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Bob
Benson |
Sheffield United
FC
1 appearance, 0 goals
P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 F 1:
A 2
0% successful
1910-13
captain: none
minutes played: 90 |
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 |
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Timeline |
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Robert William Benson |
|
Birth |
Friday,
9 February 1883 in Frizington, near Whitehaven, Cumberland |
|
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registered in Whitehaven January-March 1883 |
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Baptism |
Wednesday,
28 March 1883 at St. Paul's Church in Frizington |
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According to the 1891 census,
eight year-old Robert W. is the eldest of three children to Joseph and
Sarah Jane (née Yewert). His father is a Coal Miner, and they all live at Crosby Villa in
Crosscanonby, Crosby, just outside Maryport. |
|
According to the 1901 census,
Robt William is now a Steel Moulders Apprentice, now the oldest of four
children living with their parents, now at Front Street in Whickham,
Swalwell, near Gateshead in County Durham. |
|
Marriage |
to Jean Gibson Lynch, on Tuesday, 2 January 1906, at St. Luke's Church,
Southampton, Hampshire |
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registered in Southampton January-March 1906 |
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"A pretty wedding took place at St. Luke's Church, Southampton, on
Tuesday, the contracting parties being Mr. Robert Benson, the
ex-Southampton footballer, and now of Sheffield United, and Miss Jeanne
Gibson Lynch, daughter of Mr. John. E. Lynch, late of the Ordnance Survey,
Southampton, and grand-daughter of Mr. P. Gibson, of Inverness. The
weather, unfortunately, was not of a very genial character, but in spite
of this there was a large congregation at the church. The ceremony was
conducted by the Rev. A. R. Welldon Peek. The bride, who was exquisitely
attired in cream silk, with veil and orange blossom, and carried a white
shower bouquet, was given away by her brother (Mr. T. Lynch). The
bridesmaids, Miss Lilian Lynch and Miss Cissie Smith, looked charming in
biscuit-coloured voile dresses, and they carried pink and white shower
bouquets, while little Winnie Lynch made a dainty train bearer. Mr.
Stevenson acted as best man in the absence of Mr. E. Bluff, who was
suffering from injuries sustained on the football field. Subsequently a
reception was held at St. Edmund's School-room, and later in the day the
happy pair left for Bournemouth, where the honeymoon is to be spent. There
were nearly a hundred beautiful and costly presents." - The
Hampshire Advertiser, Saturday, 6 January 1906 |
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Children |
Bob and Jean Benson have at least two daughters together. Edna Sarah
Lillian (b.spring 1907) and
Ena Mary (b.summer 1908). |
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According to the 1911 census,
Robert William is now a Professional Footballer, married to Jean Gibson,
with two daughters, Edna and Ena. They live at 314 Abbeydale Road in Ecclesall Bierlow, Sheffield. |
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Death |
Saturday, 19 February 1916 in the dressing room at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, Middlesex.
Living at Alfoxton Avenue in the West Green area of Tottenham. |
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aged 33 years 10 days |
registered in Islington January-March 1916 |
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Obituary |
"DEATH
OF BOB BENSON
"Bob Benson, the Arsenal full back,
died suddenly on Saturday afternoon from heart failure in the
dressing-room on the Arsenal ground at Highbury, after having to leave the
field in the second half of the match with Reading. Benson, who had been
working hard on munitions at Woolwich Arsenal, sometimes doing a
seventeen-hour day, turned up at Highbury with no intention of playing,
but as his side were one short he was prevailed upon to turn out. He was
palpably out of training, and it was chiefly owing to distress that he had
to leave the field. Benson's best work was done with Sheffield United. He
gained his cap against Ireland in 1913, and assisted the Football League
against the Irish League in 1910. He was transferred to the Arsenal club
after its removal to Highbury." - Woolwich
Gazette and Plumstead News, Tuesday, 22 February 1916 |
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Inquest |
"The Inquest on
R.W. Benson
"Mr. Walter Schroeder held an inquiry at
Islington Coroner's Court yesterday into the circumstances attending the
death of Robert William Benson, aged 33 years, lately living at Alfoxton-avenue,
West Green, Tottenham, the well-known Arsenal footballer, which took place on Saturday
afternoon at the Arsenal Football Club grounds, Highbury.
"Jane
Jean Benson, the widow, deposed that her husband was a steel moulder, but
of late he had been engaged in munition work. During the 11 years they had
been married he had always enjoyed good health, and
never required any medical aid. For ten years he had engaged in football.
On saturday afternoon, at half-past two, he left to go to the Arsenal
Football Ground to watch the game. He had never had any fainting attacks.
"John Lynch, a pensioned Civil Servant, father-in-law of deceased, said he
accompanied him and his daughter to the Arsenal football ground at
Highbury on Saturday. Deceased had no intention of playing. On arriving at
the grounds deceased left them, stating that he was going to see the
'boys.' He went to the dressing-room, and five minutes later he returned
and said he was going to take part in the match. Witness remarked that he
should not. He thought it would be best for him to have a rest as he had
been hard at work all the week. Some time after the first half was over
witness went to the dressing-room. Deceased was lying down in an
unconscious condition and frothing from the mouth. Witness remained there
till he died.
"By the Coroner: He saw the deceased when engaged in the
play. and did not notice at any time that he was in a fatigued condition.
