In the beginning?
During the long winter months of 1895/1896, a Mr F C H Gibbons who the resided at 15 Christchurch Street, Ipswich had daydreamed on the subject of a local Football League catering for the many hundreds of young men in Ipswich and the surrounding districts who wanted to play on a competitive basis.
Soccer had up to only twenty or so years earlier been the preserve of a few in organised friendly games. Mr Gibbons' daydreaming turned to serious thought in the spring of 1896, and by the summer he had formulated rules for the league he envisaged. Towards the end of the last century, the East Anglian Daily Times were giving their fullest support to all forms of recreation and sporting activity. Mr Gibbons, somewhat tentatively approached the Editor of this famed newspaper, asking if they would advertise the fact that he intended to launch a Football League for Ipswich and District. There was, already a League in existence in North Suffolk and the East Anglian Daily Times to their everlasting credit, not only gave full coverage to Mr Gibbons' proposals but allowed the use of their Long Room in their Carr Street premises in Ipswich for an inaugural meeting. This historic meeting was called for Thursday 10th September 1896 with a 7.30pm start. Eighteen clubs attended this meeting and listened carefully to Mr Gibbons' proposals
These clubs were...
Brantham Athletic
Churchmans
Great Eastern Railway
Higher Grade School
Institute Rovers
Ipswich Rugby
Ipswich Town
Orwell Works
Prettys Athletic
Primitive Methodists
St Clement
St Helen
St Lawrence Works
St Mary Stoke
St Matthew
Stoke United
Trinity Old Boys
West End Excelsiors
In October 1896, matches in the Ipswich & District League got under way. The League had only one Executive Officer, the Secretary, and a President whose parliamentary duties were such that he could not contribute to administration of the League. The concept of an Ipswich & District League had excited many of the best teams in the area but sadly, Ipswich Town, although interested had already arranged their fixtures and decided not to compete. The really powerful units in Ipswich and South Suffolk at that time were Stowmarket, Brantham Athletic, Orwell Works and Felixstowe Town. These clubs had themselves arranged friendly matches prior to the League's formation but they decided that the competitive football offered by the Ipswich & District League was to their liking. In addition Cowells Athletic, Great Eastern Railway, St Mary Stoke and Walton Foresters, all senior clubs at that time, came into the League... Extract from Five Score?A History of the League (by KP Wood)
Post-War Championship Winners
Division One
1945/46
1946/47
1947/48
1948/49
1949/50
Achilles / HMS Ganges (joint winners)
Whitton United
Whitton United
Achillles
Waterside Works
Waterside Works
Waterside Works
Sudbury Town
Hadleigh United
Waterside Works
Waterside Works
Hadleigh United
Felixstowe Town
Waterside Works
Electric Supply
Orwell Works
Orwell Works
Waterside Works
Waterside Works
Felixstowe Town
Whitton United
Electric Supply
Whitton United
Electric Supply
ICI Paints
Heath Row
Nicholians
Hadleigh United
Nicholians Locomotive
Crane Sports
Nicholians
Hadleigh United
Bull Motors
Hadleigh United
Nicholians Locomotive
Ransomes (ex Orwell Works)
Westerfield United
Haughley United
Westerfield United
Westerfield United
Achilles
RSSC Ransomes
Achilles
Woodbridge Town
Grundisburgh
Grundisburgh
Framlingham Town
Whitton United
Grundisburgh
Whitton United
Needham Market
Haughley United
Grundisburgh
Walton United
Grundisburgh
Grundisburgh
Walsham le Willows
Walsham le Willows
East Bergholt United
East Bergholt United
East Bergholt United
Grundisburgh
Hadleigh United
Needham Market
Woodbridge Town
Needham Market
Hadleigh United
Hadleigh United
Ransomes
Westerfield United
Westerfield United
Haughley United
Hadleigh United
Achilles
Grundisburgh
Framlingham Town
Grundisburgh
Framlingham Town
Grundisburgh
Whitton United
Stanton
Haughley United
Brantham & Sutton United
Grundisburgh
Walsham le Willows
Walsham le Willows
Grundisburgh
Walsham le Willows
Old Newton United
East Bergholt United
Crane Sports
Ransomes Sports
Melton St Audrys
