| Chapter 1 1889-1914 (page 13)
"After a most lengthy discussion it was decided to start a
subscription amongst members for support, either by a donation or a
loan, same receiving the unanimous support of all present". also Mr
Punton proposed the Club should form a baseball section which would in
time financially benefit the Club". "Mr Waterson proposed
another evening meeting and offered his services as a starter
free". "Mr Gowan proposed that if the meeting was success, a
Saturday meeting be held at which a Boxing contest be held". there
was an amendment to this proposal by Mr Hodgson that it should be a
Football dribbling contest instead of Boxing. this was agreed. There
were obviously entrepreneurs about in those days, and diversification is
not modern phenomenon.
All of these ideas helped the Club in their various ways, as well as a
measure of self-sacrifice on behalf of some members. Prize winners
during the winter of 1906/7 season forwent their prizes until the Club's
financial sate was healthier. This was not the only instance of
unselfishness shown by Club members.
It would be reasonable to view all this against the background of the
social conditions of the day. They were hard times for ordinary folk and
the fact that in November 1907, 87 members were crossed off the books
for non-payment of subs, suggests that a lot of people were having
difficulties in making ends meet. The current healthy state of Club
finances, and the almost non-existence of sub defaulters, is not only a
tribute to our Hon Treasurer, but also an indicator that as society, we
have lived through harder times in the past.
In finishing this chapter, an attempt has been made to tell the story of
a very exciting and rich period in the history of Sefton Harriers. right
from the beginning we were involved in athletics at local , national and
at times international level. Despite the rise and falls in fortune,
which all clubs experience at some time, the spirit of enthusiasm and
dedication to the sport in general, and the Club in particular. shown by
those early Seftonians, alid the foundations of something that was to
become very special for succeeding generations.
The year 1914brought more honour to Sefton when our team of J.N.C
Davies, R.H. Blackledge, R.H Hodgson, and A.E Lovelady won the
Lancashire relay Championship at Liverpool
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