bush ’
Earlier in the year I purchased a CD collection of old Music Hall songs entitled: ‘Hullo! London Town’, which included one from 1916 about the Bush: ‘Dear Old Shepherd’s Bush.’ Performed by Nat. D. Ayer it was co-written and composed by Nat. and Clifford F. Grey. ‘I’m so delighted, I’m so excited, With my folks Continue reading
Norwich City (1) – QPR (1) – ‘Smith gave Rangers the lead 11 minutes after the Interval’
Team: Brown, Rutter, Ingham, Petchey, Powell, Angell, Pounder, Cameron, Clark, Smith, Shepherd Attendance: 20,353 On 2nd October 1954 the R’s travelled to Carrow Road. The Eastern Football News, (aka ‘The Pink Un’) reported on the game later that day: ‘Norwich City dropped their third home point in four days when they were held to a Continue reading
Norman Wisdom’s Visit to Paddington Green Children’s Hospital in 1953
This 1953 newspaper cutting is from a National Daily Newspaper. I think it appeared around Christmas time. ‘Tearful Lauren Roan, aged four and a half, didn’t think much of the occasion; but three-year-old Richard Marley gave Norman Wisdom grin for grin when TV visited Paddington Green Children’s Hospital yesterday. And when Norman gave his act, Continue reading
Was Alfred Hitch QPR’s First Substitute?
Geoffrey Leach of Hemel Hempstead wrote the following letter to the Club in 1969, which appeared in the ‘Ranger to Ranger’ section of the programme: “Could you possibly search through QPR’ history books and try to get an answer to this. I reckon this is one of the most fascinating mysteries in football. On November Continue reading
“Old Stumpy” of West London
The following article appeared in the West London Observer on 28th July 1944: ‘There is someone else selling papers at the busy street corner in West London where for years “Old Stumpy”, the legless paper boy, had sat, perched on an upturned soap box, with a perpetual grin on his face and a quire of Continue reading
When Dave Webb met 9-Year-Old Denise Rayford at Mount Vernon Hospital
On a Tuesday afternoon in 1975, a number of Rangers players visited the children’s ward of Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood. Captured above is the moment Dave Webb met 9-year-old Denise Rayford. Steve Russell (The Press photo is from my collection)
QPR’s Goalless but exciting Draw at the Den in 1920
Team: Merrick, Wingrove, Pullen, Cain/Broster (?), Mitchell, Baldock, Ramsey, Birch, Smith (J), Gregory, Donald Attendance: 26,000 On the 20th March 1920, the R’s took on Millwall at the Den. The following match report later appeared in the West London Observer: ‘Queen’s Park Rangers visit to New Cross on Saturday, where they shared the honours of Continue reading
When Rangers Goalkeeper Harry Brown realised his ambition in a Fog
As a bit of a follow-on to Martin Percival’s excellent recent articles, Harry Brown wrote the following for ‘Soccer Star’, which appeared in the magazine on 3rd January 1953: ‘I was standing in the middle of a fog congratulating myself. Ever since I was a kid I’d always had an ambition to play for Arsenal. Continue reading