The boyhood Bible of football legend Sir Bobby Charlton – acquired by the seller in a jumble sale – is to be sold at auction.
The young Sir Bobby has written his name, R Charlton, in ink on the inside cover of the leather Bible, with his class IIB and Miss Hope, probably his teacher. The inside back cover has the address 114 Beatrice Street, Ashington, where Sir Bobby grew up.
The Bible, which has an estimate of £500-£800, comes with a Halba Travel Ltd letterhead note - Sir Bobby was a company director - relating to the authenticity of the Item. It will be sold by Graham Budd Auctions in London on September 6.
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Sir Bobby signed for Manchester United at the age of 15 and made his first team debut at 18. Graham Budd said: “What a discovery. He probably took his Bible with him when he went into digs and it may have been left behind when he moved.”
Sir Bobby and his elder footballer brother Jack attended Hirst North Primary School in Ashington. Sir Bobby went on to Bedlington Grammar School and was spotted playing for East Northumberland schools by Manchester United chief scout Joe Armstrong.
Irene Wright, who lives in Prestwich in Greater Mancheter, came across the Bible in the 1980s when she helped organise a jumble sale for her works social club.
“I am not religious but I thought it was sad that a Bible had ended up in a jumble sale and I bought it and took it home. I am not a football follower so I didn’t know who it had belonged to,” she said.
“It went into a drawer and it was only later that my son said that it looked like it was Bobby Charlton’s Bible,” said Irene, who grew up in Trafford Road near United’s Old Trafford ground. “I wondered if it had been passed down to Bobby by someone in the family. It would be lovely if it could go back home to where Bobby came from.”
Irene said that she contacted the club and received a reply they had spoken to Sir Bobby, and simply wished her luck.
Sir Bobby made 758 appearances for Manchester United, scoring 249 goals and winning three first division titles and a European Cup. He won 106 caps for England, scoring 49 times. He and his brother Jack were in England’s World Cup winning side in 1966.
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