While trawling the 19th Century British Library Newspapers website, I came across the following fascinating news item. This is from a Blackburn, Lancashire, local newspaper but the story refers to Halifax. >From the Weekly Standard and Express, Blackburn, Saturday, November 26 1898..... POLICEMEN AND FOOTBALL "The question as to whether policemen shall be allowed to take part in football matches is likely to come shortly before the Watch Committees of the various towns in the West Riding. For the last two or three years a section of the Halifax Police Force have chafed under the rule forbidding them to play football, and deputations have several times interviewed the Watch Committee with a view to getting the law altered, but in vain. A special meeting of the Watch Committee has been held to discuss the question. The position taken up by a majority of the committee is that whilst cheerfully acquiescing in the members of the force taking part in cricket, yet as regards football, it is a much more violent game, and the liability to injury is such that it would not be fair either to the superannuation fund or the ratepayers to allow policemen to take part in matches. The subject is postponed, however, until the Town Clerk has ascertained the views of Watch Committees in others towns on the subject." So what present-day columnists like Richard Littlejohn in the Daily Mail refer to as "Elf 'n' Safety madness" is not a modern problem. It was extant in 1898. Either that or football was a much more violent game in 1898 than it is today! -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE