by The Cube »
09 Aug 2009 15:55
bobbybottler Loving this one - any thoughts as to where it might have been taken?
I think you will find that it was taken at the Walkabout!!!!
To explain, the 1891/92 pre-season photo was taken in the garden at the back of Queens Hotel, Friar Street before the first home game. As the hotel was used as the club rooms until the decision to turn professional in June 1895 I'd say there's a very good chance that the above photo was also taken there. Some earlier team photos that were definitely taken at Queens Hotel have a hedge in the background, presumably with the photographer facing north or east, but this one could be the view to the south, and so showing the back of the hotel. (Incidentally, the photo really must be from 1894/95 as a couple of the players named seem to have been with us only for that season.)
As others have mentioned home games at the time were played at Caversham Cricket Ground so that is the next most likely place. However, the background really doesn't look right for that location.
To put this into a modern context, the Queens Hotel was knocked down (I think at some point in the 1920s) and replaced by a Post Office. That building is still there but is now Yates' Wine Lodge. Part of the garden at the back is now the Walkabout. The pitch at Caversham Cricket Ground is now the part of Christchurch Meadows opposite Elizabeth House.