ROBERT BOGDAN, CHARTERHOUSE, OLD CARTHUSIANS AND IPSWICH TOWN FC

Today marks the beginning of a weekend when Charterhouse School, in Godalming, celebrates the life of Robert Bogdan (RAB), who was a member of the school's teaching staff, a Common (Staff) Room known as Brooke Hall. Robert, a Geographer and Historian, was a national standard hockey player and coach, but could also turn his hand to football, known as "soccer" by Carthusians, who were members of the school. He was very good cricketer, tennis player, rugby.....an all rounder.

Carthusians would enjoy the Soccer game in the Oration Quarter, kn,own as the Autumn Term, firstly at the school's London site and then after 1872, at its new site in Godalming, Surrey. This is the weekend when Carthusians (OCs) and Old Carthusians come together to play "soccer" matches against each other. RAB  will be missed, but I know he will be remembered for his massive influence on Carthusians and colleagues.

Recently, I had an email from an old colleague, who has retired to Felixstowe and who is a full on Ipswich Town fan. I guess this is due to his family roots and the fact that he went to Charterhouse School, the Alma Mater of the Ipswich Town Football Club family, The Cobbolds, famed for their Tolly Cobbold Brewery.

Thomas Clement Cobbold was the founding father of the Suffolk club in 1878. He was a pupil at Charterhouse from 1848-51, when it was a London based school. Thomas became the Conservative MP for Ipswich in 1876 and having brought the game from Charterhouse in London, instilled in his football (soccer) club "the principles of fair play". His players, following on the skills of their founder who was known as the "Prince of Dribblers", were also scrimmagers and dribblers, very much after the style of the Carthusians and their old boys who went on to dominate amateur football in the late 19th Century.

Thomas' nephew, William Neville Cobbold, was known as the "Prince of Dribblers" and was a leading player for the Old Carthusians and England in the 1880s. I could write a whole blog on him.....in fact I might, one day.

The Old Carthusians are recorded as playing an AFA Cup match against Ipswich Town on January 2nd 1933. The teams played at Ipswich and drew 4-4. There was a replay, meeting again on the 9th, the OCs  (below) losing 2-4 at home. 

The Ipswich club turned professional, eventually in 1936 and were elected to the Football League two years later, joining the relatively youthful Third Division South in 1938. They came 7th that year and were ahead of Clapton Orient, a side that left the Football League after the war, continuing to play at the lower level.