Joseph Lievesley: in goal for the last ever Woolwich Arsenal game

By Tony Attwood

Joe Lievesley was born Staveley, (although which Staveley I am not sure) on 25 July 1883 and died on 18 October 1941.   He played in goal for Poolsbrook United, Sheffield United, and Woolwich Arsenal

One of the first records we have of him playing was in an FA Cup first round replay on Thursday 16th January 1908 in which Swindon Town beat Sheffield United after extra time.  What has kept the memory of this match alive is not that Swindon won, but that they were in the Southern League at the time, and apparently hadn’t won a game in the FA Cup proper for 20 years.   The first match was drawn in Swindon and the replay was heralded as one of the David and Goliath matches.

He next crops up in history on the FA’s 1910 tour of South Africa.  Here’s the list of players…

Manager: Charles Hughes
Players:

• Bob Benson (Sheffield United)
• Arthur Berry (Everton)
• Joe Bulcock (Crystal Palace)
• Dick Duckworth (Manchester United)
• Harold Fleming (Swindon Town)
• Vince Hayes (Manchester United)
• Billy Hibbert (Bury)
• George Holley (Sunderland)
• Joe Leeming (Brighton and Hove Albion)
• Joe Lievesley (Sheffield United)
• James Raine (Glossop)
• George Richards (Derby County)
• Ivan Sharpe (Glossop)
• Billy Silto (Swindon Town)
• Albert Sturgess (Sheffield United)
• George Wall (Manchester United)
• Billy Wedlock (Bristol City)
• Vivian Woodward (Chelsea)
• Gordon Wright (Hull City)

Although the list of games takes us away from Lievesley as such it is interesting in its own right, because of the regularity of the matches, and the fact that there must have been some transport problems at the time.

England played 23 and won 23

26/5/10  Cape Town            Colonial born of Cape Town  1-7  England
28/5/10  Cape Town                      Western Province  0-13 England
 1/6/10  Kimberley                       Griqualand West  0-2  England
 4/6/10  Kimberley                       Griqualand West  1-7  England
 8/6/10  Bloemfontein                       Bloemfontein  0-4  England
11/6/10  Johannesburg              Johannesburg District  1-6  England  (also reported vs The Reef)
13/6/10  Krugersdorp                           West Rand  1-3  England
15/6/10  Pretoria                      Pretoria District  1-4  England
18/6/10  Johannesburg                          Transvaal  0-1  England  (also reported vs Johannesburg District)
20/6/10  Ladysmith                   Klip River District  3-13 England
22/6/10  Pietermaritzburg               Pietermaritzburg  0-6  England
25/6/10  Durban                                    Natal  2-6  England
29/6/10  Durban                             South Africa  0-3  England
 2/7/10  East London                            Frontier  0-7  England
 4/7/10  King William's Town                    Frontier  0-6  England
 6/7/10  Port Elizabeth          Port Elizabeth District  0-8  England
 9/7/10  Port Elizabeth                 Eastern Province  0-10 England
12/7/10  Grahamstown                Grahamstown District  0-9  England
16/7/10  Johannesburg                        Rand League  1-2  England  (also reported at Bloemfontein, vs Orange River Colony)
20/7/10  Vogelfontein                          East Rand  0-5  England  (also reported at Johannesburg)
23/7/10  Johannesburg                       South Africa  2-6  England
27/7/10  Cape Town                      Western Province  0-9  England
30/7/10  Cape Town                          South Africa  3-6  England

At Woolwich Arsenal and The Arsenal his career spanned just two seasons, cut off (as so many careers were) by the first world war.

He had come into the team as a replacement for McDonald (who finally left in November 1913) and made 75 appearances in goal.

And that’s about it.  Obviously a man of repute and ability, but I regret I have nothing more on him.

The team for the final game was…

1: J Lievesley (this article)

2: Right back: J Shaw

3: R W Benson

4: Right Half: GM Grant

5: Centre half – P R Sands The first captain of The Arsenal at Highbury

6: A Graham

7: J Rutherford

8: J Flanagan

9: S J Stonley

10: D Slade

11: Outside Right: C H Lewis

• Give the most unusual Arsenal Xmas present of all time. Making the Arsenal: available from Amazon.co.uk but for a signed copy dedicated to whoever you want just order from the publishers (follow the link) and add details of the dedication wanted to your order.
• Arsenal History: Arsenal’s origins – currently telling the story of the game that never was: Arsenal v Eastern Wanderers on the Isle of Dogs in 1886
• Untold Arsenal on Facebook here
• Untold Arsenal Index: silly stuff, serious stuff, and stuff
• Arsenal Worldwide: supporting Arsenal from outside the UK
• Arsenal Independent Supporters Association show your support, be part of changing the club