A SPORT historian has released an article of his work which suggests football had origins in Penistone before it did in Sheffield.
Kevin Neill, 63, a former PE teacher at Penistone Grammar has released documents of his research into the life of John Charles Shaw, who died in 1918. John Charles Shaw is the famous founder of Hallam FC in 1860.
Kevin, who now lives in the South of France, said: “I have recently completed research on an individual by the name of John Charles Shaw and how football began in Sheffield leading to the two oldest clubs in the world being founded in 1857 and 1860 respectively. John Charles Shaw was born and raised in Penistone and educated at the Grammar School and it is this person who based on the evidence of my research is responsible for the establishment and early development of the game.”
Kevin was inspired to research this topic during his years at Penistone Grammar.
He said: “I started as a PE teacher in 1977 and retired after 35 years. I was also member British Society Sport Historians, and when I found out that this person went on to have a major influence on football in Sheffield my interest peaked.”
Kevin published that in 1906, John Charles Shaw wrote a letter of application to join the Middle Temple in London as a student of the bar, and when he is asked to give his educational background as evidence for his acceptance, in his reply John Charles clearly states that he was educated at Penistone.Â
Kevin added: “Sheffield calls itself the home of football because of its importance in the dissemination of the game nationally and the support it gave to the fledgling FA. However, my research suggests that it was Penistone that provided the catalyst for all this to happen.”
You can read more of Kevin's research at playingpasts.co.uk.
