[IRL/UK] Help identifying a group of soldiers/wartime football team

[fulerand]

Hi there,

I'm trying to find some info about my great grandfather (Albert Fuller), who was an Englishman living in Liverpool until he moved to Dublin around 1885.  We're trying to find out more about his service history - to help us we have two photos which we believe contain him.  We're not clear if the photos were taken in the UK or in Dublin, but would sincerely welcome any help from you uniform/service history wizards.

Regarding the photo of the football team ("photo 1" and zoomed-in "photo 2"):
- Does anybody recognize the uniform of the serviceman standing to the right?
- Can anybody recognize the building in front of which the team are standing?
- Can anybody hazard a guess who the team might be, or the occasion that day?
- The label on the bottom right says "55 Baker Street"; presumably this was the studio's address but do you think it's likely to have been London or elsewhere?

Regarding the portrait photo ("photo 3"):
- Does anybody recognize the uniform?
- Is it a regiment that is likely to have served in India?

Thank you so much in advance for any help or hints you might be able to provide to us, it's much appreciated.

[gortonboy]

When and where was albert born? Who did he marry? Did he have any children whilst serving in the forces? If so...whom ?

[Brentor boy]

A firm of photographers, Elliott and Fry, occupied a premises at 55 Baker Street, London, until 1919.

The footballer sitting on the ground on the extreme right looks very similar to the person in the portrait picture.

[tonepad]

The cap worn by the soldier with the football team is a Brodrick Forage Cap and was generally in use only from 1902 to 1905.

[jim1]

Although wearing the out-dated forage cap he's wearing the post 1908 tunic.
These cap were still in use (just) so 1908-10 at the latest.
Although looks a regular owing to his medal ribbons they may be a TF team.

[philipsearching]

Although wearing the out-dated forage cap he's wearing the post 1908 tunic.
These cap were still in use (just) so 1908-10 at the latest.
Although looks a regular owing to his medal ribbons they may be a TF team.

This suggests that the footballers would have been of the right age to serve in the Great War.  A quick query on the National Archive (WO-372) gives 89 results for medal index cards for Albert Fuller.  I don't know how many records survive - until fulerand gives us a birth year for Albert I don't know what more we can do.

The cap badge is too indistinct to identify with any certainty (a fuzzy emblem with scroll below could be a line regiment, RAMC or other) but of course there is no guarantee that the footballers belonged to the same regiment.

Philip

[jim1]

Can't make out his shoulder title but may start ES.

[philipsearching]

Can't make out his shoulder title but may start ES.

Great spot!  The cap badge could be the Essex Regiment.

[KGarrad]

Many Regiments had a football team!

For example, the Royal Engineers won the FA Cup in 1875, and were runners-up in 1872, 1874 and 1878.

In 1908 they won the FA Amateur Cup.

They also played in Ireland, winning the Munster Senior Cup in 1902-3.