Four Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide balls sparked a bidding battle worthy of the famous street game at auction – and are destined to stay in Derbyshire.
Phone and internet bidders battled to secure the balls which had been treasured for decades by a family connected to the famous football game since the late 1800s.
They went under the hammer at Hansons’ Derbyshire saleroom on April 1, 2022 and achieved a combined total of £12,500. Every ball bounced above its guide price of £1,000-£1,500 with two phone bidders battling for every ball – three on lot 305.
The hammer fell at £4,200 on lot 305, thought to be due to its royal historical significance. It was used as the second ball on the day the Prince of Wales threw up the ball on Shrove Tuesday 1928. It features the Prince of Wales insignia of three feathers, was goaled by H Peter Sowther and turned up by Sam Dakin. It has been purchased by an Ashbourne family who plan to keep it in the town and display it at the Heritage Centre at a later date.
Meanwhile lot 306, a Jack Smith memorial ball, reached £1,700 and lots 307 and 308, balls dating back to 1906 and 1926, made £3,300 each. Hansons confirmed that all the balls have been purchased by private Derbyshire buyers.
The seller, Roy Twigge, who watched the auction unfold live online, was overwhelmed by the results and admitted it had been an emotional day for him.
Roy, 76, a retired sales director in textile machinery, said: “It was a ‘Del Boy’ moment for me as I logged onto Hansons’ website to see four Shrovetide balls, which my family had owned for many years, go up for auction.
“When Charles Hanson visited my home some weeks earlier, he was very enthusiastic to auction these balls and mentioned reserve prices which I did not feel could be met. However, in the end, each ball more than exceeded the prices set, and by big margins.
“Selling these balls in the first place was very emotional since it is not normally the ‘done’ thing in Ashbourne. But having lived in Cheshire for many years, and as the four balls had no direct family connection, I decided to go ahead and give other people the chance to own a Shrovetide ball, since very few people get the chance.
“The balls in question dated from 1906, 1926, 1928 and there was a commemoration ball made by my uncle Jack Smith which was never played. I still have two family balls from 1954 (Jack Smith) and 1967 (Alec Smith), my uncle and dad respectively, and these will be handed down in my family.
“From the prices paid, I can only assume these four balls have gone to good homes and will now be seen by a much wider audience than I could offer in my home. I hope the people of Ashbourne will understand that, hopefully, this sale will benefit and promote the town and the Shrovetide football game in a positive way for the future.”
The seller’s ancestors have played their part in the town’s world-renowned annual street football game for around 130 years. Over the course of decades, more than 40 Shrovetide balls were collected. Some were acquired, some were made by relatives and others were goaled by family members. Various Shrovetide balls were gifted to family and friends and, sadly, a number were sold years ago at the time of the death of the original owner.
David Harrison, of Ashbourne, purchaser of lot 306, the Jack Smith memorial ball, said: “I bought the ball along with my dad and brother. We’ve always loved Shrovetide. I’ve never missed attending from seven weeks old – at least for the turning up.
“It is something as a family we have always wanted to have. We have never been in a position to score a ball for ourselves. Our other big connection to Shrovetide is that our great grandad Francis Harrison was the last farmer to reside at Clifton Mill until his passing in 1965. The ball will of course be remaining in Ashbourne and we plan to hand it down through the family.”
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “I’m delighted with the results of this auction, both for the seller and the town of Ashbourne itself.
“This was a unique opportunity to take ownership of a precious part of Derbyshire’s history. Ashbourne’s Shrovetide football match is famous not just in its home county but across the world – and the balls are at the heart of the magic.
“They are specially made and beautifully painted annually for the event. They are treasured by those lucky enough to keep one, either because they goaled a ball or were chosen to turn up the ball to start play. They are historical works of art and it was an honour to help them find new homes.”
The 1906 ball was painted for the late Jack Smith, an Ashburnian, by Jack Roberts in the 1960s. However, due to damage, it was later repainted by Ashbourne ball artist Tim Baker. It’s decorated with a George and Dragon emblem and the words ‘Turned up by J.C. Prince 1906’ on one side and St Oswald’s Church with spring daffodils and the words ‘Sturston Mill G. Goodwin 1906’ on the other. It also features the football emblems of Derby County and Liverpool FC.
The 1926 ball made no reference to who threw it up or goaled it. However, Ashbourne’s Shrovetide Roll of Honour shows the ball was thrown up by Mr T Farmer on Shrove Tuesday and goaled at Sturston by Mr William Brown.
The Jack Smith Memorial Ball was made by Jack, formerly of Station Street, Ashbourne – the original owner of all the balls. He goaled a ball at Clifton in 1954, threw up a second ball in 1967 – the same day his brother Alec Smith goaled a third ball at Clifton – made Shrovetide balls and painstakingly collated the research which led to the creation of the Shrovetide Roll of Honour.
In all, the seller’s family members have goaled three balls recorded in the Roll of Honour – William Twigge (1938), Jack Smith (1954) and Alex Smith (1967). However, what is not commonly known is that their great grandfather Samuel Arthur Smith, who is buried at Clifton, Ashbourne, goaled nine balls in the late 1800s before records were kept but then turned against the game and burnt all his Shrovetide balls.
Ashbourne’s Royal Shrovetide Football Match is played annually on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. It dates back to at least circa 1667 but its exact origins are unknown due to a fire at the Royal Shrovetide Committee office in the 1890s which destroyed records.
It’s played with a special ball filled with Portuguese cork to keep it afloat when it ends up in the river. The highly-prized balls are hand-painted by artists. The design is usually related to the dignitary given the honour of turning up the ball. Once a ball is goaled it’s repainted with the name and in the design of the scorer and is theirs to keep. If a ball is not goaled it’s repainted in the design of the dignitary who turned it up and given back to them.
The balls were sold in Hansons’ Derbyshire Fine Art Auction on April 1, 2022. To find out more, or to book a free valuation at Etwall Auction Centre, email [email protected] or call 01283 733988.
