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#Post#: 89629--------------------------------------------------
W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: jad Date: March 11, 2025, 9:34 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The other evening my wife and I watched a DVD of The Arsenal
Stadium Mystery, the 1939 film of Leonard Gribble's novel of the
same name. The plot centres round the murder of one the players
during a charity football match between (the real) Arsenal and a
fictional amateur team called The Trojans. The film features
extensive footage of what purports to be the game (it is
possible that footage of a real game between Arsenal and
Brentford was used), and there is a small speaking part for the
referee: at one point he pauses the game for an exchange of
banter with someone in the crowd (it may already have become
apparent that at no point does the film suffer from an excess of
realism), and after the collapse of the murder victim he has to
abandon the fixture. The Arsenal players of the time play
themselves and according to the opening credits (confirmed by
other sources) the referee is W.J. Lewington. Further research
shows that in the 1930s Mr Lewington was a Football League
referee, who also received some international appointments. His
refereeing career came to an end in 1939, while his professional
acting career seems to have both begun and ended with this film.
#Post#: 89631--------------------------------------------------
Re: W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: John Treleven Date: March 11, 2025, 10:57 am
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Walter James "Wally" Lewington "The Flying Referee"
born Gillingham, Kent 2 Sept 1891
son of William James Lewington (1892-1933) and Annie Maria nee
Masters (1861-1931)
married Evelyn Clara Hughes (1896-1975) 1916 Medway, Kent
one child - Maurice Walter (1923-2015)
died 32 Grimsdale Avenue, Croydon, Surrey 29 May 1965 (of Purley
Way, Croydon in 1930's when a referee)
Master Printer, proprieter of Clayton Works, Oakfield Road,
Croydon
Freemason
Supplementary Referee 1929-30, Full Referee 1930-31 to 1938-39
"Victim" of age limit change (from 50 to 45) introduced in
summer of 1938
after F.L. found that about a third of their officials were over
45
6th May 1939 was the last day of the season
Arsenal 2, Brentford 0 (34,000) was refereed by S.Mackenzie
(R.A.F.)
Lewington's farewell was less glamorous -
Mansfield Town 4, Exeter City 2 (2,500) Division 3 South
Refereed 1930 Charity Shield but not the F.A. Cup Final
as he was expected to officiate for four more seasons before the
age limit changed
but he did referee F.A. Cup semi-finals
Refereed 15 European Internationals (Feb 1933 - Mch 1939)
in SUI 5, FRA 4, BEL 3 and one each in AUT, CZE, ESP
was also down for FRA v AUT in 1938 before it was called off
after GER annexed AUT
retired to the golf course
#Post#: 89661--------------------------------------------------
Re: W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: jad Date: March 12, 2025, 9:22 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Many thanks for the additional information. I was rather hoping
that you would be able to supplement the meagre facts at my
disposal. I could imagine that at the time Mr Lewington might
well have felt hard done to by the Football League, but as
events turned out, his career was shortened only by a few weeks.
#Post#: 89662--------------------------------------------------
Re: W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: John Treleven Date: March 12, 2025, 9:28 am
---------------------------------------------------------
If it had remained at 50 and no WWII he could have gone on to
May 1942 as he had a good qualifying birthday, two days earlier
and he would have ended in 1941
#Post#: 89666--------------------------------------------------
Re: W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: Whistleblower Date: March 12, 2025, 12:15 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=jad link=topic=6813.msg89629#msg89629
date=1741703664]
The other evening my wife and I watched a DVD of The Arsenal
Stadium Mystery, the 1939 film of Leonard Gribble's novel of the
same name. The plot centres round the murder of one the players
during a charity football match between (the real) Arsenal and a
fictional amateur team called The Trojans. The film features
extensive footage of what purports to be the game (it is
possible that footage of a real game between Arsenal and
Brentford was used), and there is a small speaking part for the
referee: at one point he pauses the game for an exchange of
banter with someone in the crowd (it may already have become
apparent that at no point does the film suffer from an excess of
realism), and after the collapse of the murder victim he has to
abandon the fixture. The Arsenal players of the time play
themselves and according to the opening credits (confirmed by
other sources) the referee is W.J. Lewington. Further research
shows that in the 1930s Mr Lewington was a Football League
referee, who also received some international appointments. His
refereeing career came to an end in 1939, while his professional
acting career seems to have both begun and ended with this film.
