The Flamingoes were founded in 1866 and played in
Battersea Park. The team were still deemed one of the major teams in London in 1879 as listed by
Charles Dickens Jr in his Dictionary of London. Amongst their many notable fixtures were the
Wasps and
the Harlequins as well as many teams who were prominent at the time including the
Royal School of Mines although by 1877 the club was showing signs of having poor attendance.
Foundation of the RFU On 26 January 1871, 32 members representing twenty-one London and suburban football clubs that followed
Rugby School rules (Wasps were invited but failed to attend) assembled at the
Pall Mall Restaurant in
Regent Street. E.C. Holmes, captain of the
Richmond Club assumed the presidency. It was resolved unanimously that the formation of a Rugby Football Society was desirable and thus the
Rugby Football Union was formed. A president, a secretary and treasurer, and a committee of thirteen were elected, to whom was entrusted the drawing-up of the laws of the game upon the basis of the code in use at Rugby School. F. Hartley represented The Flamingoes was one of the thirteen original committee members.
Later years The club disbanded in 1877, with many of its players joining the
Harlequin Football Club. The Flamingoes were refounded on 5th June 2024 having been accepted as a member of Surrey RFU. ==Notable players==