Above: A very interesting photo of Gertrude from April 1930 that
shows her with a model of a wasp that she'd made. Margate Town were known as
'The Wasps' at the time as the club wore black and amber striped shirts. At the
end of the last home game of the 1929/30 season the local press noted that
Gertrude ran onto the field at Hartsdown Park and embraced numerous
players.
Above: Gertrude on the pitch at Hartsdown Park with another of
her homemade models - this time a gate with a footballer (in black and amber
stripes) and a football with the message 'Up The Gate'. The striped shirt on the
player model suggests the photo was taken in the early 1930's but the model
later turned up at the wedding of Margate player (and later manager) Charlie
Walker in September 1936. You can see it being held aloft in a wedding photo if
you click here.
Above: A great photo showing Gertrude and other members of the
Supporters Club committee at Hartsdown Park that appears to have been taken in
the mid 1940's. Interesting to see the fence that surrounded the ground at the
time. The man in the cap is believed to be Leslie Wheeler who conducted the
Winter Gardens orchestra for many years.
Above: Gertrude presenting a trophy, very probably The Banks
Cup, to Phil Gilbert. The trophy was awarded to the clubs best young player
of the season and the picture was probably taken at the end of the 1960/61 campaign.
Above: Gertrude in the stand at Hartsdown Park, probably in the
early 1960's. Her rosette has a silver FA Cup on it and also a Supporters Club
badge, complete with year bars which were added for each season. The doll /
dummy also has a Supporters Club badge with the year bars and looks to have the
same body as the one in the 1940's Supporters Club photo. A new head must have
been added in the intervening 20 years or so.
Above: An article about Gertrude that appeared in the Thanet Times on 21.2.78, exactly a week after her 87th birthday. Her doll sports the Supporters Club with year bars and what looks like an old amber and black Margate badge on its lapel.
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