The Death of Jack Mather

The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder (13 February 1953, page 1) reported the death of Weston identity, Jack Mather. The report is informative and suggests that another of Weston's alumni was a great worker for the club, even from overseas.

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JACK MATHERS DEATH IN ENGLAND '

Former Weston Resident.

A former Coalfields citizen and sportsman, Mr. Jack Mather, recently died at Kenton, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the North of England, at the age of 60 years. For many years the late Mr. Mather resided at Weston and was a deputy at Hebburn Colliery.

He first settled in Weston in 1912 when he immediately joined the Weston Soccer club. He soon became a star in the inside left position. Despite his lack of inches, his astute ball control and clever positional play won him general admiration. In 1915 when Weston failed to enter a team, Mather and the famous Bill Lambert joined West Wallsend and appeared in the Ellis and Gardiner Cup finals. The late Mr. Mather then joined the A.I.F. and served with the Mining Division in France. While on leave he played soccer with the Australian Army teams and with another Weston player, the late J. Gilmour, he received an offer to turn professional with the world famous. English club, Aston Villa. When peace was declared in 1918, they both went to Villa Park, but after several months training decided to return to Australia, where both continued their playing careers. 

After several seasons Jack Mather retired and became an active official with the Weston Club. In the days when the Homestead was the Geordies' home ground. He became treasurer, selector, delegate and committee for the club. In 1934 he returned to his native Blyth in the County of Northumberland to take over his late father's newsagency business. He was a keen soccer fan to the end; and only last year interviewed both Newcastle United and Sunderland Clubs with the aim of getting the teams to make a six weeks' tour of Australia. His wife, who survives him, was formerly Miss Olive Dixon, of Weston. His eldest son, Bill, who was educated at Cessnock High School, won the D.F.C; with the Royal Air Force. He was killed following a raid over northern Italy in 1942. Another son, John, still lives at Blyth and will take over his late father's business. 

For many years now, The Mathers at Blyth have acted as hosts to many Coalfielders who went across to England for a visit.

1918

From Sid Grant History of Coalfields Soccer

year missed

Trove

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 8 July 1918, page 7

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TEAM ENTERTAINED.

After the game the Newcastle players and committee were entertained by the Maitland players. Mr. G. Avis was in the chair. The loyal toast of "The King" was the first honoured. Mr. Lambert proposed "The Visitors," and spoke of the progress the game had made. Mr. Tamlyn responded, and remarked that though many of them could not agree with Mr. Tweddle's decisions, yet he knew Mr. Tweddle was a fair man, and had, he felt sure, given his decisions in a fair and conscientious manner. Mr. Dickman, who is an old president of Weston Club, and a returned soldier, proposed the health of "The Soldiers at the Front," and stated that while in England he had organised a team, and out of the eleven chosen players nine of them represented Weston in the Gardiner Cup games played in 1914. Mention was also made that it had been reported that Davy Clarke, the popular wing player, had been killed in action. Messrs. Hedge, Buxton, and others contributed to the musical programme, while in a few remarks which Mr. Buxton made, he stated that on Merewether Advance roll of honour board 76 names of Soccer players from that district appeared. 

Peter Coppock

One of the rare images of Peter Coppock,

cropped from a representative team photo

The last thing Peter George Coppock ever did was participate in a Weston FC training game at the Homestead on 7 September 1922. It would’ve been a buoyant session given that the team had beaten a powerful Pyrmont team 3-2 there on the previous weekend. It’s easy to imagine players milling in the changing shed having just run in to escape a downpour, ready to maybe have an ale, or maybe just go home, have dinner and an early night ready for a shift in the morning. The heavens put paid to that. As the players were wondering what to do next a bolt of lightning struck the shed with a terrible force killing Peter Coppock outright, young Gordon Hadfield passing away soon after, despite the presence of Doctor Wood. It also left three of their teammates stunned and reeling, one dangerously ill.

