Kent may be the garden of England but it has not managed to grow many Football League clubs. In fact, at the last count, there is still just the one in the league. Kent’s most famous club was formed in 1893, and was known as Brompton FC in those days. Brompton FC was originally formed from a young team that came from around Chatham dockyard, but eventually made their home at Priestfield. In 1913, it was felt that Brompton should change the name of the club, so it was decided that as the ground is in Gillingham, they should make the name of the town their name, and so it has been since.
The club’s nickname also comes from the town’s name and is a shortened version of Gillingham, as they are known as “The Gills”. Priestfield today holds around 11,587. The club badge had me a little puzzled, because they play in blue, and in one half of the shield under the club’s name are black and white stripes. (PIC 1) All was explained after a chat with a guy called Nick, from Gillingham FC, and whose surname he didn’t give. The black and white stripes are the club colours of old, and the blue half of the shield represents the new colours, on which stands a white horse. I did not notice at first, but after a while I noticed the horse’s mane is made up of the club’s nickname, GILLS.
The horse is known as the Kent Invicta Horse, and comes from the Kent coat of arms. (PIC 2) The horse is thought to go back as far as the Old Saxon kingdom of Kent, which dates back to the 5th Century. The first actual known reference goes back to 1605 a work published by Richard Verstegan displayed an engraving of Hengist and Horsa, landing in Kent in 449, under the banner of a white horse. Hengist and Horsa are the legendry founders of the English nation. Thought by some to be Germanic gods, they were supposedly invited to Briton by the 5th Century tribal king Vortigern, to help withstand the Scots and the Picts, but then later rebelled against the king himself. Myth it may be, but it is agreed by historians that in the 5th Century, a Germanic Jutish Chief, and his retinue of helpers and followers did arrive in Kent, did serve a British king, and did revolt, with the battles that followed paving the way for the settlement of Kent by the Jutes and Saxons. The emblem of the horse has become well known in Kent, popping up all over the place, including maps, local newspapers, and even on steam rollers. It was also used on badges of the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment, but is most commonly seen on a Saturday afternoon on the shirts of the players at Priestfield.
In the 1980s, Gillingham sported a round version in the club’s colours of blue and white, and if you can read anything in that horse’s mane, then may I suggest you lay off the booze or the pills for a while. (PIC 3) The rest of the arms are made up of the crest showing a mural crown, symbolising the many castles in Kent, and the sails represent the strong ties with the sea. The supporters are sea lions, and the left one or Sinister, (Left of the wearer) wears the arms of the Cinque Ports around its neck, three lions with ships hulls as tails. The right or Dexter side has the arms of the Archbishopric of Canterbury, Canterbury being in Kent. The motto “INVICTA”, translates from the Latin to Unconquered. Apparently, in 1067 just after the Norman conquest, a group a Kentish men ambushed the newly crowned King William. In return for his life, the detachment of men promised their allegiance, provided he grants them their ancient laws and privileges, and if he did not, then it would be war, and a bloody war at that. The king agreed to their demands and thus Kent became the only part of England unconquered, earning them their motto, Invicta.
Kent was again at the forefront of invasion during the Second World War, when the Battle of Britain was played out in its skies. This time it was the Germans who found out about the motto Invicta as they lost the battle of Britain, and consequently the war. The badge replaced a similar badge, but the scroll at the bottom of the shield has since been removed. (PIC 4) The scroll in the club’s older badge has the date of the club’s formation and the club’s own motto “DOMUS CLAMATIUM” which means, Home Of the Shouting Men. The name Gillingham is from the word Gythlingaham, and means home to the people of Gythla and Ham. The Gyth in Gythla means battle, and goes way back to the people of Geatas, the Scandinavian outfit to whom the violence-loving Beowulf belonged. He killed the monster Grendel and its mum with his bare hands, and if you thought poetry was just for Valentine’s day then think again, as this chap is from an Olde English epic poem of the same name. “The Gills” have no local rivals to shout about, but Millwall are considered as local Grendels as they do live just off the Old Kent Road, and as both sets of fans sing “No one likes us we don’t care” it’s hardly surprising they don’t like each other. If you would like to fish for more on “The Gills” then trot on to www.gillinghamfootballclub.com
