A HISTORY OF SURREY 



for the Challenge Cup Competition, which 

 was won by Sutton for the second time in 

 succession. 



In 1898-99 R. C. Mullins (Guy's Hospital) 

 succeeded C. E. Wilson as captain. No fewer 

 than nine matches, two of them against the 

 second fifteens of Kent and Middlesex, in 

 addition to a trial game, were played this 

 season. Of the first fifteen matches, those 

 against Midland Counties, Middlesex and 

 Somerset were won, a drawn game was the 

 result of the match with Gloucestershire, and 

 defeats were sustained from East Midlands, 

 Kent and Hampshire. The Cup Competi- 

 tion was won by the Battersea Football Club, 

 a genuine working man's team ; unfortun- 

 ately the Battersea men were unable to reap 

 the benefit they deserved as holders of the 

 Surrey cup, for in the following season they 

 lost their ground, and after playing all 

 matches on their opponents' grounds, were 

 compelled to disband a year later. 



S. B. Peech (Harlequins), who captained 

 the county team in the memorable season of 

 1895-6, became president in 1899-1900. 

 H. E. Steed and T. S. T. Tregellas still re- 

 tained their posts of honorary secretary and 

 treasurer respectively, and F. C. Long 

 (Streatham) undertook the task of getting 

 together the teams. The first and last matches 

 played (against Midland Counties and 

 Somerset) were won, drawn games were 

 played with East Midlands and Kent, but 

 defeats were inflicted on the county by 

 Middlesex and Gloucestershire. Sutton once 

 again entered for the Challenge Cup Com- 

 petition, and came out winners. 



In May 1900 G. F. Bemey and L. F. 

 Elliott resigned their positions as two of the 

 representatives of London on the Rugby 

 Union Committee, and Surrey, for the first 

 time for many years, was not represented. 

 But this state of affairs was not to continue 

 long, for at the annual general meeting of 

 the Rugby Union, held in September 1900, 

 the representation of London on the Rugby 

 Union Committee was divided into four parts, 

 one representative each being accorded to 

 Kent, London, Middlesex and Surrey. At 

 the instance of some London clubs, a special 

 general meeting of the Rugby Union was 

 called in May 1901 to review this decision, 

 but the meeting confirmed it, so that Surrey, 

 although without a representative in 1900-1, 

 is now, and for the future will be, directly 

 represented on the governing body. 



F. C. Long (Streatham) became hon. sec- 

 retary for 1900-1, in place of H. E. Steed, 

 who, after nine years of office, felt compelled 

 to resign on account of pressure of business : 



he retained, however, the post of hon. trea- 

 surer. 



Only four matches (the smallest number 

 for years) were actually played. Fixtures 

 were arranged with Midland Counties and 

 the East Midlands, but neither took place 

 owing to frost. Kent and Eastern Counties 

 were beaten, but defeats were sustained from 

 Middlesex and Hampshire. The Surbiton 

 Football Club, after several attempts won 

 the Challenge Cup Competition. 



During H. E. Steed's tenure of office, the 

 County Championship scheme and scoring 

 by points had been developed ; the County 

 Challenge Cup Competition and the London 

 Rugby Union Society of Referees had been 

 instituted ; and Surrey had secured direct 

 representation on the Rugby Union Com- 

 mittee. Altogether Surrey football had been 

 placed on a firm basis. 



The principal clubs who have supported 

 Surrey football, and contributed to its suc- 

 cesses, are the Clapham Rovers (which became 

 defunct about 1895-6), Croydon, Guy's 

 Hospital, Harlequins, Kensington, Lennox, 

 R.I.E. College (Cooper's Hill), R.M. College 

 (Sandhurst), and St. Thomas' Hospital ; in 

 later years in addition Blackheath, Richmond, 

 Old Merchant Taylors, Streatham, Surbiton 

 and Sutton have done much to keep Rugby 

 football in Surrey conspicuously to the 

 front. 



DULWICH COLLEGE 



The first authentic record of a football 

 match by a Dulwich team takes one back 

 forty years. The City of London School 

 was the earliest opponent of Dulwich 

 College, and their one meeting, which was in 

 1865, resulted in a victory for Dulwich by a 

 goal to nothing. For several years after this, 

 so far as school contests went, football lagged 

 superfluous on the college stage. It was in 

 fact not until 1872 that Dulwich really took 

 seriously to the question of playing other 

 schools. That season A. P. Doulton, who 

 subsequently did good service to Surrey cricket 

 in minor matches, was captain of the college 

 fifteen, and his captaincy proved successful. 

 Of the two school matches played that 

 against Merchant Taylors was won, the 

 other, against St. Paul's School, drawn. 

 Tonbridge School was played for the first 

 time in 1874, ^^'^ resulted in a win for Dul- 

 wich by 2 goals and 12 tries to nothing. 

 A. Meredith, who was captain in 1873 and 

 1 874, left a record of unbroken success behind 

 him. From 1875 to 1881 the Tonbridge 

 match was the only school fixture on which 



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