TROPHY ARTICLE SERIES: Cheshire Senior Cup
Wed 20th November 2019 | General | By Craig Kendall
The full title of this venerable competition is the Cheshire County Football Association Challenge Cup but it has been generally known as the Cheshire Senior Cup for quite some time. The competition was founded in the 1879–80 season and involves teams from Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside from both the professional and semi-professional game. However, while non-league clubs often field their first team in the competition, professional clubs often field their reserve or youth teams. The inaugural winners of the cup were Northwich Victoria in 1880 and thereby hangs a story.
The photograph accompanying this article is of the original Cheshire Football Association Challenge Cup, which was presented to Northwich Victoria in 1885 following their success in the competition for six consecutive seasons.
The engraving says "Presented to Northwich Victoria Football Club by Cheshire Football Association 23 June 1885 as a mark of appreciation for their having won it six seasons in succession.”
A study of the hallmarks on the original trophy tells us a great deal.
The first is a Lion in the form known as “passant”. This indicates that the trophy is “Sterling Silver” and contains a minimum of 92.5% pure silver.
The second is a leopards head signifying that the trophy was assayed in London
The third symbol is the date mark which in this case is a capital D which is for 1879
The fourth mark is the maker’s mark which is described as RM over EH in a lozenge.
The final mark the head of Queen Victoria in a pose not dissimilar to that depicted in the old “bun pennies”. This hallmark indicates that the appropriate duty had been paid on the article. This mark was discontinued in 1890.
The craft of the silversmith is both noble and ancient. The maker’s mark on this trophy indicates Richard Martin and Ebenezer Hall, known professionally as Martin, Hall and Co. This company can be traced back to a partnership formed in 1820 by Henry Wilkinson and John Roberts and exhibited at the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace in 1851. So, yet again, we see the commissioning of the finest craftsmen to design and manufacture a football trophy.
We have a complete list of the winners of this competition and, in addition to the achievements of Northwich Victoria in the very early years; we see the name of another club which, short-lived that it was, has a place in football history. That club was New Brighton Tower. Formed in 1896, New Brighton Tower joined the newly formed Second Division of the Football League in 1898. It was as a Football League club that New Brighton Tower won this competition in 1898 although they rather blotted their copybook for failing to turn up for the final the following year hence Crewe Alexandra was awarded the trophy on a walkover. New Brighton Tower folded in 1901 due to financial problems.
The competition features some very strong sides from both the professional game and the higher reaches of the National League System. Names such as Crewe Alexandra, Tranmere Rovers and Macclesfield Town feature prominently on the roll of honour which also includes Runcorn FC.
Since the formation of the NWCFL in 1982, member clubs have consistently played in this competition. We can find no clubs who have won the trophy whilst being in the NWCFL but there have been several close calls, particularly recently. The 2019 final was contested by Cammell Laird 1907 who met Nantwich Town in the final courtesy of Runcorn Linnets being excluded for playing an ineligible player.
Nantwich Town won that final 5-2 in a match played at Altrincham FC.
This season’s competition is underway with the second round matches, featuring several NWCFL sides, scheduled for early in the New Year.
With grateful thanks to Northwich Victoria FC for their assistance with this article.
TROPHY ARTICLE SERIES: Cheshire Senior Cup
Wed 20th November 2019 | General
By Craig Kendall
The full title of this venerable competition is the Cheshire County Football Association Challenge Cup but it has been generally known as the Cheshire Senior Cup for quite some time. The competition was founded in the 1879–80 season and involves teams from Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside from both the professional and semi-professional game. However, while non-league clubs often field their first team in the competition, professional clubs often field their reserve or youth teams. The inaugural winners of the cup were Northwich Victoria in 1880 and thereby hangs a story.
The photograph accompanying this article is of the original Cheshire Football Association Challenge Cup, which was presented to Northwich Victoria in 1885 following their success in the competition for six consecutive seasons.
The engraving says "Presented to Northwich Victoria Football Club by Cheshire Football Association 23 June 1885 as a mark of appreciation for their having won it six seasons in succession.”
A study of the hallmarks on the original trophy tells us a great deal.
The first is a Lion in the form known as “passant”. This indicates that the trophy is “Sterling Silver” and contains a minimum of 92.5% pure silver.
The second is a leopards head signifying that the trophy was assayed in London
The third symbol is the date mark which in this case is a capital D which is for 1879
The fourth mark is the maker’s mark which is described as RM over EH in a lozenge.
The final mark the head of Queen Victoria in a pose not dissimilar to that depicted in the old “bun pennies”. This hallmark indicates that the appropriate duty had been paid on the article. This mark was discontinued in 1890.
The craft of the silversmith is both noble and ancient. The maker’s mark on this trophy indicates Richard Martin and Ebenezer Hall, known professionally as Martin, Hall and Co. This company can be traced back to a partnership formed in 1820 by Henry Wilkinson and John Roberts and exhibited at the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace in 1851. So, yet again, we see the commissioning of the finest craftsmen to design and manufacture a football trophy.
We have a complete list of the winners of this competition and, in addition to the achievements of Northwich Victoria in the very early years; we see the name of another club which, short-lived that it was, has a place in football history. That club was New Brighton Tower. Formed in 1896, New Brighton Tower joined the newly formed Second Division of the Football League in 1898. It was as a Football League club that New Brighton Tower won this competition in 1898 although they rather blotted their copybook for failing to turn up for the final the following year hence Crewe Alexandra was awarded the trophy on a walkover. New Brighton Tower folded in 1901 due to financial problems.
The competition features some very strong sides from both the professional game and the higher reaches of the National League System. Names such as Crewe Alexandra, Tranmere Rovers and Macclesfield Town feature prominently on the roll of honour which also includes Runcorn FC.
Since the formation of the NWCFL in 1982, member clubs have consistently played in this competition. We can find no clubs who have won the trophy whilst being in the NWCFL but there have been several close calls, particularly recently. The 2019 final was contested by Cammell Laird 1907 who met Nantwich Town in the final courtesy of Runcorn Linnets being excluded for playing an ineligible player.
Nantwich Town won that final 5-2 in a match played at Altrincham FC.
This season’s competition is underway with the second round matches, featuring several NWCFL sides, scheduled for early in the New Year.
With grateful thanks to Northwich Victoria FC for their assistance with this article.
