We’re thrilled to share a remarkable photographic archive recently presented to us by Ken Chapman. The collection includes over 400 images capturing football in Dover during the early 1960s, with most believed to date between 1964 and 1966.
These black-and-white snapshots shine a light on a vibrant era of local football, from five-a-side youth matches and Sunday League games at River Rec, to Crabble action, team photos, signings, and trophy presentations. They offer a fascinating window into the community spirit and grassroots game of the time.
But while the images are rich in atmosphere, many come with little or no written context. Ken normally pairs his photographs with newspaper reports to confirm dates and details, but unfortunately, the Dover Express editions from this period have not yet been digitised by the British Library, leaving some key questions unanswered.
As for the photographer – that remains something of a mystery. Ken suspects E. Court of Kent Photos, based at No. 4 King Street, may have been behind the lens. Others seem to feature or have been taken by Ray Warner, but it’s clear many of the images were originally intended for the press.
Ken’s full collection exceeds 4,000 photographs, spanning a wide range of subjects. He’s already shared selections with the Kent Police Museum, JLR Royal Engineers Facebook Group, Staffordshire Regimental Museum, and Paul Skelton’s Kent Pubs website.
We’re now making the football archive publicly available and we’d love your help in identifying people, places and stories. Whether you recognise a teammate, a family member, or even yourself – please get in touch.
Click here to view the full football archive on Google Drive
