Mexborough and Swinton Times, December 6, 1929
Obituary
Mr. Abel Lee
Former Dearne Valley Footballer.
The death of Mr Abel Lee, formerly of Wombwell, as occurred at Guy’s Hospital London, in his 45th year.
Mr Lee was born at Rawmarsh, but lived a good deal of his early life in Wombwell, and was employed at Cottonwood Colliery till he took up football as a career.
He started playing with Dearne Valley, a former Wombwell Junior club, but at the age of 19 was “spotted” by Grimsby and join them as professional.
He played with them for a number of years, at the same time as such well known old players from this area as Tommy Hakin, Charles Bisby and Willie Hargreaves were members of the team.
Later he went to Gillingham and before the war was for a spell that club’s regular centre-half. After his retirement from the game he became licensee of the Viscount Hardinge Arms, High Street, Gillingham.
He leaves a widow. Two sisters of Mr Lee still resident in this district: Mrs Moore 16 Frederick St, Mexborough and Mrs Maggie Bristow of West Melton.
At the interment, at Gillingham New Cemetery, there was a large attendance of former football associates of Freemasons and Buffaloes, in addition to tile family mourners.
Among the floral tributes, which included wreaths from Masonic and Buffalo Lodges and the Gillingham football team, the most striking was a representation of a football field with the team in position, but the centre half position vacant, “from a few playing associates.”
From Wikipedia:
Abel Lee
Date of birth 1884
Place of birth Staveley, Derbyshire
Date of death 1929 (aged 44–45)
Playing position(s) Right half
Abel Lee (born Abel Evans, 1884–1929) was an English professional football Right half, best remembered for his years in the Football League with Grimsby Town and New Brompton/ Gillingham.
Born in Staveley, Derbyshire, he played for minor teams Wombwell Rising Star and Darfield United.
Lee joined Football League club Grimsby Town in 1906. Lee was made club captain from 1908 through to 1911.He played 86 times for the club.
Lee joined New Brompton of the Southern League in 1911. He remained with the club, later renamed Gillingham, until 1920 and made over 150 appearances. In 1920 Gillingham gained election to the Football League and replaced most of their existing squad with new players. Lee, by now a veteran at around 36 years old, was one of those who left the club, and it is unknown if he went on to play anywhere else.