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Thanks DCB, I'm pretty sure that the T.Smedley on the Sawley team list is my GGrandfather. Findmypast seems to be down atm so I will try to view the paper image tomorrow.

Cheers, Darryl

My Great Grandfather John Thomas Smedley was born in Sawley in 1866. He emmigrated to New South Wales in 1889. From newspaper reports he was a talented fullback, playing for Pyrmont Rangers, a prominent club in late 19th and early 20th century New South Wales football. I have a significant silver medal awarded to him for kicking a soccer football the furthest distance in the 1901 event at the Sydney Cricket Ground to celebrate the federation of the states into the Commonwealth of Australia.

I fairly regularly check the online UK newspaper archives at to see if there are any new references to football in Sawley.  Something new popped up when I read in the Derby Mercury of 6 April 1870 of a match between Ockbrook, Borrowash and Sawley at Hemmington. Sawley had scored a "rouge" just before half time and another one in the next half.

I have never heard of a "rouge" but from a quick google search I learnt that it was worth one point. I remain unsure what the criteria for awarding a 'rouge' may have been and what other scoring shots may have been successful and there value.

Hopefully there may be a football historian that can me with this knowledge.

Darryl
Sydney, Australia

Thank you rosie99 and Larkspur for the info about the NFHS disks and the possibility of a Registry Office marriage.

A question please rosie99, what is the clue in the page number of the registration that indicates it was possibly a Registry Office ceremony?

Regards, Darryl

I am hoping that some kind soul will be able to provide the full details for the marriage of John TURNER and Winifred SWINDELL in the Basford R.D. in Q4 1903. The groom may have used the middle name of Smedley for the nuptuals.

If John is who I think he is he was born in Sawley, DBY on 5 Feb. 1873 and baptised there on 3 Aug 1873. He was the son of John TURNER and Catherine nee SMEDLEY, she being a sister of my GGGrandmother Mary SMEDLEY.

Thank you

Darryl Smedlay
Sydney Australia

Thanks Trish, I had noticed this curious Hannah BROWN/TURNER entry in the Sawley PR's some time ago but had not followed it up as I was concentrating more on my direct SMEDLEY line and leaving such curiosities till later. The alteration to the surname was done by Jos (Joseph) Harriman then Parish Clerk and Schoolmaster in Sawley.

As I am now working on incidental ancestors, I ordered the Hannah's Death Cert. last week. It revealed that Hannah died on 24 Aug at Sawley from Cholera. Bit of a shock as that is the first time I have had a certificate with that cause of death. She was 64 y/o and the widow of George BROWN, labourer.

Searching for a Brown/Turner marriage I found on familysearch the partial transcript of George BROWN and Hannah TURNER, both widowed, at Breaston 26 Nov 1827. When I found the full transcript on findmypast it all fell into place with the witness Elizabeth SMEDLEY. The only other relevant fact is the familysearch transcript of the 1833 (no day or month) burial of George BROWN age 69 at Breaston.

Thanks for your interest

Darryl
Sydney Australia