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Kenneth William "Ken" Baker 1938-2020

Supplementary list 1970-71, full 1971-72 to 1986-87

Aston Villa website 21st August 2020

Former Club Chaplain Ken Baker has passed away

Ken was club chaplain at Aston Villa for 17 years. After his retirement he was given the title of Chaplain Emeritus to honour the work he did for the club during his tenure. Ken was also a former football referee who refereed at all levels in English football in the 1970s and 80s.

He progressed to become a referees assessor before being appointed as chaplain to Northampton Town. Shortly after this, Ken spoke with Doug Ellis who asked him also to become the Aston Villa chaplain. Ken accepted and he served faithfully in this role for 17 years, until ill health reduced his capacity to contribute. Ken was a friendly and approachable person who was always willing to be available to all at Bodymoor Heath and Villa Park.

He championed the role of football chaplaincy and was a great supporter of Sports Chaplaincy U.K., the umbrella body and charity that provides and supports chaplains in every professional and amateur sport in the U.K. & Ireland.


More precise dates of birth and death would be appreciated

Four possible births - Maidstone, Cambridge, Hartismere (Suffolk) and Sutton Coldfield
The last would seem probable but it is for first quarter of 1939, not impossible if he was born in late 1938

 

Yes Ron Crabb refereed the re-arranged Plymouth v Bradford City match on Bank Holiday Monday 1st May 1978

I think it was the first year of the new Bank Holiday

It was the second of two vital relegations matches in three days at Home Park. Plymouth beat Port Vale 3-1
on the Saturday and Bradford City 6-0 to secure their Division 3 safety with both Port Vale and Bradford City being relegated

The Bradford City match was followed by a Reserves game v Arsenal on the same day as fixtures were caught up with

However things might have been very different as the original match on Saturday 18th February
had been abandoned mid way through the second half with Plymouth losing 0-1 and a player sent off

Had that result stood Plymouth would gone down and Bradford City survived

Crabb had again been in charge when a blizzard hit, his watch froze and he was taken to hospital to be checked for hypothermia


On February 18th 1978 one of the worst blizzards for over 100 years affected the South West of England, and Devon was particularly badly hit.
Gales and blizzard conditions brought the region to a standstill. The weather front carrying the snow was expected to move right across the south
and continue to the Midlands, but stalled over the South West. By Sunday night 13.4 inches (34cm) of level snow was reported at Exeter Airport,
with snowdrifts of over 24 feet. Enormous drifts on Dartmoor blocked roads and paralysed the transport network. Power lines were brought down and for three days many parts of Devon had no electricity or running water. Supplies of food and water had to be flown into the worst hit areas by helicopter.

The retirement age was 50 until 1939 when it was cut to 45 only for WWII to intervene

Post war it was re-set at 50 for a a couple of seasons and once they had the younger referee numbers
back up the cut off age was set at 47 and this continued until relatively recent times

Thereafter numerous referees did not "survive" the annual cull so ended with the F.L. before they were 47

So Williams was born 1907 or later and as it was very unusual to make it to the list before your early 30s he was probably born before 1916

Williams was possibly in Plymouth in 1946 awaiting de-mobilisation from the Royal Navy after WWII
as Pasley Street is in the Devonport part of Plymouth and he left it by 1947

His 8 South Parks Road address seems to be a University base -
"Particulars may be obtained from the Secretary, University Institute of Education, 8 South Parks Road. Oxford" (1954)

There were 119 male F.C. Williams born in that decade (1907-16)

86 Frederick's plus 3 Fred's and 1 Frederic
18 Frank's, 10 Francis's and 1 Franklyn

Charles was the favourite male "C" name of the period
with the odd Cyril, Cecil and Claude


More -

When he left the list he is given as one of 7 of those retiring through age
although according to my research one of those 7 (Bill Dellow) still had two seasons left in him

If it is correct his birth is Q3 1907 - Q3 1908
that leaves 11 births of which two died in infancy

The remaining 9 are 7 Frederick Charles, 1 Frederick Cyril and 1 Francis Charles

1. Neath Q3 1907 - Q4 1981 Blaenau (he looks to have stayed in Wales)
2. (Francis) Edmonton Q4 1907 - Q1 1971 Thurrock (North London & Essex)
3. Greenwich Q1 1908
4. (Cyril) King's Norton Q1 1908
5. Cardiff Q2 1908
6. Stourbridge Q2 1908
7. Gloucester Q2 1908
8. Barnet Q3 1908
9. St. George, Hanover Square Q3 1908

