Glorious 1911 Launch: Official Press Release

Seven months of celebrations to commemorate the centenary of Bradford City's FA Cup triumph of 1911 begin on Sunday when the book 'Glorious 1911' is officially launched at Bradford's National Media Museum.

Bradford City supporters will have the rare opportunity of seeing action from the 1911 FA Cup Final when the Bantams became the first winners of the Bradford designed FA Cup. The official launch of the book 'Glorious 1911' will take place at Pictureville, National Media Museum, Bradford this Sunday 21 November at 8pm. The book's author, David Pendleton, co-curator of Bradford City's bantamspast museum, will give an illustrated talk on the writing and research of the book as well as the 1910/11 FA Cup winning season when City established themselves among the elite of English football. The talk will feature rare footage of Bradford City's Rugby League predecessors, Manningham, in action at Deswbury in 1901; a tram ride from Forster Square to Manningham Park gates in 1902; Bradford City's first ever Football League home game in 1903; footage of the scoreless draw with Newcastle United in the 1911 FA Cup Final; and the replay at Old Trafford when Jimmy Speirs scored the game's only goal to win the FA Cup for Bradford City. Copies of the book (price £12) will be on sale before and after the event. Additionally a limited number of enamel badges and a special scarf have been made to commemorate the 1911 FA Cup triumph and these will be available at Pictureville along with a specially produced souvenir programme. Tickets for the event are available from the Pictureville booking office, price £6.50 each.

The Pictureville evening marks the first in a number of events that have been organised to celebrate the centenary including a dinner at the Midland Hotel on 26 April, 2011, an exhibition at Bradford Industrial Museum and a visit to the graves of City's fallen heroes in the Great War - including that of Jimmy Speirs who scored the club's winning goal against Newcastle United in the 1911 FA Cup Final replay at Old Trafford.

Further details from glorious1911@paraders.co.uk and Pictureville

Pictureville Is Go!

Tickets for the Grand Launch of 'Glorious 1911 and Bradford City's Golden Age, 1908-1915' at the National Media Museum's Pictureville Cinema on November 21 are on sale now.
As part of the launch there will be an illustrated presentation and historic film show (Bantams related, of course).
Call 0844 856 3797 to book your ticket.

Mary Gets The Star Treatment

Back in 1903 Alfred Ayrton was a major force in the creation of Bradford City. Today his granddaughter, Mary Needham, witnessed her very first game - and what a game it was!
As guest of honour, Mary's first port of call was the bantamspast museum to see a presentation about her grandfather's involvement with the club, delivered by David Pendleton. A sizable crowd was there too, the highlight being a view of the silver fronted manuscript given to Alfred on the occasion of his retirement as club chairman in 1907.
Having been interviewed and photographed by the press, Mary made her way into the ground to view the match. As we all know now, a fairly uneventful first half was followed by a second which really couldn't have been scripted better : 5 - 0!
Following the match Mary spoke with her grandfather's successor, Mark Lawn, and was assured she would be welcome again. Could she be the much needed lucky charm?

Mary's First Game

Mary Needham, granddaughter of Bradford City’s first chairman, Alfred Ayrton, will be an invited guest at Valley Parade for Bradford City versus Oxford Utd on Saturday 30th Oct. At the age of 79, this will be Mary’s first ever visit to a football match.

Mary recently donated a magnificent illuminated silver presentation case to Bradford Museums and Galleries. This presentation case was given to her grandfather when he retired as Bradford City chairman in 1907 along with his portrait painted in oils. The solid silver case was made by Fattorini of Bradford and was signed by board members at the time including Harry Jowett (chairman), A Fattorini, A Lancaster and others.

David Pendleton will give a talk on Alfred Ayrton’s significance to the club before the game in the bantamspast museum at 2pm. Mary will be in attendance between 1:30 and 2:30pm to meet fans and hear the talk about her grandfather. Alfred saved Manningham Rugby Club from closure when he became their president in 1900. He later drove through the conversion of Manningham Rugby Club to football and the birth of Bradford City. The illuminated case was given on the occasion of his retirement as Chairman of Bradford City on January 29th 1907.

As usual, admission to the presentation is free and everyone is welcome.

Mary will then be watching her first football match and meeting the present chairman, directors and fans.

A (Very Important) Date for the Diary

Book Launch and Film Night
21 November 2010
8.15pm
Pictureville
National Media Museum
Bradford

The official launch our book 'Glorious 1911 and Bradford City's Golden Age' is being held at Pictureville at the National Media Museum, Bradford. The evening will feature a presentation about Bradford City's FA Cup triumph 100 years on and the writing of the celebratory book.

Several films will be shown:

• Dewsbury v Manningham northern union game from 1901 showing rare footage of City's predecessors
• Bradford City's first ever home match in the Football League when they met Gainsborough at Valley Parade in 1903
• the FA Cup Final at Crystal Palace in 1911 and the replay at Old Trafford when City defeated Newcastle United to win the FA Cup
• films of World War Two league games at Valley Parade against Bradford Park Avenue and Newcastle United

Tickets will be available shortly from the National Media Museum.

World Cup Presentation

Richard Kunz will be giving a presentation about his trip with the Lionsraw organisation to South Africa during the 2010 World Cup, in the bantamspast museum, before the Morecambe game tomorrow, at 1.45pm.
Lionsraw is a Christian organisation of which Bingley based Richard is an active member. His group went up into the mountains above Durban and built dressing rooms for a football pitch at an orphanage.
Richard also visited HIV hospitals and saw two of the World Cup games involving the finalists.
His account is a fascinating, sometimes quite moving personal story well worth seeing.

Be Part of a bantamspast Facelift!

We at bantamspast are setting up a working party to get the first floor museum, office and café area ready for the new season next Saturday, July 24, from 10am.

One in a Million (Wayne Jacob's Charity) are the new tenants and as part of their planned development they have already built a wall across one end of the space. This requires painting, and when complete will form part of the museum.

In addition we need to tidy up, hoover, polish trophies and other items on display, in order to get the area ready for the new season.

CAN YOU PLEASE HELP?

If you can give a few hours between 10am and 3pm next Saturday we can make a real difference.