Radio 4, Anna Connell & our roots

[BringBackSwales]

This is the original programme:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/03/2007_17_thu.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/ ... _thu.shtml</a>

I'm the one who talks about the scuttling; first game; beating United in the first derby ("City won, of course!"); and the bit in the museum. Apart from my last line about the Club being founded by Anna (which I now regret saying), I was very careful to make sure I talked about facts, not conjecture.

Gary something I have been wondering about for ages - why does the line on your posts always show up as being further over to the right than on anyone else's? (or is it just on my computer?)

 

[johnny crossan]

*

 

[WyongBlue]

Great work that you are doing Gary, finding it interesting and more so with possibillity of maybe discovering new facts to do with the club of when earlier matches had occured, its certainly is a journey of discovery, anyhow keep up the good work you are doing Gary.........

 

[Gary James]

Research continues and I (and Paul) are still researching extensively.

I'm always happy to explain. Since the BBC prog was made much further research has been performed. I have included some of the facts in my latest book "Manchester A Football History" but, and I'll stress this now, there are still some myths/facts to be investigated and I spent most of last week at Manchester Library researching further.

The BBC programme is several years old now (made in 2007).

The facts now are basically what they've always been apart from the brief diversion during the 2000s - basically City was formed by the cricketers. Many people contributed to the success of the venture, including the Connell family, but I no longer believe any individual should be regarded as founder. My comments in the radio documentary were aimed at proving that City was interested in its history.

 

[petrusha]

If I understand correctly, what Gary is saying is that new research a few years back uncovered the social aspect of the work of St Mark's around the same time as the forerunner club of MCFC was evlolving. Anna Connell was deeply involved in those social objectives, and for a time it seemed that the social aspect and the formation of the football club may have been linked. However, subsequent research has shown that they weren't.

It's interesting because of the media perception. The story that City may have been formed by a woman was seized on in the wider media because they liked that narrative - it provided good copy. Now that it seems erroneous, there's no willingness to correct the impression that the earlier reports have left, meaning that the Anna Connell myth is still pretty widespread among Blues - notwithstanding the fine efforts of City historians to give the true picture.

 

[johnny crossan]

It'll be interesting to see if the newly online newspaper archive at the British Library provides fresh source material for our excellent historians.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8920672/British-Library-newspaper-archive-puts-300-years-of-history-online.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/n ... nline.html</a>

Could this have been our Anna (or maybe her mother)?

Lichfield Mercury
Fri 30 Nov 1900Staffordshire, England
LICHFIELD COUNTY POLICE796 Words
“ DO<;. Anna Connell, a widow lady who lives Fradley, was summoned by Snpt. Barratt for not keeping ferocious dog belonging to her under proper control.—P.C. Morrey, stationed at Alrewas, said that in consequence of complaints he went to Mrs. Connell ... ?

 

[newtownardsblues]

Article with information about St Mark's and Rev Arthur Connell:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.manchesterorange.co.uk/History/st-marks-church-manchester-city-orange-order" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.manchesterorange.co.uk/Histo ... ange-order</a>