Remembering Dave Taylor’s legacy

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124 years ago today Thames Ironworks foreman Dave Taylor asked managing director Arnold Hills to form a works football team, leading to the foundation of Thames Ironworks FC on 29 June 1895.

The Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Limited, operated at the mouth of Bow Creek on the River Thames between 1837 and 1912 producing the world’s first all-iron warship, HMS Warrior, which was launched in 1860.

Arnold Hills was himself a superb athlete, having been the English mile champion and appeared for University FC (Oxford University’s football club) in their 1877 FA Cup final defeat by Wanderers.

Thames Ironworks FC’s first-ever match was an FA Cup first qualifying round tie at Chatham played on 12 October 1895 – they lost 5-0!

The Club’s first captain, Scotsman Robert Stevenson, played for Third Lanark and Woolwich Arsenal before joining Thames Ironworks FC in 1895, as he worked for the company as a shipbuilder. Thames Ironworks FC played in three different divisions in their five-season existence – the London League, Southern League Division Two and, in 1899/00, Southern League Division One.

The Club turned professional in 1898, having been promoted to Southern League Division One, and signed a number of salaried players from English and Scottish clubs

Thames Ironworks FC played their final game, a Southern League Division One relegation Test Match against Fulham at White Hart Lane, on 30 April 1900 – they won 5-1!
Thames Ironworks FC was wound up in June 1900. The previous team was replaced with West Ham United which was formed on 4th July 1900 by seven men in a room above 55 Barking Road creating the modern legacy.
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