 | |
| Founded | 1935 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1953 |
| League | English National League |
| Based in | London |
| Arena | Earls Court Arena |
| Colours |
|
| Head coach | George Redding (1937–39) |
Earls Court Rangers were an early English ice hockey team that played in the English National League. They were formed in 1935 and disbanded in 1953. They played their home games at the Earls Court Arena in west London, England at Empress Hall; played only 9 seasons interrupted in 1939 by World War II.
In September 1953, the British Ice Hockey association announced that in the upcoming season the Earls Court Rangers would not play. The club's directors chose not to play that season because its headquarters, Empress Hall in London, was undergoing structural alterations. The alterations were expected to take three months, but in fact the Empress Hall was never rebuilt and now Earls Court 2 and Lillie Road Bus and Tube Depot stand in its spot. [1]
The team was formed in 1935 and played in the league every year until 1940, then from 1948 to 1953. From 1940 to 1947, Empress Hall was under government requisition. [2]
Earl Nicholson, of Harringay Greyhounds, and Howie Peterson, of Earl’s Court Rangers, were suspended on 31 December 1937 until 23 January 1938 for 26 days which was at the time the longest suspension awarded in British ice hockey [3] when both Canadian players "tried to take each other apart" [4] when Earls Court Rangers lost 4-2 against Harringay Greyhounds on 29 December 1937. On 6 November 1937 Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy when visiting London saw Earls Court Rangers play against Harringay Racers. [5]
Frank Currie - player coach
| Name | Nationality | Position | Timespan | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Les Anning | Canadian | Winger | 1951–1953 | [6] |
| Gerry Brown | Canadian | Winger | 1937–1939 | |
| Keith Campbell | Canadian | Winger | 1949–1953 | [7] |
| Jack Forsey | Canadian | Winger | 1936–1939 | [8] |
| Art Green | British | Defenceman | 1948–1950 | |
| Bill Jennings | Canadian | Winger | 1938–1939 | [9] |
| Gib Hutchinson | Canadian-British | Goaltender | 1937–1939 | [10] |
| Leo Lamoureux | Canadian | Defenceman | 1938–1939 | [11] |
| Bobby Lee | Canadian | Centre | 1937–1939 | |
| George McNeil | Canadian | Defenceman/winger | 1937–1938 | [12] |
| Don Willson | Canadian | Centre | 1935–1937 | |
| Robert Wyman | British | Defenceman | 1937–1938 | [13] |
Earls Court Exhibition Centre was a major international exhibition and events venue in London, England. At its peak it is said to have generated a £2 billion turnover for the economy. It replaced exhibition and entertainment grounds, originally opened in 1887, with an art moderne structure built between 1935 and 1937 by specialist American architect C. Howard Crane. With the active support of London mayor Boris Johnson, in an attempt to create Europe's "largest regeneration scheme", its proposed heritage listing was refused after it was acquired by developers, who promptly in 2008 applied for and were granted a Certificate of Immunity from Listing by English Heritage, and its demolition was completed in 2017.
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