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http://img335.imageshack.us/img335/9131/charityshieldol7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The "David France Collection", compiled by Dr David France, consists of some 10,000 items, each representing a special piece of the club’s past, but as a collection it captures and illustrates the club’s unparalleled heritage. There are programmes, season-tickets, ticket stubs, medals, photographs, contracts, cash books, handbooks, financial statements and other ephemera dating back to the pioneering days at Stanley Park, Priory Road and Walton Breck Road as well as letters, gate books, itineraries, cigarette cards, postcards and international caps from the turn-of-the- century. Even the most cynical football enthusiast would agree that no other club in the World boasts such a wealth of treasures or such a wealth of history. And to top them off, there are what David calls ‘The Everton Scriptures‘ - a complete run of official club ledgers detailing the minutes of every board meeting from 1886 to 1964. This labour of love took 25 years to assemble.

Graham Budd of Sotheby’s had this to say about the collection: "This collection has no match anywhere in the football world. It’s a unique record of Everton’s history - possibly a history unparalleled by any other club. The collection offers a unique record of the evolution of British football and of the city of Liverpool."

The David France Collection has been described by Christie's as "the finest and most comprehensive collection of its type relating to a single football club".

Unsolicited bids for the complete collection came from a legion of dealers, private parties and syndicates of overseas investors but David France's dream was for it to rightfully go to Everton Football Club.

At present Everton Football Club are half way to raising the required £800,000. Once acquired by the club, it is agreed that Everton will donate their own collection of memorabilia and ephemera when it will become "The Everton Collection".

On September 2nd 2006 it was announced that Alan Ball had agreed to be the patron of the Everton Collection Charitable Trust whom are trying to acquire the collection.

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Ledger / Date: 27th June 1892 - 'Resolved that the Football Ground be called "Goodison Park"'

I can't believe that Everton just don't stump up the cash,they really are cheap skates this collection is priceless and it's going for such a measly sum of money for a club like Everton that is.:disgust:

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Ledger / Date: 27th June 1892 - 'Resolved that the Football Ground be called "Goodison Park"'

I can't believe that Everton just don't stump up the cash,they really are cheap skates this collection is priceless and it's going for such a measly sum of money for a club like Everton that is.:disgust:

Its not good that the self styled "people's club" are expecting the people to pay for the collection. Dr France must be livid the way this is dragging on as he's emmigrating.

Dr France must be livid the way this is dragging on as he's emmigrating.


I am myself it is said that this is the best collection of memorabilia for any one club and Everton are expecting the people to pay for it,Everton's museum (trophy room) :ninja: is really poor and this would bring it up to scratch.The first thirty years of Liverpool's history is in this collection including the plans for Anfield.

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The 1886 tender for the building of Anfield detailing all the specifications including those for the stand and fence.

Beginning their playing days at Stanley Park followed by a stint at Priory Road, Everton soon moved on to Anfield.

Although only leased to Everton by local brewers the Orrel Brothers, the pitch crafted out of what used to be a pasture, had to be turned into a real football ground. So in 1886, plans were put in place to build a grandstand for the new Anfield Football Ground.

The Collection includes two original handwritten tender documents submitted by local firm Armstrong and Dobson, outlining the construction of Anfield in September 1886. They detail the building of the grandstand and perimeter fencing at Everton's ground, and one tender informs the reader that the grandstand was to be made from spruce. The tender also includes costs of £74.50 for the grandstand and £34.62 for the fencing, which was later reduced to £34.30.

Anfield is now one of European football's most celebrated cathedrals of football - and this original evidence of its actual construction is a unique historical artefact. Even more astonishing are the circumstances in which David France came across the unique document. "I discovered the Anfield documents by chance during my quest to secure an elusive Everton programme." he explained.

"The vendor insisted that I also purchase a grubby box of seemingly worthless memorabilia including a dog-eared scrap book. At first I was delighted to discover the scrapbook included the bonus of a couple of signed photographs from the pre-War era. Further investigations confirmed the rest of the book was littered with discoloured newspaper cuttings dating back to Everton's participation in the 1906 FA Cup Final. Also revealed were two more old pieces of paper which had been stuck onto the pages. They turned out to be handwritten documents for building the stand and also for constructing hoardings around the Anfield ground.”

It consists of some 10,000 items, each representing a special piece of the club’s past, but as a collection it captures and illustrates the club’s unparalleled heritage. There are programmes, season-tickets, ticket stubs, medals, photographs, contracts, cash books, handbooks, financial statements and other ephemera dating back to the pioneering days at Stanley Park, Priory Road and Walton Breck Road as well as letters, gate books, itineraries, cigarette cards, postcards and international caps from the turn-of-the- century. Even the most cynical football enthusiast would agree that no other club boasts such a wealth of treasures or such a wealth of history. And to top them off, there are what David calls ‘The Everton Scriptures‘ - a complete run of official club ledgers detailing the minutes of every board meeting from 1886 to 1964. This labour of love took 25 years to assemble. It should NEVER be split up.

