Figure 1 Plaque at St Judes Institute

Formation

After 1850 and the following decades, North-West London continue to grow rapidly. From Paddington, the buildings expanded north with Kilburn and Brondesbury and west with Queen’s Park and Kensal Green. From the south, Kensington expanded with North Kensington. From the beginning of the 1860s, football was represented in north-west London by No Names (Kilburn). The club was reorganized into Brondesbury FC in the 1870s. During this decade, Kildare (1777) was founded in St Peters Park and Vulcan (ca 1879) in Willesden. In the early 1880s, two clubs saw the light of day that both had Rangers in the name: Kensington Rangers (1880) and Christ Church Rangers (1882). The Kensington Rangers had their base in central Kensington and played games often at Shepherds Bush.

Location

• The CCR players location (map below) indicates an origin in North Kensington. Alfred George, the club secretary lived there and was also the club address.Figure 3

• In present club history Christ Church Mission is mentioned as origin of CCR. But no players were from Collage Park. The mission is called 1885 Collage Park Mission and was renamed Christ Church Mission 1887 when it was named for a new district parish church. Figure 4

• Christ Church (Brondesbury) is to far away and no players is attached to the Brondesbury / Kilburn area.

• North Kensington is added to the name in a game against St Margrets 1889.Figure 5

It’s completely clear that Christ Church Rangers is located in North Kensington. The church could have started the club. In St Mary the Abbots, the main parish of Kensington, there was a Reverend Bill Law, an active football and cricket player for the Old Harrovians. Harrow School also founded a Harrow Mission in North Kensington. Bill Law was active in the mission foundation. This could be the injection that started the club. Christ Church was built 1881 and demolished 1940. Location was Telford Road in North Kensington. Recently used as an Adventure Playground. The picture shows the annex Cristchurch Hall on Faraday Road about 1969. Playground to the right. Figure 6, 7.

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Alfred George

The club secretary Alfred George was first mentioned in newspapers 1884 at a age of 21. He was secretary at least 10 years inclusive the first years of Paddington FC. On the pitch he was a keen goalscorer. Alfred George was born 1862 in Kensal Town Chelsea (detached). He had a younger brother Albert born 1865 also played with Christ Church Rangers. Alfred Georges occupation was plumber. His family lived in Middle Road but moved soon to Chesterton Road in North Kensington. After marriage 1888 with Caroline Amy Street, their new address was Bonchurch Road. Two children was born William W. 1892 and Gladys A. born 1893. Figure 3.

Harry George Handover

Harry George Handover was at the same period the club captain. Handover and Alfred George were cousins and Handover was also a plumber in younger age. George were born 1868.There was another Handover: W. also played with CCR, maybe another cousin. George Handover played in 1880.s and 1890:s team. He became Sir and Mayor of Paddington: 1912-1920 and 1931-1935. In his younger days he lived in Harrow, Road, Paddington. He married Emeline Kate Felce in 1895 and they had two sons Dennis Hodson b. 1896 and Reginald Jack b. 1899. He died 1948.'

Alfred George and Handover importance of the Christ Church Rangers/ Paddington clubs is well illustrated by the Paddington FCs smoker event 1892, the year Paddington were in its top. Figure 15. Also a interesting notice when Handover remberer his footabll days with Sexton. Figure 11.

Most appearances, eleven players

Figure 10. The club is dominated by Alfred George and H.G. Handover

Figure 11. Handover remember his football days

Paddington FC

Christ Church Rangers changed the name to Paddington in 1889 Figure 11, below

Christ Church Rangers returned as a team for one seasons: 1891-92. This could be a restart by the Christ Church in North Kensington or a completly new team with no connection to the previous one or a name for Paddington Reserves.

Paddington moved to the Chandos Ground at Wormwood Scrubs ground for the 1895 season. This could also be the Thursday team. More research is needed to sort it out.

There was a Paddington 1905 with Albert George and QPR’s J. Musselwhite. This could perhaps be the Paddington Thursday which was formed 1898 and was used as a QPR tryout team. In 1895 the club used Paddington Athletic as name for the first team. Paddington was ceased in the beginning of 1900.

Paddington United was started in the 1930s and Paddington Town after the Second World War and remained until 1959.

Research until 1/6 2022. Research after 1894 is now sporadic.

Paddington FC had its greatness in the early 1890s. They participated in the West London League 1892-93 and was placed higher than QPR. They also participated in 1893-94 season of that league. Match list can be found at the bottom of the article.

Paddington were probarly playing in blue shirts. The onle references to Paddington shirts is that QPR has to change shirts for the game against Paddington. QPR then wore the quadred light-blue /blue shirt.

West London League

West London league was one of the first football leagues started in London. Most of the major West London clubs participated. Strong teames like Stanley and Fulham from south-west and Paddington and Queens Park Rangers from northwest. Older teams was Kildare and West End. It's noteworthy that one of the older and better teams Vulcan didn't participate. Queens Park Rangers didn't compete for the second season because there was an outbreake in the team and half of the first team and part of the second team formed a new team called West London FC.

Tables: NoneLeague Matters Forum (old forum) https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?post=523479by signature: pompeyRover

Paddington Recreation Ground

The Paddington Recreation Ground was "the earliest public athletic ground of its kind in London". It was first used for recreational purposes in 1860 when the local church laid down a cricket pitch for the parish community to share (Wiki text).

Paddington FC was the first(1) football team have played the ground as. It was as early as seoson 1890-91. The later incarnation of Paddington as Paddington Town also played at the ground. Another notebale football team who used the ground was West Hampstead FC in the beginning of the 20th centuary.

Figure 16.

Paddington Smoker

Smoking concerts were live performances, usually of music, before an audience of men only, popular during the Victorian era. These social occasions were instrumental in introducing new musical forms to the public. At these functions men would smoke and speak of politics while listening to live music (wiki text).

The sports smokers as the Paddington Smoker below could also been used for fundraisning.

Figure 14

October 1892. Paddington - QPR 2-0

Figure 17.

January 1893. QPR - Paddington

Figure 18