Matches found that he refereed
25.11.50 Bromsgrove v Hereford (B'ham Comb'n)
30.12.50 Arsenal Res v Coventry (F. Comb'n)
03.11.51 Shrewsbury v Gillingham
15.12.51 Millwall v Scunthorpe (F.A. Cup R2) - both sides asked for him to be replaced for the replay but the F.A. refused
20.12.51 Scunthorpe v Millwall (F.A. Cup R2r)
09.02.52 Coventry v West Ham
08.03.52 Brighton v Walsall
27.09.52 Millwall v Coventry
24.01.53 Aston Villa v Chelsea
14.02.53 Coventry v Millwall
19.09.53 Chelsea v Aston Villa
09.01.54 Hastings v Norwich (F.A. Cup 3)
06.02.54 Aston Villa v Chelsea

The F.L. policy at the time was to appoint referees to the return matches also
as evidenced above by Coventry v Millwall 52-53 and Chelsea v Aston Villa 53-54


Yet more !!!

Mon 18.12.50 Headington United (first floodlit match) v Banbury Spencer
Hospital Benefit Match
Ref - Mr. Fred. Williams of Oxford

Updated with addresses for all those that remain

1   Barker   SW   33 Wellfield Road, Hatfield (1952-53), 16 Canberra Road , Bexleyheath (1953-57)
2   Briggs   J   8 Cranleigh Drive, Cheadle (1945-49)
3   Curtis   C   Retreat, Winterfield Road, Paulton (listed as of Bristol) (1953-55)

5   Hill   A   44 Vaughan Williams Drive, Alway, Newport, Monmouth (1950-55)
6   Holland   C   56 Kensington Road, Cheadle Heath, Stockport (1951-55)
7   Key   H   52 Coles Lane, Hill Top, West Bromwich (1946-49)

9   Ratcliffe   W   11 Eversley Avenue, Leek (1950-51), 42 Wood View, Ladderidge, Leek (1951-55)
10   Richards   JW   106 Boundary Road, Cheadle (1946-49), 20 Park View, Cheadle Heath (1949-50)
11   South   J   17 Thompson Street East, Darlington (1946-47), 65 Grasmere Road, Darlington (1947-48), 65 Huddens Lane, Darlington (1948-49)
12   Thompson   LD   15 Athelstan Road, Worksop (1948-51)
13   Ward   A   15 Burchells Avenue, Kingswood, Bristol (1946-49)

16   Wright   HJ   40 Keston Road, Thornton Heath (1950-53)

More digging over the weekend has more than halved the list

FYI - FT Adams was Frederick Thomas Adams, Croydon councillor, vice chair of Parks Committee, died 1955 aged 52

