Ethel went twice to DMC. Football matches are now played on Sundays been played for several Sundays. Sheila was better but did not come for tea as her car battery was flat.
Notes
Ethel refers to my grandmother Ethel May Cecilia Parkin. DMC refers to Drayton Methodist Church, see Chapter 107.
Although grandad did not say so explicitly, I get the sense that he did not approve of playing football on Sundays. Apparently, although the first First Division game on a Sunday took place on 27 January 1974, others did not follow until 1983. However, the matches grandad was referring to were in the FA Cup and potentially in lower divisions. The first ever professional game on a Sunday was on 6 January 1974 between Cambridge United and Oldham. The first league game on a Sunday was on 20 January 1974 between Millwall and Fulham in the Second Division.
Part of the reason for playing on Sundays was to allow earlier kick off times to avoid having to use floodlights given the electricity shortages of the time. The change was controversial because the Sunday Observance Act of 1780 was still in force but clubs got round the law by not charging admission but making buying a programme mandatory! Sunday matches were particularly popular in lower divisions and, in one case, Darlington played Torquay at home on the Sunday having played Stockport at home the previous day. For more details, see Chapter 112.
Sheila refers to my mother Sheila May Drew nee Parkin. She had been unwell the previous day. For a little more detail of mum’s illness, see Chapter 100.
It was our usual practice to go to grandma and grandad’s for tea on Sunday, see Chapter 106. At this time, the car we had was, I think, a Simca 1100, see Chapter 110.
