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Players Index Page Last Updated
4 August 2023
 
 

Arthur Topham

Casuals FC & Corinthians FC

 1 appearance, 0 goals

P 1 W 1 D 0 L 0 F 5: A 1
100% successful
1894

captain: none
minutes played: 90

Timeline
  Arthur George Topham BA
Birth Friday, 19 February 1869 at Elson, Ellesmere, Shropshire.
  registered in Ellesmere January-March 1869.
Baptism 1 April 1869 in Ellesmere.
Education Attended Oswestry School and Keble College, Oxford
 

According to the 1871 census, Arthur is the youngest of six children, one of two sons, the other being Robert, to Robert and Anne (née Okell). His father is a farmer of 15 acres, employing four men and a boy. Along with five servants, they live at 9 Tumpley Toll Gate in Elson, Ellesmere.
 

According to the 1881 census, both Robert and Arthur are two of four boarding as pupils with the Humphrey's family at Lower Brook Street in Oswestry.
(His father died on 18 December 1882 in Ellesmere)
 

According to the 1891 census, Arthur George is a tutor living at The Royal Marine Hotel in Royal Parade, Eastbourne.
 

According to the 1901 census, Arthur G. is an assistant schoolmaster. He is living at 5 Dalton Terrace in Eastbourne.
 

According to the East Sussex Electoral Register in 1906-08, Arthur is living at St. Vincent's Cottage on Meads Street in Eestbourne.
Cannot be found on the 1911 census.
 (His mother died 24 June 1915 in Ellesmere)
Marriage to Dorothy Florence Perry, in Salford, summer 1916
  registered in Salford July-September 1916.
Children Arthur and Dorothy Topham had four children together. Margaret Anne (b.1917), Robert Nugent (b.15 January 1920), Arthur Humphrey (b.1921) and Rachel K. (b.1924).
 

According to 1917 newspaper announcements, Arthur is living at St Botolphs, 50 The Goffs in Eastbourne, which is also confirmed by the East Sussex Electoral Registers in 1918/19. But by 1920, they are at 14 Ashburnham Road until at least his death.
According to the 1921 census, Arthur George, a schoolmaster, is now married to Dorothy, and they have three children, Margaret, Robert and Arthur. He is living at 14 Ashburnham Road in Eastbourne.
According to Passenger Lists, Robert left Southampton on 27 June 1925 for New York on board the S.S. Berengaria
Death Saturday morning, 16 May 1931 at Doddleston, 14 Ashburnham Road, Eastbourne, Sussex.
aged 62 years 86 days registered in Eastbourne April-June 1931.

