The first birth pangs for Southgate came in October 1886 although the game of hockey as we know it today had begun 15 years earlier. In 1886 three well known Southgate local personalities sent a letter to various local residents proposing a new hockey club for the area.

The support was so enthusiastic that no less than 20 locals turned up at the Cherry Tree Public House.

These founder members have been recorded for posterity as:-

A L Ford, W J Phillips, W A Burke, G & J Newman, H Goodwin, B & P Miles, I F Saunders, F P Francis, C Preston, E P Sugden, C Warner, R Davies, R Faithfull, R T Vivian, W B Brown, G A White, P F White, A E White

A L Ford was elected Chairman, W J Phillips Treasurer and A P White Secretary.

So the great Southgate Hockey Club was born. In the first 15 years many clubs were formed but only Richmond, Surbiton, Wimbledon and Blackheath remain today with an unbroken playing record, Teddington being acknowledged as the oldest Club with a continuous history.

Early in January 1886 Wimbledon Hockey Club called a meeting at the Holborn restaurant in London and representatives of these clubs and Trinity College Cambridge formed the present Hockey Association but Blackheath, being unwilling to accept the code of rules resigned a year later to form a separate Hockey Union. At Southgate’s first committee meeting the Club Rules were drawn up.

The first President was R M D Littler who provided the pitch at his residence in the North East corner of Broomfield Park. This is on the road which presently runs from Palmers Green to Southgate. A builder’s hut was used as the first pavilion.

Arrangements were made with the landlord of the Cock Tavern (with its sanded floors and spittoons) for the teams' changing facilities - even though it was 15 minutes walk away. R M D Littler was knighted by Queen Victoria in the 1890s for founding the Middlesex Victorian Fund to aid discharged prisoners. He became a famous QC and held many important offices including that of Lieutenant of The City of London but there is no record of his hockey-playing ability.

Three matches were arranged in that first season - one against Wimbledon Hockey Club and two against Ealing Hockey Club, later absorbed by Mid-Surrey. Southgate will always be grateful to Wimbledon for their invaluable assistance in the early years. The record of fixtures to the present time apart from a minor hiccup in the 70s is unbroken and Wimbledon and Southgate veterans, although not quite 100 years old, celebrated the outset of this centenary year with a match against each other at Southgate with a noble 1-1 draw as a result.

In the second season 1887/88 Surbiton, Teddington and Molesey became additional opponents-sadly Molesey too no longer exists but Surbiton and Teddington continue to number amongst our most worthy opponents and firmest friends.

It was not long, however, before the players took exception to walking to and from the Cock Tavern and the committee decided to erect a shed near the pitch at a cost net exceeding £3 for changing and washing purposes. This cost included the basins with a cold water service only and the players of those days must have been hardy individuals. There is no mention at this time of any teas being provided, but one must assume that the Cherry Tree was close enough at hand to refresh and warm the players. Two years later a wooden pavilion was erected with the agreement of the landlord, President and the Committee approved a cost not exceeding £21. It was also evident that the club had an eye to business as it was further agreed that they should accept an offer from the Southgate Cricket Club of £2 for the use of the pavilion from April 1st until September 17th-the cricket club undertaking to remove and re-erect the building, maintaining it in good order.

As early as 1889-1890 a table was surprisingly published showing the position of the principal London Clubs as follows:-

[In the table, which is not reproduced here for the time being, Southgate are fourth, behind Molesey, East Sheen and Teddington]

So after only three years Southgate Hockey Club had already affirmed its status in the hockey world.

1890 was another corner stone in the club's history when V E Walker, a member of that famous family of Middlesex crickets and owner of the Arnos Grove Estate (now Northmet House), offered the use of Southgate Cricket Club's enclosure during the winter season. This was accepted with gratitude and alacrity. It was the brother of V E Walker - R D -who in 1907 transferred the title to the ground in perpetuity to the present Trust who continue to administer- the area for the benefit of all the users. The original Trustees were A Bradshaw, Eugene White and R E Barker.

It was through George Lewis, the brother- of Percy Lewis that in 1892 the first game against Cambridge University was played at Southgate when he was the first captain of the newly formed Cambridge UHC. Our visitors were entertained at "The Woolpack" Public House which still stands in the High Street where both teams changed and this practice continued until the outbreak of World War 1. By all accounts Cambridge responded with hospitality in later years at Trinity College followed by sessions at the Bull Hotel where the famous Audit Ale was brought across from the Hall. Shortly before 1900 permission was granted for a second pitch in the Southgate enclosure and the Hockey Club said goodbye to Broomfield Park. The Cricket Club at the same time obtained permission from the Walkers Co. have the first pavilion built and the Hockey Club paid a rental of £2 per season. This pavilion still stood in the 1950s and was known as the "tin shed" and used to house machinery and equipment.

Drainage and ground levels even in those days were a problem. In 1892 a sub-committee comprising White, Ford, Brown and Hatcher were asked to find out the best means of draining the hockey pitch and on March 2nd that year Mr Godwin proposed Hatcher's and Brown's plan be accepted subject to Mr Littler's approval and that in addition the corner of the ground be ''raised''.