The audio soundtrack here should be the theme tune of the Movietone news in the cinema houses and a crackly BBC voice of World War II…
“West Ham players celebrate winning the Football League Cup Final at Wembley on 8th June, 1940. Left to right, Corporal Norman Corbett, Ted Fenton, Charlie Bicknell, Archie Macaulay and George Foreman. In the final West Ham United beat Blackburn Rovers 1-0. Despite the fears that London would be bombed by the Luftwaffe, over 42,300 fans decided to take the risk of visiting Wembley. The only goal was scored by Sam Small after a shot from George Foreman had been blocked by James Barron, the Blackburn goalkeeper.”
For all the world it looks like Charlie is checking WhatsApp messages on his iPhone!
Charles Bicknell (6 November 1905 in Chesterfield – 6 September 1994) was an English professional footballer who played as a left back. Active between 1928 and 1947, Bicknell made over 450 appearances in the Football League. Signed: 1936 (Bradford City) – Position: Full Back – Appearances: 149 – Goals: 0
Bicknell began his early career in non-league football, playing for teams such as New Tupton Ivanhoe, among others. He began his Football League career in October 1927 with Chesterfield, where he made 79 appearances between 1928 and 1930.[1] He went on to play for Bradford City and West Ham United. He was captain of the West Ham United team that won the 1940 Football League War Cup Final, the wartime replacement of the FA Cup, beating Blackburn 1-0 at Wembley Stadium. Bicknell left West Ham in 1947, and was appointed player-manager of Bedford Town in April 1948, where he remained in charge until 1951, after which he remained involved at the club until 1959. Bicknell was related to ice skater Jayne Torvill, a cousin on her mother’s side.
Now who is the clever Bicknell reader who noticed the connection between Charlie Bicknell (footballer) and Ernie Bicknell (boxer) in my last posting? Well, Charlie Bicknell began his early career in the late 1920s in non-league football, playing for teams such as New Tupton Ivanhoe. Ernie Bicknell was born in 1904 at home in New Tupton. Tupton? What’s with Tupton all of a sudden? We must assume they were both from the same home town and were maybe even sportive brothers. Who can shed light on this genealogical gem?
MARCUS,
AS YOU ARE AWARE I WAS THE INFORMANT TO THE PROGRAMME FOR ERNIE AND CHARLIE
THE PROGRAMME WAS FOR A CELEBRITY TO BE ADVISED OF A SPORTING RELATIVE.
I HAVE NOT FOUND YOU ASKING FOR MY FAMILY TREE BUT APPRECIATE OUR CONVERSATION.
The link went quite far back so another Bicknell obviously was not me in this case . ERNIE BICKNELL IS MY LATE GRANDPA HE ONLY HAD ONE SON< MY LATE FATHER ROY CHARLIE WAS HIS COUSIN.