I didn't want to start a new thread but found this fascinating snippet in Anchor & Hope lent to me by @Henry Irving that describes an incident at what was to become the Valley from May 1832, (my comments are in brackets)
'On Saturday afternoon a party of convicts were employed in Woolwich Dockyard in the charge of an officer and military sentinel. Four most determined characters named Boutel, Wallace, Dalton and Bannon suddenly rushed upon the sentinel on duty on the west gate, and forcibly took away his rifle, on breaking into London Road, the convicts betook themselves to the brickfields on the other side. Their ignorance of the localities induced them to climb a steep hill on the centre of Charlton sandpits (The Valley?), finding a ravine of great depth between them and the only spot on which they could expect to escape, they rapidly descended in full view of the excavators into the pits, Boutel, abandoning the rifle to Bannon, heavily chained as he was, and compelled to employ one hand in holding his fetters, squatted down, and folding his arms over his knees, rolled himself, bounding like a ball, down a steep precipice full 80 feet deep (This would be what became the East Terrace?), The others passed through an orchard and some gardens (what was to become Cherry Orchard?)greatly alarming the inhabitants of that rural and retired spot, Woodland Place, (Woodland Terrace at the top of Maryon Park?)who shut themselves in and watched the chase, the villains were marched back to Woolwich and when on board the hulks (The old moored Prison Ships that were located off shore between Charlton & Woolwich), they were severely flogged.'
From Colin Cameron's Home & Away book for season 1924-25 - Important records , company's books of accounts and other important documents were destroyed in a fire at The Valley on 1/1/1925. Manager Walter Rayner was sacked on 13/5/1925 and later suspended sine die from football management after FA enquiries into the affairs of CAFC during his period of stewardship. Club secretary Sidney Hartgrove was also sacked. By the end of 24/25 unpaid wages and bonuses of staff amounted to £2,395. Numerous players came forward claiming they were owed money. Payments had been agreed with Walter Rayner and documentation had been destroyed in the fire. Back at The Valley for the 1924/25 season , home gates averaged 9,064. Humphreys contractors who were now owed £32,000 agreed to convert the debt into interest bearing debentures of £27,900. Other creditors also agreed to receive debentures but these attracted 6% annual interest and proved a millstone around the neck of the club for years to come. This has been a CAFC Museum production , hopefully some Lifers have found it of interest in these lock down times
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'On Saturday afternoon a party of convicts were employed in Woolwich Dockyard in the charge of an officer and military sentinel. Four most determined characters named Boutel, Wallace, Dalton and Bannon suddenly rushed upon the sentinel on duty on the west gate, and forcibly took away his rifle, on breaking into London Road, the convicts betook themselves to the brickfields on the other side. Their ignorance of the localities induced them to climb a steep hill on the centre of Charlton sandpits (The Valley?), finding a ravine of great depth between them and the only spot on which they could expect to escape, they rapidly descended in full view of the excavators into the pits, Boutel, abandoning the rifle to Bannon, heavily chained as he was, and compelled to employ one hand in holding his fetters, squatted down, and folding his arms over his knees, rolled himself, bounding like a ball, down a steep precipice full 80 feet deep (This would be what became the East Terrace?), The others passed through an orchard and some gardens (what was to become Cherry Orchard?) greatly alarming the inhabitants of that rural and retired spot, Woodland Place, (Woodland Terrace at the top of Maryon Park?)who shut themselves in and watched the chase, the villains were marched back to Woolwich and when on board the hulks (The old moored Prison Ships that were located off shore between Charlton & Woolwich), they were severely flogged.'
Flogging literally too good for them.
Important records , company's books of accounts and other important documents were destroyed in a fire at The Valley on 1/1/1925. Manager Walter Rayner was sacked on 13/5/1925 and later suspended sine die from football management after FA enquiries into the affairs of CAFC during his period of stewardship. Club secretary Sidney Hartgrove was also sacked. By the end of 24/25 unpaid wages and bonuses of staff amounted to £2,395. Numerous players came forward claiming they were owed money. Payments had been agreed with Walter Rayner and documentation had been destroyed in the fire.
Back at The Valley for the 1924/25 season , home gates averaged 9,064.
Humphreys contractors who were now owed £32,000 agreed to convert the debt into interest bearing debentures of £27,900. Other creditors also agreed to receive debentures but these attracted 6% annual interest and proved a millstone around the neck of the club for years to come.
This has been a CAFC Museum production , hopefully some Lifers have found it of interest in these lock down times