Have walked past Gus Mears' grave on many an occasion. There have been times when the cross has been adorned with blue and white ribbons especially on big days e.g. Cup Finals. Didn't know that his son had served and died in WW1

The Royal Parks

Augustus ‘Gus’ Mears (1873-1912)

The founder of Chelsea Football Club, buried with his RAF pilot son.

Augustus ‘Gus’ Mears (1873-1912)

The founder of Chelsea Football Club, buried with his RAF pilot son.

Chelsea Football Club

Brompton Cemetery is a popular shortcut for Chelsea fans making their way to and from next-door Stamford Bridge. How many realise they are walking past the grave of Henry Augustus Mears, the club’s founder, every time they use the Central Avenue?

Gus and his brother were building contractors and sports fans. When the land used by London Athletic Club at Stamford Bridge came up for sale, Gus bought it. 

He tried to lease it to Fulham FC, but they didn’t take up the opportunity. Instead, one of Gus’s friends encouraged him to set up his own club. Chelsea FC was accepted into the 2nd Division in 1905.

Credit: The Book of Football

HMS Furious

Tragically Gus died aged just 37, and did not live to see how incredibly successful his team would become. However, the Mears family continued to own and run the club for the next 70 years.

Gus shares a grave with his wife, Harriet, and young son, Henry. During the First World War, Henry was training to be a combat pilot on HMS Furious, the world’s first aircraft carrier. 

Tragically, he became one of the RAF’s first casualties when he was killed in a flying accident in 1918, aged just 18.

Credit: HMSO / Wikimedia Commons

We beat Norwich City 1-0 in the FA Cup 4th round at The Bridge, on 17th February 1968.

Charlie Cooke scored the only goal of the match .A 2.30pm kick off. Attendance of 57.987

Norwich City keeper Kevin Keelan diving at the feet of the great Bobby Tambling.

On 12/01/2026 at 22:31, Boyne said:

Great player and a classic car.

Always loved that shirt and have the replica.

Imagine if you were prudent enough to take that Escort Mexico and park it up in a garage. Be worth an absolute packet right now.

Don't recall this photo being posted before. From 1966.

Back row (left to right): John Hollins, Allan Young, Peter Bonetti, Marvin Hinton, Ron Harris, Eddie McCreadie; front row (left to right) Barry Bridges, George Graham, Peter Osgood, Terry Venables, Bobby Tambling

15 hours ago, erskblue said:

We beat Norwich City 1-0 in the FA Cup 4th round at The Bridge, on 17th February 1968.

Charlie Cooke scored the only goal of the match .A 2.30pm kick off. Attendance of 57.987

Norwich City keeper Kevin Keelan diving at the feet of the great Bobby Tambling.

Amazing attendance figure!

This one is in here several times already but WTH.

Ossie and Nobby celebrate the equalizer.

We were Kings.

Jimmy Greaves scoring one his four goals against Nottingham Forest in his final game for us in April 1961. He scored in the 10th, 37th, 53rd and finally a penalty in the 90th min.

Officially a crowd of 22,775 saw it as we won 4-3.

The terracing looks packed for a crowd of just 22,775!

I promise you will get more entertainment from these highlights than you'll get from today's match. It's worth it just to see Ossie playing at the 10 position in midfield.

The late Ian Hutchinson, about to unleash a trademark long throw.

And does so!

And he celebrates one of his two goals in our 3-1 win over Southampton.

26th December 1969. An 11 am kick off, with 41,489.

Incidentally, we played the very next day away at Crystal Palace (a 3pm kick off ) and we won 5-1.

Crystal Palace at The Bridge back on 30th August 1969. A 1-1 draw.

Peter Osgood scored our goal in the 76th min.

An Alan Birchenall header is saved by Palace keeper John Jackson. A crowd of 41,908 saw it.

Match report on the above game from the great bounder.friardale site.

Proper Chelsea.

Posted many times before but worth posting again. When we played Dynamo Moscow in 1945.

No

Complete forgot that this must have been an all ticket game ??

1 hour ago, The Rising Sun said:

Complete forgot that this must have been an all ticket game ??

Was at the game. Ended 0-0. Was also at the replay at WHL which we won 3-0. Arrived home to watch the highlights but the programme was cancelled due to a news programme about the First Gulf War.