WILLIAM ‘TOMMY’ FISK/E - Professional Footballer

 Written by April Zobel for this site

My grandfather, William ‘Tommy’ Fisk/e was born on 7th August 1885 and died, like so many young men, on a battlefield in France in 1918. 

He grew up in Beccles, Suffolk, one of 13 surviving children of Charles Fisk, a railway carter, and his wife, Sarah Maria (nee Wells). He had 6 brothers: Henry, Charles, James, Frank, Harold and Frederick, and 6 sisters: Edith, Harriet, Alice, Lily, Eliza and Ellen. As a young lad William was football mad and played for Bungay FC and also for Suffolk County. He played inside forward until he took over from an injured goalie and found his sporting niche.

In 1903 he enlisted in the Norfolk Regiment. His army record describes him as height 5’6” with fresh complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. In 1905 he served with the 2nd Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment in Bloemfontein, Orange River Colony. While in South Africa William kept goal for the Army team versus the Corinthians.

William was transferred to Reserve in 1906 when he was bought out of the army by Norwich Football Club. Known then as ‘Bill’, he played his only game for Norwich in a match vs Hastings and St Leonards on 18th April 1907, Norwich winning 4-1.

William moved to Blackpool FC on 8th May 1907. He made 217 appearances for the Club and at one time had a continuous run of 72 matches. About the time he joined Blackpool, William adopted the name ‘Tommy’ and his surname ‘Fisk’ gained the final ‘e’. He was also nicknamed ‘The Marionette’ because of his performance in goal.

Tommy started the 1907/08 season in the Blackpool reserve side but, following a 1-0 win at Barrow on 28th September when, according to the match report, he “was dashing and daring in his defence of goal, and was nimble as a cat with shots at close quarters”, he got a first team call. The following season he “gave a thrilling exhibition and covered himself with mud and glory” in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie against Everton.

Two days later, on 27th October 1909, Tommy married Bessie Nelson, daughter of Thomas Nelson, water engineer at Blackpool Tower and well-known centre-half of the Blackpool St John’s football team. The Blackpool players turned out in force to see him married and a football and a large ham bone were fixed to the wedding carriage to wish the couple good luck. Tommy interrupted his honeymoon to take part in Blackpool’s 2-1 win at Hull City on 30th October!

In 1910 Tommy was very proud to be goalkeeper for the Player’s Union representative match and the following year he was even prouder when his only son, Thomas Nelson, was born on 6th May 1911.

On 22nd March 1913 the Blackpool directors gave him a benefit match for five years service. He was presented with a gold watch donated by Mr Saul Shiers and it was said that “there was no Blackpool player more worthy of such a presentation than Tommy Fiske”. Tommy was so overcome with emotion that he had difficulty speaking.

The following year, however, Tommy disagreed with the Blackpool directors over terms for the 1914/15 season and left them by mutual agreement to join Nottingham Forest FC on 29th May 1914. Tommy only played 4 games for Forest before he was mobilized at the outbreak of the First World War. He was posted to 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment and served in France from 21st August to 10th November 1914.

 On 9th January 1915 Tommy kept goal for Forest in their Cup Final match against his old team Norwich, but Forest lost 1-4. He returned to the Front in 1916 and was wounded. He spent a recovery period in a Southampton hospital before rejoining the 1st Norfolk Regiment with the British Expeditionary Force in France. On 20th September 1917 he was posted to 8th Battalion and promoted to Sergeant. 

At the end of May 1918 the 8th Border Regiment was on the Champagne Front and had to withdraw before a German advance. On May 26th they went to the Marne Sector and on the 27th were on the outskirts of Fismes. It was reported that the Germans were attacking and had got pretty well all round them. They had the order to retire and it was then up to every man to look after himself. According to the CSM “It was utterly impossible that anyone could live through the barrage Fritz was putting down”. Tommy was seen going ‘over the top’ in his shirt sleeves on 27th May and did not return.

 William ‘Tommy’ Fiske was officially reported missing on 27th May 1918. He was 32 years old. He was issued with the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. It was reported in ‘The Athletic News’ of 18th August 1919 that he had been killed in action. His name is to be found on the Soissons Memorial at Aisne in France. 

- April Zobel -

 - with thanks to Gerry Wolstenholme, Blackpool FC historian, for his input