History of Crystal Palace F.C. building known as The Crystal Palace had been relocated from Hyde Park, London and rebuilt in enlarged form in an area of South London next to Sydenham Hill. This area was renamed Crystal Palace including the park surrounding the site where various sports facilities were built. An amateur Crystal Palace football team played here as early as 1861. Then in 1895, the Football Association adopted a new permanent home for the FA Cup Final which was to be played at the sports stadium situated inside the historic grounds of the Palace. With the owners also reliant on tourist activity for
Sir John Aird, 1st Baronet Aird & Co., in 1848. On his 18th birthday in 1851, Aird junior joined the family firm – which subsequently traded as "John Aird & Sons" for a while. The business had initially focused on gas and water network installations, but soon expanded into more general building work. John Aird's first significant scheme was the dismantling, transportation and re-erection of The Crystal Palace buildings from the 1851 Great Exhibition from central London's Hyde Park to Sydenham in south London. Other company projects included the construction of reservoirs and of railways and docks work. Aird became an associate of the Institution