Spurs Odyssey was today represented at the service held at St. Mary's Cemetery, Dover to dedicate the headstone placed at the grave of John Ripsher, the very first President of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
Mr Ripsher died in poverty in 1907, and was buried in an un-marked pauper's grave. 100 years later, the matter has been rectified in honourable fashion, befitting the memory of one of the most influential men in the early history of our beloved football club.
Members of the Ripsher family, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust and Spurs supporters (including our own Kevin Gregory) were present at the brief ceremony conducted by the vicar of the local Charlton (Dover) Parish, blessed by glorious sunshine on a day where freak weather has existed in various parts of the UK.
Mr Steven Ripsher (representing the family of John Ripsher), the Mayor of Dover, and THFC Director Paul Barber paid tribute to Mr Ripsher and addressed the gathering.
Those present were also addressed by author Peter Lupson, whose great work and research for his book Thank God for Football led to the recognition of John Ripsher's grave, and the provision of the headstone by the Tottenham Tribute Trust, in conjunction with the club.
Many thanks to Kevin Gregory for the photographs reproduced here with his permission.
God Bless John Ripsher. R.I.P
