Bees United was founded in 2001!
It’s been quite the journey since then!
From walks from Brighton, negotiating with Noades, rattling cans asking for your amazingly generous donations, standing for local elections, meeting Matthew (the original “mystery donor”), buying the club in January 2006 and owning and running until selling to Matthew for £1, June 28th 2012.
The club’s physical journey might be said to be even shorter, from Kew Bridge to just past Kew Bridge at the GTech Community Stadium, albeit it continues over 134 years and seven different grounds!
A Bees United key ambition is to share with the world our journey as a club and what our history really means – as social history as well as footballing history. One of Bees United’s key pillars is promoting and protecting the history and heritage of our – and your – Club by sharing the the club’s stories and making them come alive.
Where better start than at the beginning?
And where was that beginning? Well, it started next to Kew Bridge at the Oxford and Cambridge Hotel in October 1889.
The committee of Brentford Rowing Club was keen to provide for some winter activity for members of their club. They met to decide which sport would fill the winter months – which mostly came down to which shaped ball they should decide to kick!
To mark these historic meetings, BU has commissioned a plaque, commemorating our Club’s foundation in 1889, near the site of the Oxford and Cambridge.
A commemorative plaque
The plaque was unveiled Wednesday 22nd November, on the eve of the Club’s first match in November 1889 [v Kew, ending 1-1] by the Mayor of Hounslow, the Club Chair, Cliff Crown and myself. Here is the video
The plaque couldn’t be easier to find, by just walking down the narrow roadway between the west side of Kew Bridge and the row of shops under the block of flats. You’ll doubtless be en route to one of the pubs or a walk by the river or heading in the opposite direction, to the ground for a home match!
The history and heritage of the Club, formed in October 1889 is as part of the local community, where there is a rich social history to share and of the Club’s contributions to our local community.
Journey – Ambition – You the fans and our members!
The ownership of the BFC Archive has been transferred to Bees United. BU has identified the expertise and earmarked the resources needed to ensure a safe home and an exciting future for our history. Our plan is to share it online and also to run occasional exhibitions.
We want to increase the size of this important collection and our ask of you – our fans – is if you have items or collections, that you wish to donate – please let us know and also if you have any interesting items that you still want to keep yourself – please get in touch and let us know!
We want to record and catalogue everything for possible future use or reference when we are holding exhibitions. We want to make sure we have the definitive record of important BFC items going back in time to those first days after the meetings at the Oxford and Cambridge through to today and the Premier league.
This is our heritage!
The Bees historical journey started in 1889 but today’s history starts tomorrow and like the Club, moving from Kew Bridge to GTech, there’s a short journey and a long one!
Bees United is starting a long journey. Please join us and be a part of, our venture.
Are you interested and do you want to be part of our work? hello@beesunited.org.uk
As a Brentford fan I encourage you all to Join BU and be part of this new journey.
Brentford FC Grounds over the years:
Clifden House 1889 – Benn’s field 1892 – Shotter’s field 1894 – Cross Roads 1898 – Boston Park 1900 – Griffin Park 1904 – GTech 2020