See further updated list below

01   Mon   11   4   1892   Pike's Lane, Bolton   John J. Bentley (Bolton)
02   Sat   21   4   1894   Goodison Park   S. Irvine (Belfast)
03   Sat   11   4   1896   Goodison Park   Lt. William Simpson (Finsbury, Middlesex)
04   Sat   9   4   1898   Villa Park   Richard Gough (Oswestry)
05   Sat   31   3   1900   The Crystal Palace   Samuel "Sam" Torrans (Belfast)
06   Sat   8   3   1902   St. James Park   Samuel "Sam" Torrans (Belfast)
07   Mon   4   4   1904   Bank Street, Man'r   William Nunnerley (Wrexham)
08   Sat   24   3   1906   Stamford Bridge   William Nunnerley (Wrexham)
09   Sat   29   2   1908   Villa Park   James R. "Jim" Mason (Burslem, Stoke)
10   Sat   26   2   1910   Ewood Park   Thomas P. "Tom" Campbell (Blackburn)
11   Sat   17   2   1912   Ayresome Park   Herbert S. Bamlett (Gateshead)
12   Sat   21   3   1914   Turf Moor   Harry H. Taylor (Altrincham)
13   Sat   22   2   1919   St. Andrew's   Job "Jock" Davies (Rainhill, Liverpool)
14   Sat   12   3   1921   Highbury   David H. "Dave" Asson (West Bromwich)
15   Sat   17   2   1923   St. James Park   Arthur F. Kirby (Preston)
16   Sat   14   3   1925   Goodison Park   Alfred "Alf" Scholey (Sheffield)
17   Sat   19   3   1927   Filbert Street   William E. "Bill" Russell (Swindon)
18   Wed   7   11   1928   Villa Park   Tom Crew (Leicester)
19   Wed   5   11   1930   White Hart Lane   Herbert E."Bert"  Hull (Burnley)
20   Wed   9   11   1932   Maine Road   George T. Davies (Bury)
21   Wed   31   10   1934   Stamford Bridge   William P. "Percy" Harper (Stourbridge)
22   Wed   21   10   1936   Goodison Park   Herbert N. "Bert" Mee (Mansfield)
23   Wed   2   11   1938   Molineux   Thomas "Tommy" Thompson (Newcastle)
24   Sat   11   10   1941   Bloomfield Road   Ernest W. Baker (Manchester)
25   Wed   17   3   1948   St. James Park   George C. Appleyard (Rotherham)
26   Wed   22   3   1950   Ayresome Park   Harry Holt (Rochdale)
27   Wed   31   10   1951   Hillsborough   Clifford "Cliff" Fletcher (Davenham, Northwich)
28   Wed   28   4   1954   Stamford Bridge   Arthur H. Blythe (Edmonton, Middlesex)
29   Wed   26   10   1955   Hillsborough   Tom Seymour (Wakefield)
30   Wed   26   3   1958   St. James Park   Arthur Holland (Barnsley)
31   Wed   23   3   1960   Highbury   James W. "Jim" Hunt (Portsmouth)
32   Wed   21   3   1962   Villa Park   Reginald J. "Reg" Leafe (Nottingham)
33   Wed   18   3   1964   Roker Park   Richard T.E. "Dick" Langdale (Darlington)
34   Wed   16   3   1966   St. James Park   Kevin Howley (Billingham, Co. Durham)
35   Wed   20   3   1968   Ayresome Park   James E. "Jim" Carr (Sheffield)
36   Wed   18   3   1970   Highfield Road   Gordon W. Hill (Leicester)
37   Wed   15   3   1972   Ayresome Park   Patrick "Pat" Partridge (Middlesbrough)
38   Wed   20   3   1974   Maine Road   Arthur W.S. Jones (Ormskirk)

Officials for F.A. Cup Final 2019-20
Referee - Anthony Taylor (Wythenshawe, Manchester) (Cheshire F.A.)
Assistant - Gary Beswick (Newton Aycliffe, Darlington, Durham)
Assistant - Adam Nunn (Trowbridge, Wiltshire)
Fourth Official - Chris Kavanagh (Manchester)
Reserve Assistant - Lee Betts (Norwich, Norfolk)
Video Assistant - Stuart Attwell (Nuneaton, Warwickshire) (Birmingham F.A.)
Assistant Video Assistant - Steve Child (Beckenham. Kent) (London F.A.)

Taylor also refereed the 2017 final and was Fourth Official in 2013
Beswick was also an assistant in 2017 and Reserve Assistant in 2013
Nunn was Reserve Assistant in 2017
Betts was an Assistant in 2018
Child was an Assistant in 2013
Kavanagh and Attwell had not been involved in an F.A. Cup final before

Can anyone help with any first names?

