How Harrogate Advertiser owners played a key role in the foundation of Harrogate Town AFC
Two key figures from the early years of the Harrogate Advertiser have been revealed as new inductees into Harrogate Town’s Hall of Fame for their key role in the formation of the town’s football club.
The Harrogate Town AFC Hall of Fame was established in May 2022 to celebrate those individuals who have made significant contributions to the football club since it was formed in 1914.
With the support of Chairman Irving Weaver Manager Simon Weaver, CEO Sarah Barry and Fan Engagement Manager Hamilton Mattock the Hall of Fame idea has gone from strength to strength with the help of Phil Harrison, Harrogate Town's club historian, and Bernard Higgins, Hall of Fame chairman.
The Hall of Fame committee meet once a month and include representatives from the Independent Supporters Club, the Football Club’s Community Foundation, the club Historian, long term supporters and staff at the club.
The Hall of Fame is located in multiple locations across Harrogate, including the supporters bar at The Exercise Stadium, Official Store on Commercial Street, Executive Lounge and Cedar Court Hotel.
The latest inductees to be announced are Frederick Hammond Breare and Robert Ackrill Breare.
Club historian Phil Harrison says the story of these Harrogate Advertiser titans and their contribution to Harrogate Town AFC and the origins of its Wetherby Road ground goes all the way back to the 1870s.
The Breares and Harrogate Town by Phil Harrison
"It all started in 1914 when Harrogate AFC were formed and secured admission to the Northern League and to play their home games at the County ground Harrogate Rugby Union club’s ground in Claro Road, Harrogate.
"Harrogate should have been playing Bishop Auckland on Saturday, September 5, 1914 but sent a telegram two hours before kick-off.
"It read: “Cannot come, writing!”
"When the promised letter arrived it was to withdraw the club from the league without playing a single game.
"The letter read: "In view of a very strong public feeling and the refusal of our members to support football during the present crisis and the fact that our Secretary and 17 players have joined the regiments, we reluctantly have been compelled to postpone our fixtures during the duration of the War.”
"After the war a public meeting was held at the Cafe Imperial (now Bettys) on Monday, May 19, 1919 to consider the formation of an Association Football Club for Harrogate.
"It was open for discussion and all interested were invited by a Frederick Hammond Breare whose family owned and ran the local paper the Harrogate Herald and Harrogate Advertiser.
"This man had been the Treasurer of the 1914 side and was the first Secretary of the 1919 team.
"The club Harrogate AFC was eventually re-formed on May 29 to play in the West Riding League.
"After completing a first season the first AGM of Harrogate AFC was held at the County Hotel, Harrogate in July 1920.
"The new Hon Secretary Robert Ackrill Breare (Frederick Hammond Breare’s older brother) informed members that the club had been requested to leave their rented ground on Starbeck Lane (Knaresborough Road) by the Corporation with house building being order of the day (the first-ever council houses on the new St Andrews Estate) and they formed a Limited Company in order to buy their new ground.
"They had been given prior notice to quit the year before and the committee in their wisdom had decided at a meeting on December 8, 1919 to purchase a permanent home in a field next to Heatherdene Hospital (now nurses home and car park) in Wetherby Lane (now Road).
"They then appealed to the local public to take up shares in the new company at £1 a share, fully covered by the value of the ground.
"This comprised six acres of land valued by Mr.Linley Brown at £3,750 plus stand at £400.
"On Sunday, November 14, 1920 FFederick Hammond Breare died in his home at 74 Duchy Road, Harrogate aged 40 of double pneumonia.
"He was the second son of W.H. Breare of Herald building who owned the local paper.
"Robert Ackrill Breare continued as Secretary of Harrogate AFC until 1932 when the club folded but the ground was still used by Leeds United ‘A’ team and Bradford City ‘A’ team.
"On Monday, September 14, 1936 the Town Council purchased Wetherby Road and made it into a sports field for elementary school children and the youth of the Town and was also used for School cup finals and local football semi-finals and finals.
"The story goes that during the 1870’s a Robert Ackrill bought the Harrogate Advertiser from a Thomas Hollins and founded Ackrill Newspapers.
"In 1878 Robert Ackrill’s daughter Ellen married a William Hammond Breare who was then editing the Harrogate Herald for Robert Ackrill and was also managing director of Ackrills.
"Their first son Robert Ackrill Breare then took over running the paper until his death in 1955 when his son William Robert Ackrill Breare took the reign’s and the Breare dynasty continued until 1983, when it was sold to United Newspapers.
"The brothers Frederick Hammond Breare and Robert Ackrill Breare both deserve to be inducted into the Hall of Fame due to the work they put in and for helping to form the club and find and purchase the ground at Wetherby Road still used today."
It is expected that Tom Breare, the great grandson and great nephew of the historic Breares, will attend a Harrogate Town home match this month to receive the Hall of Fame award.