[/quote]
It is a very good film though it's years since I've watched it.
Doesn't the lead detective always have a dog with him and he
isn't at the arrest of the culprit because he's performing in
some amateur production. The culprit is unmasked by the use of
some dye or other as I remember. Those were the days.
A piece of dialogue I remember is when the referee, Mr
Lewington, says to some heckler in the crowd "I've got my eye on
you" only to be told something like " well it's clearly not on
the game". Such innocent days ! !
#Post#: 89667--------------------------------------------------
Re: W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: Whistleblower Date: March 12, 2025, 12:19 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Banter with the crowd has never been encouraged in referees I am
sure but in recent years one who indulged in it a bit was the
wonderful John Kirkby ( Sheffield )
#Post#: 89668--------------------------------------------------
Re: W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: Whistleblower Date: March 12, 2025, 12:22 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
When matchday programmes used to contain a few words about the
referee, an entry for John Kirkby read " he says the highlight
of his career was finding a £5 note on the terraces at Derby
County ".
#Post#: 89669--------------------------------------------------
Re: W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: TheThingFromLewes Date: March 12, 2025, 12:43 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Peter Walton was also called Wally as his nickname from his
fellow SG cohorts.
#Post#: 89739--------------------------------------------------
Re: W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: jad Date: March 14, 2025, 11:04 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Whistleblower link=topic=6813.msg89666#msg89666
date=1741799713]
[quote author=jad link=topic=6813.msg89629#msg89629
date=1741703664]
The other evening my wife and I watched a DVD of The Arsenal
Stadium Mystery, the 1939 film of Leonard Gribble's novel of the
same name. The plot centres round the murder of one the players
during a charity football match between (the real) Arsenal and a
fictional amateur team called The Trojans. The film features
extensive footage of what purports to be the game (it is
possible that footage of a real game between Arsenal and
Brentford was used), and there is a small speaking part for the
referee: at one point he pauses the game for an exchange of
banter with someone in the crowd (it may already have become
apparent that at no point does the film suffer from an excess of
realism), and after the collapse of the murder victim he has to
abandon the fixture. The Arsenal players of the time play
themselves and according to the opening credits (confirmed by
other sources) the referee is W.J. Lewington. Further research
shows that in the 1930s Mr Lewington was a Football League
referee, who also received some international appointments. His
refereeing career came to an end in 1939, while his professional
acting career seems to have both begun and ended with this film.
[/quote]
It is a very good film though it's years since I've watched it.
Doesn't the lead detective always have a dog with him and he
isn't at the arrest of the culprit because he's performing in
some amateur production. The culprit is unmasked by the use of
some dye or other as I remember. Those were the days.
A piece of dialogue I remember is when the referee, Mr
Lewington, says to some heckler in the crowd "I've got my eye on
you" only to be told something like " well it's clearly not on
the game". Such innocent days ! !
[/quote]
It is a very good film, though the plot makes more sense in the
novel. The most noteworthy feature concerning the detective is
his impressive collection of headgear, from which he chooses a
different item for each stage of the investigation. And he is
heavily involved in rehearsing a concert, which leads to one of
the films better jokes: someone phoning to report the murder
asks for Whitehall
and the scene switches to the rehearsal of
a dance routine with the instructions 1
2
1
2. They don't
write them like that any more. The Arsenal manager, George
Allison, has a significant speaking part in the film and in the
novel has a much more important role. Leonard Gribble seems to
have liked mixing real people into his plots: another of his
novels, apparently unfilmed, is called They kidnapped Stanley
Matthews. I somehow don't think you'd get away with that
nowadays.
#Post#: 89799--------------------------------------------------
Re: W.J. Lewington: referee and actor
By: Timbo Date: March 16, 2025, 11:41 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Whistleblower link=topic=6813.msg89667#msg89667
date=1741799998]
Banter with the crowd has never been encouraged in referees I am
sure but in recent years one who indulged in it a bit was the
wonderful John Kirkby ( Sheffield )
[/quote]
Another senior non-league referee and FL linesman who enjoyed
banter with the crowd, players and anyone else within earshot
was Eric Hart from Chorley/Preston. He lined the 1986 League Cup
final if I remember correctly ?
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