The box of medals won by Everton Football Club (Shown below) from 1890 to 1987 must be kept together for younger generations of Evertonians to see. To have them split up would be sacrilege.

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/8936/medalsue8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

1. League Winners (1890/91) 2. League Winners (1914/15)
3. League Winners (1927/28) 4. League Winners (1930/31)
5. Northern League champions (1918/19) 6. Division 2 winners (1931/32)
7. League Winners (1938/39) 8. League Winners (1962/63)
9. League Winners (1969/70) 10. League Winners (1984/85)
11. FA Cup runners-up ( 1907) 12. FA Cup runners-up (1968)
13. Milk Cup runners-up (1984) 14. FA Cup Winners (1906)
15. FA Cup Winners (1966) 16. FA Cup Winners (1933)
17. FA Cup Winners (1966) 18. FA Cup Winners (1984)
19. European Cup Winners (1985).

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1887 Programme v South Shore, who would later be known as Blackpool

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The only known photograph of Everton’s first championship-winning side
dressed in the infamous ruby shirts with blue trim. Believed to have been taken near the bowling
green at the rear of the Sandon Hotel, the sepia-toned photograph featured the diminutive Fred
Geary sandwiched between the League championship trophy and the Liverpool Cup.

courtesy of blue kipper.

The 1886 tender for the building of Anfield detailing all the specifications including those for the stand and fence.

Beginning their playing days at Stanley Park followed by a stint at Priory Road, Everton soon moved on to Anfield.


http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/watercity/Map-anfield1889.jpg

Note the city boundary is across the current Kop. Anfield was outside the city at the time as was Goddison Park.

Goodison is in Walton, of course it was outside the city at the time.

Note the city boundary is across the current Kop. Anfield was outside the city at the time as was Goddison Park.

Well let's hope that continues and we take in Knowsley and most of Sefton,I think we'll hear more of this soon with the ground move on the agenda,hopefully at the next annual general meeting.

Wot Paulie said, but lets hope Sefton does not stretch all the way to Southport aye :D

Everton's board were criticised for not doing enough to secure the David France Collection of memorabilia that auction house Christie's regard as "the finest and most comprehensive collection of its type relating to a single football club in the world".

Everton have agreed to donate £250,000 towards its purchase, and while former director Lord Grantchester has offered a further £100,000 the fund is still only halfway towards its £750,000 total.

But Wyness explained the club have made a lottery application to buy the collection and will also use funds raised by the Heritage Week in March that includes a match between former Everton and Barcelona players.

"We have started the process of a lottery application and had signs that it could be successful, although with the Olympics needing more and more resources it will be tougher than we first thought," said Wyness.

"There will also be a big fundraising effort during Heritage Week.

"We have spoken with David France and we now have until December next year to raise the money. We've made a significant contribution, as has Lord Grantchester, but we now need others to contribute."

Everton have agreed to donate £250,000 towards its purchase, and while former director Lord Grantchester has offered a further £100,000 the fund is still only halfway towards its £750,000 total.

In other words, Everton's fans have only contributed £25,000 themselves despite the fund having been in operation for a year or so! Good to see they arent letting the club take the piss out of them over this.

I can't believe Everton are being such mingebags over this,fans should not be held to ransom it just shows you how football fans are taken for granted by their clubs.:disgust:

Appeal on antique football items

Ideas are needed to develop the memorabilia collection
Football fans are being asked for ideas to help showcase a collection of 10,000 items of Everton Football Club memorabilia, some 130-years-old.
Liverpool City Council's Record Office, and the Everton Collection Charitable Trust have bid for lottery money to buy the collection from its current owner.

It has been described as the world's most comprehensive football archive.

Supporters can share their ideas at Central Library in Liverpool city centre on 11 January.

The Everton collection currently belongs to Dr David France and more than £350,000 of the £800,000 needed to purchase the archive has been raised via donations from Everton Football Club and Lord Grantchester.

The outstanding amount needed to complete the purchase will come from the Heritage Lottery Fund - providing the bid is successful.

The archive includes more than 6,000 programmes, player contracts, League Championship medals and even the tender to build Anfield - home to Everton before Liverpool Football Club were formed.


The collection is said to be an amazing insight into football history

There are also medals presented to players including Dixie Dean, season tickets, photographs, handbooks and financial statements.

David Stoker, Liverpool Record Office Manager, said they were at a crucial stage in putting together the bid for Heritage Lottery money.

"We need input from local people to demonstrate that there is a wide appeal for this collection," said Mr Stoker.

"It is an amazing insight into the history of football in Liverpool and the Football League, so will be of interest not just to Everton FC fans but also to anyone with an interest in sport and history."

I'd just like to add that this amazing collection has been secured for our city thanks to the heritage lottery fund.:handclap::PDT_Aliboronz_24:

Everything has now been concluded in this and the collection is at the record office.

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2008/01/01/everton-archive-is-world-s-greatest-football-collection-64375-20301560/