Peter Coppock was a champion player and a great servant of the game. According to the Newcastle Herald, he "was recognised as the best left half in the northern district." The article also points out that he "went through the war with distinction." He was decorated for gallantry twice and seems to have been a respected and valued comrade by many. Having played representative football, during the war he became a busy promoter and advocate of soccer among the Armed Forces in Europe. He organised games and wrote tremendous reports on those games that found their way back to Australia, being published in the Newcastle papers.  

34th Battalion soccer team. 20th November 1918, Fricort, France.
Peter is likely holding the ball in the front row. From Harrower collection.

His death hit the entire football community hard. The Herald lamented (pessimistically as it turned out) that the "Weston club looked like having a big say in two competitions, but the sad event has quite disheartened them, and they will miss one who was, perhaps, their most popular player and beloved of them all." Seemingly undaunted, the club powered towards the end of the season, collecting the Kerr and Stevenson Cups.

Coppock's Weston career was such a short interlude. His footballing credentials had to a great extent already been established. In his early 30s, his skills had been developed and his footballing wisdom was clear. And while he may well have been on the edge of further promotion within Australian football's ranks, possibly into the Australian team, such was his form, Weston was not a crucial part of his formation. 

In Memorium notices 1923

That story belongs to other clubs, particularly Merewether Advance, the club he left to go fight in the AIF. Yet Weston is where he died, to become part of the club's litany of misfortune.

How Coppock came to be at Weston is probably an interesting tale. It appears he was having trouble finding or keeping work in Adamstown so had temporarily left his family in Merewether and was living with Mr Beaney who might well have assisted him in finding work. The fact that his family didn't move to Weston might speak to the temporary nature of his transfer. This we will never know.

The community rallied round with a well-attended funeral and a match to raise funds for Coppock's family. At Weston's awards night, the 1922 cup medals were awarded to all players. Coppock's were given to his youngest son, Ralph in a scene observers felt was indescribably sad. One reporter mentioned a "pathetic incident was the handing over of the medal won by the late Peter Coppock ... to his infant son, aged 15 months."

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Article on Coppock on the NNSWF website

The following article appeared in the Newcastle Sun, Friday 8 September 1922, page 5

STRUCK DEAD BY LIGHTNING

Two Soccer Footballers Killed 

THREE OTHERS INJURED SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT WESTON

Two footballers were killed and three others seriously shock-ed by lightning at Weston during the fierce electrical storm yesterday afternoon. They were, with 13 of their-mates, in a shed at the Homestead ground, changing clothes after a practice match. Those killed were:--

PETER COPPOCK (32), married, miner at Hebburn colliery, living at Weston. GORDON HADFIELD (16), car driver, of Weston. The injured men are:— William Tweddle (30), John Robinson (17), and Samuel Wood (17).

There was no warning. The players had been driven from the field by a deluge of rain, and they were preparing for home. Coppock, one of Weston's most dependable players, was just donning his shirt when the flash came. Richardson and Hayes, youths, who did good work for Weston seniors against West Wallsend on Saturday week, were standing on each side of Coppock. Suddenly, Coppock fell dead. In another part of the dressing-shed, Hadfield quickly succumbed. All the occupants of the shed were seriously affected. At nine o'clock last night, one of the victims was seen wandering through Weston's streets in a dazed manner. He was quickly transferred to safety. Three of the players suffered severely from shock. They were taken to the Kurri District Hospital at Dr. Woods' orders. Last night, when the body of Coppock lay in the Kurri District Hospital, it was arranged that a presentation should be made him at the residence of Mr. Penman, an enthusiastic footballer of Weston. Shortly after the accident, Mr. W. Beaney, secretary of the South Maitland Soccer Football Association, with whom the late Mr. Coppock had been staying, together with Mr. George Kennedy, motored to Merewether, where Mrs. Coppock and her two children reside. Mr. 'Jock' Stevenson, managing director of J. Stevenson, Ltd., drove to the home of Hadfield and offered his condolences.