|
Arthur
Brown |
Aston Villa
FC
3 appearances,
4 goals all on debut
P 3 W 1 D 0 L 2 F 17:
A 10
33% successful
1882
captain: none
minutes played: 270 |
,%20Arthur.jpg) |
|
Timeline |
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Arthur Brown |
|
Birth |
Friday, 3 December 1858 at
Broomfield Place, Spon End, Coventry,
Warwickshire |
|
|
registered in Coventry
October-December 1858 |
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Alleged to be born on 15 March 1859
or 24 April 1859 in
Birmingham. There is no registration to confirm this. In fact, his 1881
census, the only Birmingham-area Arthur Brown with a younger
brother, Albert, was found to be born in Coventry, which led to the Arthur
Brown mentioned, and corrected by Coventry City FC's historian, Lionel
Bird, who also provided us with Brown's birth certificate. |
|
|
According to the 1861 census,
Arthur is the third of three children to Benjamin and Elizabeth (née
Ellis), living at
Court 8, 4 Sovereign Place in the Spon End area of Coventry. His father is
a watchmaker.
It appears they were back at Broomfield Place for the
birth of his younger brother, Albert. |
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|
According to the 1871 census,
Arthur is the second of the six children at home with their parents at 2 Thomas Place,
Wheeler Street in Birmingham. Arthur is an errand boy. His father is a
watch finisher. |
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According to the 1881 census,
the five Brown children and parents are living at (7 court 4 house) 28
Wheeler Street in Birmingham. Arthur is an ear ring maker. Father is
still a watch finisher. |
|
Marriage |
to Eliza Jane Stagg, in 1883, in West Bromwich, Staffordshire. |
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registered in West Bromwich
April-June 1883 |
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Children |
Arthur and Eliza Brown had five children together. Arthur (b.3 December
1883), Samuel (b.28 April 1885), Harold
(b.9 July 1886), Archie Stagg (b.25 April 1895), and Eveline Ruth (b.17 August 1898) |
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According to the
1891 census, Arthur has married Eliza had have three children, Arthur B,
Samuel B and Harold T. They live in 61 Albert Place in Wheeler Street.
Arthur is a jeweller.
(His father died in 1891 and his mother died
on 5 September 1894) |
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|
According to the
1901 census, at an address written as 61 Wheeler Street, Arthur and Eliza
have two more children, Archie and Eveline. Arthur is now a Tobacconist,
and a jeweller. |
|
Death |
Thursday, 1 July 1909
at 184 Anglesey Street, Aston, Warwickshire.
Died from Phlebitis of the right leg and Embolism Syncope. |
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aged
50 years
210 days |
registered in Aston July-September
1909 |
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Obituary |
"OLD ASTON VILLA PLAYER'S DEATH.
"A
Birmingham telegram announces the death of Mr Arthur Brown, who was a
great footballer in the infancy of the game, and was prominent in
popularising the pastime and in laying the foundation of the fame of Aston
Villa Club. Brilliant in attack, a prolific scorer in many memorable games
30 years ago, he represented England against Scotland, Ireland and Wales,
and shared in the English Cup triumph of Aston Villa, when they defeated
the then formidable Wednesday Old Athletic by six clear goals. He also
played in all the inter-Association matches. His great specialty was
skilful dribbling and shooting."
-
Saturday, 3 July 1909, Southern Echo
"FAMOUS VILLA PLAYER DEAD.
"Footballers generally will regret to hear of the death of Arthur Brown, a
famous Aston Villa player, who a quarter of a century ago was one of the
greatest dribblers the game ever produced. His name will always be
associated with Aston Villa and Archie Hunter. Brown flourished at a time
when individuality in the game of football was more pronounced than it is
to-day, and the deceased was one of the cleverest exponents of the art of
close dribbling at a time when brilliant players were numerous. In 1881 he
was selected to play for England against Ireland, and he and his clubmate,
Howard Vaughton, gave the Irishmen a good thrashing on their own ground,
scoring nine goals between them out of 13 recorded against the Irish. He
played against Scotland in 1882, and gained the only goal scored for
England in a 5£1 defeat. He also did duty for the mother country versus
Wales, at Wrexham. A man of somewhat slight build, he was a champion in
the days of W. Mosforth, Wm. Gunn (Notts), George Holden (Wolverhampton
Old Athletic), and a host of others who helped in no small way by their
brilliance to establish the game amongst the popular pastimes of the
nation."
- Monday, 5 July 1909, Sheffield Independent |
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Eliza Brown and all the children emigrated to Monterey
Park in USA in September 1909, very soon after Arthurs death. She applied
for naturalization on 26 January 1921.
Eliza died on 18 December 1933
in Monterey Park. |
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Source
|
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990], Lionel Bird,
Coventry City FC historian & |
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Playing Career |
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Club(s) |
Began with
Florence FC in Aston, Birmingham, then Aston Unity FC and Mitchell St.
George's FC. Joined Aston
Villa FC in August 1878 until August 1879 and again from February 1880 until May
1886. In between which, he played for Birchfield Trinity FC from 1891 and Birmingham
Excelsior FC. Went on to a second spell with Mitchell St. George's FC.
For the 1894-95 and 1895-96 seasons, Brown was playing for Evesham
Wanderers FC. |
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Club honours |
Studley and District League winners
1894-95, 1895-96. |
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Individual honours |
None |
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Height/Weight |
one source states 5'
8" |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & Steve Emms, Evesham historian. |
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England Career |
|
Player number |
One of
seven who became the
ninetieth players
(95) to appear
for England. |
|
Position(s) |
Inside-right,
centre-forward, half-back; |
|
First match |
No. 14, 18
February 1882, Ireland 0 England 13, a friendly match at
Knock Ground, Bloomfield,
Belfast, aged 23 years 77 days.
 |
Last match
23 days |
No. 16, 13
March 1882, Wales 5 England 3, a friendly match at
The Racecourse, Mold Road, Wrexham,
aged 23 years 100 days. |
|
Individual honours |
The Probables (one appearance, January
1882)
The North (withdrew, January 1884)
The Players (one appearance, January 1886) |
|
Distinctions |
Older brother of
Aston Villa FC's Albert
Brown.
Along with
Howard
Vaughton, the first Villa players to represent England |
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Beyond England |
|
Retired from football
through ill-health. He worked as a club steward until 1908. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming
(1990). Hatton Press, p.49./Spartacus.Schoolnet.co.uk/Aston |
England
Football Online