Ewood Park - New Stand - 1906

Top is an old promotional / advertising postcard from 1906, depicting the new grand stand (Nuttall Street Stand) at Ewood Park. Steelwork by John Booth & Sons of Bolton.

Below that, two players that would have been playing around the same time. The photo on the left was a postcard posted in Blackburn in 1907, but sadly I haven't been able to identify the player. The player on the right, I'm pretty sure is Eddie Latheron, who played for the Rovers between 1906 - 1917. If you know different, please let me know and I'll be happy to amend.

The cigarette 'silk' dates to the same period, perhaps a bit later, but pretty confident it would be pre- WW1.

The photo below is the same stand pictured 79 years later in 1985. I have forgotten where I sourced this photo, so if it's yours, my apologies in advance, just send me the details and I will be happy to credit you (or remove it).

 (Unknown)

The picture / card below added 30/06/2013 in response to BTS's query with regards Eddie Latherton (please see the comments below).

The other images courtesy of the CP collection 

Johnny Forbes - FA Cup Winner & Businessman

An interesting old biscuit tin lid which dates to about 1891. The middle one of the three Rovers players was none other than John Forbes (1862 -1928), who captained Rovers and led them to two FA Cup Final victories in 1890 and 1891. Unfortunately, ill health for Forbes, led him to an early retirement from his football career in 1893. 

Shortly after first arriving in Blackburn (1889), from his native Scotland, Forbes had set up a gentleman's outfitters, which over the years diversified a little to sell sportswear and school wear. I think his first shop had been on the corner of Lord St & Victoria St just opposite the old market square, but when that property was demolished to make way for the Littlewoods store in the 1950's, they relocated to the shop many of us remember, on the top end of Lord St / corner of Northgate (see lower photos from the 1960's).

COURTESY OF THE INTERNET (LID) AND JOHN EDDLESTON (NORTHGATE PHOTOS).

Rovers team 1904 - 1905 season

No real reason for posting this particular Rovers side. Chosen only because I have it and it's a nice 'go with' for the previous photo of John Lewis.

Front centre, with the ball at his feet, is the legendary Bob Crompton, described in Mike Jackman's book  'A Complete record', as  ''the greatest 'Rover' of them all''. So there you go. 

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION 

John Lewis - The Rovers

No look back at old Blackburn could be complete without a mention of the Rovers. This is a photo from a vintage cigarette card. The man is John Lewis, who along with Arthur Constantine, called a meeting at the St Leger Hotel (King William Street), way back in 1875, with a view to forming a football club. And the rest, as they say, is history.

The old postcard above, is the only image I have that shows the St Leger Hotel, which would have stood on the corner of King William St and Lord St. Sadly, it's not the pub to the left, that's the Prince of Wales on the corner of Higher Church St, it's the indistinct building in the distance, sort of over the heads of the group of gents. If anyone has a close up / better image of the St Leger, I would love to see it. 

The top photo (click photo to enlarge it) is a stoneware porter bottle from the same hotel, it dates to approximately the same period. The impressed writing reads - Eastwoods St Leger Hotel Blackburn

Two Ewood Park legends. Ronnie Clayton (RIP) and Bryan Douglas

This plaque, along with other similar merchandise, was issued in 1975, to commemorate the Rover's centenary as a football club.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION