Dave Taylor (Thames Ironworks F.C. founder) and their reserves for the club's inaugural season of 1895–96. Before Thames Ironworks played their first game Dave Taylor returned to refereeing and the organisational duties of the club were handed over to another Thames Iron Works employee, Ted Harsent, who became the first official club secretary. Dave Taylor (Thames Ironworks F.C. founder) Dave Taylor was one of the co-founders of Thames Ironworks, the team that became West Ham United, in 1895. He was a foreman at the Thames Iron Works as well as being a local football referee. Taylor approached the Ironworks owner Arnold Hills with the idea of
Thames Ironworks F.C. Joyce claiming his third hat-trick of the season at his former stomping ground. Thames Ironworks had survived their first season in the top division of the Southern League. In June 1900, club chairman Arnold Hill's Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company acquired another engineering firm in a financial takeover and became a limited company for the first time. 4,000 ten shilling shares (50p) were sold to Iron Works staff and the general public, with Arnold Hills generous enough to match sales of any shares one-to-one. At the end of June, Thames Ironworks F.C. resigned from the Southern League and were officially