"Mr. Henry Jno. Peters, secretary of The Arsenal Football Club, Ltd., said
that on Saturday afternoon, about a quarter-past three, he saw deceased,
who inquired what kind of a team he had. He told him it was a bit of a
scratch team. Deceased asked if he might go and see them, and witness
assented. When in the dressing-room, deceased volunteered to play, so one
man stood down. After the second half witness saw deceased lying in the
dressing-room being attended to. He recovered, and spoke, saying that he
felt better. After that he had a relapse, so witness sent for a medical
man, but deceased died about half-past five.
"George Hardy, football
trainer to The Arsenal Football Club, stated that he saw the deceased, who
appeared quite well. Another man gave way to deceased to allow him to
play. After play had continued for some sixty minutes, and when they were
in the second part of the second half, he saw the deceased walking off the
field. Deceased told witness he felt a bit stiff in the legs. He
afterwards went into the dressing-room and sat down on a stool. Deceased
vomited and remarked afterwards that he felt better. Directly afterwards
he became worse, so they laid him on the table and did all they could for
him, but he sank and died. By the Coroner: The deceased had no undue
fatigue at any time of the game. It was a very clean game.
"Dr. Edward
Sherman Barnard, who was called to the deceased, said he attended him for
a quarter of an hour when he expired. He had since made a post mortem
examination and found that death was due to hemorrhage into the pleural
cavity, due to the rupture of an aneurism of a small branch of sorts. He
had no doubt that the rupture took place while on the field playing.
"The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. Mr.
Peters, on behalf of the club, expressed sympathy with the widow and
relatives in their loss..." |
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Funeral |
"...The funeral will take place to-morrow
(Thursday) afternoon at the Great Northern Cemetery, New Southgate."
- The
Sporting Chronicle, Wednesday, 23 February 1916.
Thursday
afternoon, 24 February 1916 at Great Northern Cemetery, Brunswick Park
Road in New Southgate, North London |
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His wife, Jean, died in mid-1972 in Reading |
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Source |
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & |
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Playing Career |
Club(s) |
"At 16 he became a member of Dunstan Villa.
For two seasons he was in this junior club, and was then asked to assist
Shankhouse in a local cup-tie against Sunderland reserves...and attracted the attention of Newcastle
United when assisting Shankhouse in a Northumberland Cup-tie."
He signed as a professional
for Newcastle United FC in December 1902. Southern League
side Southampton FC enquired about the transfer of Tom Willis, but were
sold Benson instead on 19 September 1904 for a fee of £150. On 15
May 1905, Sheffield United 'completed
arrangements for the transfer', set at £200. Where he stayed for eight years.
"There was at one time a
probability of Benson going to Aston Villa, but the Birmingham club seemed
to be in doubt whether he was worth the £700 asked for his transfer
[in October 1911], though
probably they would have gladly paid this sum, following upon the
knowledge that he was playing almost as well as ever with the Arsenal."
Benson joined Woolwich Arsenal FC on 18 November 1913. Where he remained
until his untimely death two and a half years later. |
League honours
326 appearances, 27 goals |
Newcastle United FC
1903 one appearance
only: 7 March 1903 Liverpool FC 3 Newcastle United FC 0.
Sheffield United FC 1905-13 273
appearances, twenty goals
debut: 2 September 1905 Bolton Wanderers FC 1
Sheffield United FC 2.
Woolwich Arsenal FC 1913-15 52 appearances, seven
goals
debut (division two): 29 November 1913 Bristol City FC 1 Woolwich
Arsenal FC 1.
last (division two):
24 April 1915 The Arsenal FC 7 Nottingham Forest FC 0. |
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Club honours |
Football League Division One fourth place 1906-07 (37ᵃ 1ᵍ);
Division Two third place 1913-14 (25ᵃ 2ᵍ);
FA Charity Shield winners 1913; |
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Individual honours |
Football League (one appearance 1ᵍ, vs. Irish League,
October 1909) |
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Distinctions |
None |
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Height/Weight |
5'
9", 12st 0lbs [1905], 14st.
0lbs [1913]. |
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Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & The Woolwich Arsenal blog. |
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England Career |
|
Player number |
One of seven who became the 361st players
(361)
to appear for England. |
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Position(s) |
Left-back |
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Only match |
No. 114, 15 February 1913, Ireland 2 England
1, a British Championship match at Windsor Park, Donegall Avenue, Belfast, aged 30 years
6 days. |
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Major tournaments |
British Championship 1912-13; |
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Team honours |
British Championship winners
1912-13; |
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Individual honours |
FA Tour of South Africa
1910 (including the three tests) |
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Distinctions |
The North (one appearance,
January 1913); |
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Beyond England |
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"..and while
completing his apprenticeship to the trade of a steel-moulder..." -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.31. |
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The Numbers |
|
parties |
Appearances |
comp. apps |
minutes |
|
captain |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
90 |
0 |
none |
|
The minutes here given
can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an
approximation. |
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
-1 |
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his only match was played in the British Championship competition
and at an away venue |
Tournament Record
|
British Championship Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC 1912-13 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.00 |
-1 |
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BC
All |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.00 |
-1 |
|
All Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.00 |
-1 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
-1 |
Match History
|
apps |
match |
match details |
comp |
res. |
rundown |
pos |
|
|
England
Football Online