Major events organised this month to celebrate the life of Sheffield FC’s Sir Nathaniel Creswick

An important new information point will be unveiled on Wednesday 24th October at 12-noon at Heeley Parish Church. The tomb of Sir Nathaniel Creswick, the co-founder of the world’s oldest football club, has lain uncelebrated for many years.

That will now change with the installation of this new information point, that details his life as well as the interesting story surrounding the football club that started at Heeley Parish Church and ended up playing in the FA Cup.

The 24th October is the 161st birthday of Sheffield FC and I hope this recognition of the global importance of Creswick to the beautiful game will make his last resting place a shrine for football fans from all over the world to come and pay homage.

Please support this important event. The Vicar, Bob Evans will open the proceeding, followed by myself and the chairman of Sheffield FC -Richard Tims. Tea and refreshments will follow in the church.

The following day, the 25th October is the Sheffield Football Treasures Day on 25th October. This day represents the culmination of our campaign to raise awareness that Sheffield is indeed the Home of Football. The free event will feature all the best football treasures that Sheffield FC, Hallam FC, Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United can offer as well as the current FA Cup will be on display and you will be able to have your photograph taken alongside it on the day.

Nathaniel Creswick wrote the Sheffield Rules  together with a Sheffield FC Committee and the 27th of October 2018 marks the 160th anniversary of the writing of the 1858 Sheffield Rules . Thanks to the amazing hard work of Sheffield Libraries, copies of this incredibly important piece of football heritage will be on display held at Sheffield Central Library on October 25th between 10.30 and 2.30.

Book your interest here https://bit.ly/2yfGFTC

At the event Geoffrey Norton, who is Sir Nathaniel Creswick’s oldest surviving descendant , will exhibit Creswick’s personal diary.  You will be able to see for yourself the momentous entry for 31st December 1857 that says:

“I have established a foot ball club to which most of young Sheffield come and kick.’

I have fully revised and updated my book ‘A History of Sheffield Football 1857-1889: Speed, Science and Bottom’ to coincide with this important anniversary. The new book has 28 extra pages, 20 new images and a new fold out map. It features new chapters celebrating the 160th anniversary of the 1858 Sheffield Rules and the fact that Sheffield is the Home of Football.
You can buy the book here: http://bit.ly/2qYw0r0