Born on 19th February 1897, Thomas William “Tom” Halsey spent all of his formative years in the local area and was therefore well acquainted with the O’s prior to becoming secretary of the supporters’ club in the early 1930’s. He soon became assistant secretary of the football club itself, being promoted to head secretary in December 1934. As the decade professed, he would play a leading role in helping Orient navigate financial difficulties, which culminated in the club’s moving to Brisbane Road in 1937.
Two years later, in January 1939, when manager Peter Proudfoot resigned due to ill health, Halsey was appointed as his successor and agreed to hold the post alongside his role as secretary. In the O’s remaining matches, they managed to scrape enough wins to keep them out of the bottom two with the highlight of that spell undoubtedly being a 4-0 thrashing of second place Crystal Palace at Brisbane Road on 4th February.
Halsey oversaw three matches at the start of the 1939-40 campaign prior to the season being curtailed due to the commencement of the Second World War. He remained in the post until late November when he offered the board of directors his resignation; chairman George Harris informed the press that Halsey’s departure was due to “a difference of opinion with the board”.
At the time, Halsey was living with his wife, Eliza, and daughter, Edna, at 10 Sybourn Street, Walthamstow, where he remained for the rest of his life. Thomas died at Whipps Cross Hospital on 21st September 1952 and was buried at Chingford Mount Cemetery four days later.
