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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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Timeline |
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Robert William Benson |
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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. |
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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. |
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Marriage |
to Jean Gibson Lynch, in early 1906 in Southampton |
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registered in Southampton January-March 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.
He was a stand-in, playing in a
London Combination match for Woolwich Arsenal FC when he suffered heart
failure. |
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aged 33 years 10 days |
registered in Islington January-March 1916 |
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Obituary |
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Funeral |
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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 |
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Club(s) |
His first club is recorded as Shankhouse FC of
the Northern Alliance, and then Swalwell FC. He signed as a professional for
Newcastle United FC in December 1902. He played only one league game and
left for Southern League Southampton FC in 1904 for a fee of £150.
He made nineteen league matches before leaving
for Sheffield United for a fee once again, set at £150. Where he stayed for eight years,
making 273 league appearances, scoring twenty times. Benson joined Woolwich Arsenal FC
on 18 November 1913. Where he
remained until his untimely death two and a half years later,
he had scored seven goals in 52 league
appearances. |
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Club honours |
None |
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Individual honours |
Football League (one appearance) |
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Distinctions |
None |
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Height/Weight |
5'
9", 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 |
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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 |
None |
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Beyond England |
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Bob Benson went to work at Royal
Arsenal when the league stopped. On 19
February 1916 he went to a London Combination match between Arsenal and
Reading at Highbury. Joe Shaw did not make it to the game, and Benson
took his place. He collapsed on the pitch in the second half and died in
the changing rooms a little later of a burst blood vessel. He was just
33. It is said he was buried wearing his Arsenal shirt, and a
testimonial was held for him against the Rest of London. 5000 turned up
and the proceeds went to his widow. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.31. & The WoolwichArsenalBlogsite |
England
Football Online