When Dulwich Hamlet School old boys established a football team in 1893, the idea they would go on to provide two full England internationals was ludicrous. The club wasn’t likely to survive a particularly long time, never mind become the biggest team locally. In this talk, part of the Dulwich Society Local History series, Roger Deason, one of Dulwich Hamlet’s club historians, will briefly look at the development of football in Dulwich prior to Hamlet and explain why today you see Dulwich Hamlet shirts locally, not Dulwich, Dulwich Wood, Greyfriars, Dulwich St Peter’s or Townley Park shirts. He will walk us through some of the Dulwich residents and locations crucial to explaining why Hamlet survived, as the other clubs folded.

The talk will also touch on forgotten tales such as the FA Cup winning team who subsequently called Dulwich home, the Dulwich team who made the last ten of the FA Cup and the local lad who played in the first ever football international, spending one half as an attacker and one half in goal. He’ll also reveal which Rugby League Superleague side played in Dulwich, and the local rugby club official whose legacy includes the foundation of Rugby League and seemingly the foundation of Dulwich Hamlet FC as a diehard Rugby Union man. Ensuring both the eclipse of rugby locally and the foundation of Rugby League is an achievement you suspect he’d rather we didn’t mention…

Please note this talk will be held online via Zoom.

Tickets are £5 per person, proceeds go to Albrighton Community Fridge, SE22.