Anna Connell

[jfmaille]

Gary and everyone else involved, spot on. Excellent thread. As a history undergrad and a Blue I've followed this thread with interest (when I probably should be revising for my finals!).

Gary, are there any portraits or pictures of Anna, Arthur, William Beastow and all the influential figures in City's formative years?

I emailed the club a while back to ask them if they had plans to build more murals, similar to the ones of Micah and Martin Petrov on the entrance to the South Stand, and whether they might use players from City's history; I can't think of a better way to commemorate the Connells and those figures than with some visible memorial, particularly as the club's going through so many huge changes. Or perhaps a banner in the South and East stands? a la Celtic fans' flag of Brother Walfrid, their founder.

you can find a picture of Rev. Arthur Connell in Gary's latest two books.

I don't know if Gary would second this but, in this day and age, and with regards to the new personnel now in charge at City, I don't really believe City would do such thing as erecting a memorial or even putting a banner celebrating City's religious roots. From a marketing point of view - yes sorry but that's the way football clubs think now- the Club might think the move would alieniate some of our non-English, non-protestant, atheist etc etc.... fanbase...

May I just add that if you click on the below link, you'll see a picture of Richard Peacock, Gorton MP at the time and owner of the Beyer-Peacock Foundry, who donated £5 and presented Gorton AFC with the Maltese Cross shirts.
http://www.images.manchester.gov.uk...hp?irn=80036&reftable=ecatalogue&refirn=24853

 

[Owain]

[quote="jfmaille]you can find a picture of Rev. Arthur Connell in Gary's latest two books.

I don't know if Gary would second this but, in this day and age, and with regards to the new personnel now in charge at City, I don't really believe City would do such thing as erecting a memorial or even putting a banner celebrating City's religious roots. From a marketing point of view - yes sorry but that's the way football clubs think now- the Club might think the move would alieniate some of our non-English, non-protestant, atheist etc etc.... fanbase...[/quote]

Good point. I hadn't thought of that. In any case, I'm sure the club wouldn't be averse to commemorating the work of the Connells and the other St. Marks figures in a more visible way, since City's ethos as a community club was essentially started by them.

 

[bluemanc]

Hello!my names Phil & i wondered if anyone could help me in locating the final resting place of a lady called Anna Connell.
Her brother in law was a student of St Bees College & former Rev of St Lawrence's Church Darlaston from 1913 to 1924 his name is John Dixon.
Anna died in 1924 & it is believed John & Anna's elder sister Georgina were for a time after that located at a Trafford church before returning home.
If John was buried in the Parish of St Bees then it is highly likely Anna & Georgina were also laid to rest near by & i would be able to take it from their.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MANCconnell.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MANCconnell.htm</a>
Above is a little info on the lady & what she & her family did for Mancunians.
Thank you.

I posted this in the Genealogy section of St Bees Parish Church but failed to get a hit i'm afraid.
It seems that the Connells had a family grave because the father Arthur & the mother Anna were buried in it,BUT neither Georgina nor Anna were added when they died.
I'm wondering if John Dixon, Georgina's husband's family had a family grave & the 2 sisters are buried in that,we don't seem to have any info of where HE was buried,surely it would be with his wife ??.

 

[JOGAMIGMOG]

James Bowlam's dad helped start up City??????

 

[NZBlue]

Fabulous stuff- hat's off to you all for the research & hard work. I agree with whoever said this should be a sticky- what about it mods?

 

[StrangewaysHereWeCome]

An amazing thread. Wish I had more to contribute

 

[bumbleblue]

This is really fascinating important stuff . I hope the club will recognise the people who started the club .

 

[Oolon Colluphid]

Hello!my names Phil & i wondered if anyone could help me in locating the final resting place of a lady called Anna Connell.
Her brother in law was a student of St Bees College & former Rev of St Lawrence's Church Darlaston from 1913 to 1924 his name is John Dixon.
Anna died in 1924 & it is believed John & Anna's elder sister Georgina were for a time after that located at a Trafford church before returning home.
If John was buried in the Parish of St Bees then it is highly likely Anna & Georgina were also laid to rest near by & i would be able to take it from their.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MANCconnell.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MANCconnell.htm</a>
Above is a little info on the lady & what she & her family did for Mancunians.
Thank you.

I posted this in the Genealogy section of St Bees Parish Church but failed to get a hit i'm afraid.
It seems that the Connells had a family grave because the father Arthur & the mother Anna were buried in it,BUT neither Georgina nor Anna were added when they died.
I'm wondering if John Dixon, Georgina's husband's family had a family grave & the 2 sisters are buried in that,we don't seem to have any info of where HE was buried,surely it would be with his wife ??.

I'm hoping that the archivist at Lichfield Diocese will come up trumps on the Rev John Dixon, failing that where he went after Darlaston. If he moved on it shouldn't be too difficult to trace him.
Do we know when Georgina died?
Also Anna died in 1924, the same year Rev John Dixon 'left' St Lawrences. Significant or coincidence?

 

[Gary James]

I don't know if Gary would second this but, in this day and age, and with regards to the new personnel now in charge at City, I don't really believe City would do such thing as erecting a memorial or even putting a banner celebrating City's religious roots. From a marketing point of view - yes sorry but that's the way football clubs think now- the Club might think the move would alieniate some of our non-English, non-protestant, atheist etc etc.... fanbase...

I guess the key to all this is ensuring that we recognise that several people were involved in the formation of the Club and that none of the initial founders - or indeed those directors involved until, say the 1970s - were keen on self-promotion. Lawrence Furniss - the man who had played for Gorton, Managed Ardwick when the Club joined the League, been a director, was Chairman who ensured the Club moved to Maine Road, was President when we won the League in 1937 and stayed involved in the Club from the early 1880s through to his death in 1941 - was to be honoured when Maine Road opened. Fans suggested the stadium be named after him but he insisted that no one deserved such an honour as the Club was bigger than all.

This is the key thing about City's history - it's about community not individuals. It is important the Club and we as fans recognise people connected with the birth and development of the Club but it's the Club that is most important. To me the key figures (ignoring players) in our entire history are: The Connell family (not specifically Anna or Arthur but the atmosphere and life they created); Walter Chew (probably the biggest influence in terms of the early games/football structure/organisation), Thomas Goodbehere, William Beastow (very significant), Lawrence Furniss, Joshua Parlby, Sir Edward Hulton, John Allison, Jimmy Broad, John Chapman (very important first Chairman who died in the job), Tom Maley, Ernest Mangnall, the Alexander Family, Wilf Wild, Joe Mercer, Malcolm Allison... I could go on, but you get the idea. There are many people who most fans will have forgotten about and so it's difficult sticking anyone of our founders on a pedestal above the rest.

 

[Gary James]

I'm sure most of you will have seen this before, but as there's so much interest in the Connell family, there is a small piece in "Manchester City The Complete Record" (2006). It was the first time the Connell story had been recorded in detail. It mentions the names of Anna's nieces and if there's anyone out there who has can trace those women (or descendents) then that may help the story develop further. I placed appeals to find them in 2005 (125th anniversary of formation) but had no luck.