1   Atherton   H      Newton Heath, Manchester   LAN   1928   1929
2   Bailey   L      Gorse Hill, Stretford, Manchester   LAN   1925   1926
3   Bateson   H      Leeds   YOR   1929   1932
4   Berry   H      Lockwood, Huddersfield (POST WAR)   YOR   1936   1940
5   Brown   J   S   Blackburn   LAN   1932   1936
6   Brown   L      Barnes, London S.W.13 (POST WAR)   LON   1937   1940
7   Bunting   J      Withington, Manchester   LAN   1930   1933
8   Butler   E      Chelsea S.W.10 (2) / West Norwood S.E.27 (2)   SUR   1922   1926
9   Cartlidge   H      Burslem, Stoke   STA   1929   1934
10   Chamberlain   T   W   Forest Gate, London E.7   LON   1926   1931
11   Clayton   H      Derby    DBY   1924   1926
12   Collinge   R      Sale   CHE   1924   1927
13   Collins   J   H   Yardley Wood (3) / Acocks Green, Birmingham (1)   WAR   1925   1929
14   Collins   T      Hull   YOR   1927   1928
15   Cooper   H      Barnsley   YOR   1921   1922
16   Cotton   T      Middlesbrough   YOR   1919   1920
17   Cousins   W      Todwick, Sheffield   YOR   1929   1930
18   Davies   D   J   Newport   MON   1931   1933
19   Davies   E   L   Bayford Hill, Wincanton (2) / Bristol (1)   SOM   1937   1940
20   Davis   A   F   Bishopston, Bristol   GLO   1923   1926
21   Dawes   A   A   New Horsted, Chatham / Millbank, London S.W. 1   KEN   1926   1930
22   Dawson   F      Willesden Junction, London N.W.10   MID   1922   1923
23   Dixon   W   H   Branston, Lincoln    LIN   1939   1940
24   Emmerson   J      East Finchley, London N.2   MID   1927   1930
25   Farrar   E      Harehills, Leeds (1) / Kirkstall, Leeds (2)   YOR   1921   1925
26   Fish   J   A           Forest Gate, London E.7   KEN   1920   1921
27   Fletcher   C      Davenham, Northwich (POST WAR)   CHE   1934   1940
28   Gray   H   E           Forest Gate, London E.7   KEN   1923   1932
29   Gray   L              Irthlingborough   NHA   1937   1938
30   Griffiths   H      New Sawley (3) / Long Eaton (1)   DBY   1921   1925
31   Hall   F              Darlington   DHM   1923   1927
32   Hall   P   A           Southfields, London S.W.18   SUR   1925   1926
33   Harrison   J      Sunderland (1) / York (3)   DHM   1933   1937
34   Hartley   H      Smithills, Bolton / Chelmsford (POST WAR)   LAN   1933   1940
35   Haworth   A      Blackburn (1) / Blackpool (3)   LAN   1925   1929
36   Holmes   J   S   Southport   LAN   1926   1927
37   Jackson   E      Timperley, Altrincham   CHE   1929   1931
38   Johnson   G      Effingham (POST WAR)   SUR   1939   1940
39   Jones   E   H   Bournemouth   HAM   1936   1938
40   Kavanagh   A      Middleton   LAN   1919   1920
41   Kelley   J      Harlesden, London N.W.10   MID   1925   1928
42   Kirk   H              Sheffield   YOR   1920   1921
43   Lowe   S   A           Liverpool   LAN   1919   1920
44   Mackenzie   S      Woodbridge, Suffolk (2) / R.A.F. Hucknall   SFK   1937   1940
45   Makin   A      St. Helens   LAN   1924   1925
46   Moore   H   W   Boston Spa / Halifax / York (POST WAR)   YOR   1939   1940
47   Perks   J   H   West Bromwich (4) / Tipton (1)   STA   1929   1934
48   Phipps   W      Tantany, West Bromwich   STA   1928   1932
49   Price   A   G           Dalston Lane, London E.8   MID   1928   1930
50   Rennie   J      Oldham   LAN   1925   1937
51   Richards   A      Bristol   GLO   1925   1927
52   Richards   W   H   Merthyr Tydfil   GLA   1920   1921
53   Robinson   F      Blackburn   LAN   1926   1936
54   Roscoe   J      Bolton   LAN   1927   1931
55   Rothwell   S      St. Annes on Sea, Lytham   LAN   1919   1924
56   Rudge   J   C   Charlton, London S.E.7   KEN   1923   1924
57   Shaw   J      Dringhouses, York     YOR   1930   1932
58   Smith   A   W   Acocks Green, Birmingham   WAR   1936   1937
59   Smith   J   C   Ashton under Lyne   LAN   1930   1936
60   Stewart   J      Litherland, Liverpool   LAN   1920   1923
61   Stubbs   J      Hathersage, Sheffield   YOR   1926   1927
62   Tate   J              Greetland, Halifax   YOR   1926   1931
63   Taylor   A      Lower Ince, Wigan   LAN   1929   1939
64   Taylor   H      Rotherham   YOR   1933   1937
65   Thompson   J   R   Newcastle   NUM   1922   1924
66   Timmins   A      West Bromwich   STA   1922   1926
67   Townsend   J   E   Birmingham   WAR   1924   1928
68   Tyler   H   G           East Ham, London E.6   ESS   1920   1922
69   West   C   P           Brighton   SUS   1934   1937
70   Wignall   A      Ashton under Lyne   LAN   1929   1930
71   Williams   J      Bolton (POST WAR)   LAN   1939   1940
72   Williams   T   H   Walton, Liverpool   LAN   1924   1925
73   Winter   J      Crewe   CHE   1920   1921