Obituary
"The death occurred suddenly at Eastbourne of Mr. Arthur George Topham, the international and Corinthian footballer. Mr. Topham, who was aged [62], was a private tutor. On Saturday, after giving a pupil some work to do, he went into the garden and mowed a lawn. He returned  and said to the pupil, "How are you getting on?" and collapsed suddenly." - Hartlepool Northern Mail/Yorkshire Post, 19 May 1931.
 "CORINTHIAN AND AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL
"Mr. Arthur George Topham, who died suddenly on Saturday morning at his residence, 14, Ashburnham-road, at the age of 62, was in his younger days a magnificent Association footballer.
"He played centre-half for Eastbourne nearly all through the nineties and for a few years afterwards, and by common consent was quite the best player that the town club has ever possessed. Under his captaincy the team achieved remarkable successes, especially in the Sussex Senior Cup, which was won many times. Three seasons running the trophy came to Eastbourne—in 1899, 1900 and 1901—and to commemorate this treble victory each player was presented with a gold medal, while Mr. Topham, as captain, received a silver replica of the cup. His reputation was more than local, for he was an Oxford Blue, a Corinthian, and an amateur international, having twice represented England. Many good judges declare that at the peak of his career he was without an equal in the land.
"By profession Mr. Topham was a schoolmaster, giving private tuition at his residence. He had also assisted Mr. D. W. Wheeler at Berrow, Carew-road, and was formerly a partner with the Rev. W. N. Willis and Mr. C. Kingdon at Ascham St. Vincent's. His knowledge of classics and mathematics was of a high standard, and only a few weeks ago one of his former pupils (who afterwards took a first-class mathematical degree at Cambridge) said that Mr. Topham was the best teacher of geometry he had ever came across.
"Born at Ellesmere, Shrophsire, on February 19, 1869, Mr. Topham was educated at Oswestry School and Keble College, Oxford. He had a charming personality and, through extremely clever at work and play, was modest and retiring. Needless to say, these qualities made him a general favourite, and his name will long be affectionately remembered in Eastbourne. He married in 1916 Dorothy, daughter of Canon Perry, of Manchester, and there are four children of the marriage.
"Mr. Topham died suddenly after mowing the lawn. The Coroner ordered a post-mortem examination, the result of which left no doubt that death was due to natural causes and an inquest was therefore considered unnecessary." - Eastbourne Chronicle, Saturday, 23 May 1931
Funeral
Wednesday, 20 May 1931
St. Michael's Church, Eastbourne
"The burial service at St. Michael's Church on Wednesday morning, conducted by the Rev. E. L. Browne and the Rev. C. E. Pratt (vicar), was attended by many of Mr. Topham's old friends in the football world and the scholastic profession. Before the arrival of the cortege the organist (Mr. Eric Streatfield) played 'Blest are the departed' and 'O rest in the Lord'. The hymns were, 'Lead, kindly Light' and 'The King of Love,' the singing being led by a choir of boys from Lynchmere School. The air, 'If with all your hearts,' from 'Elijah,' was feelingly sung by Mr. Henry Holyoake. At the close the organist played Chopin's funeral march." - Eastbourne Chronicle, Saturday, 23 May 1931
"Sacred to the memory of ARTHUR GEORGE TOPHAM, born Feb 19th 1869, died May 16th 1931."
Probate "TOPHAM Arthur George of 14 Ashburnham-road Eastbourne died 16 May 1931 Administration Lewes 18 July to Dorothy Topham widow and Robert Charles Dorsett Owen of independent means.
 Effects £4938 8s. 6d." [2023 equivalent: £276,805]. Resworn £4738 8s. 6d.
  His brother, Robert, died 31 August 1951.
Dorothy Topham died on 26 December 1991, aged 99 years.
Oxford University Alumni Topham, Arthur George, born at Elson, Salop, Feb., 1869; y.s. Robert, gent,
       KEBLE, matric. 17 Oct., 87, aged 18 (from Oswestry gr. school), B.A. 91; brother of Robert.

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career
Club(s) Attended Keble College at Oxford University, earning his Blue in 1890. After leaving, he played for the Casuals FC, Eastbourne FC, where he became the captain, and Chiswick Park FC.
Corinthians between 1893-97.
Club honours FA Amateur Cup runners-up 1893-94;
Individual honours None
Distinctions None
Height/Weight not known

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career
Player number One of three who became the 214th players (215) to appear for England.
Position(s) Left-half
Only match No. 51, 12 March 1894, Wales 1 England 5, a British Championship match at The Racecourse, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged 25 years 24 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1893-94;
Team honours None
Individual honours The Amateurs (one appearance, March 1893, withdrew in March 1895)
The Stripes (one appearance, March 1894)
Distinctions Younger brother of Robert Topham.
Died ten days after Billy Garraty

Beyond England
He was a schoolmaster, first as co-proprietor of a school in Eastbourne and then, from 1912, at Ascham St. Vincent's School, another Eastbourne academy. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.248.


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 1 0 0 5 1 +4 0 0 5 1 100 +1
his only match was a British Championship match and played 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 1893-94 1 1 0 0 5 1 +4 0 0 5.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC All 1 1 0 0 5 1 +4 0 0 5.00 1.00 100.0 +1

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1 1 0 0 5 1 +4 0 0 5.00 1.00 100.0 +1
1 1 0 0 5 1 +4 0 0 5 1 100 +1

Match History

 Clubs: Casuals F.C. & Corinthians F.C. - one full appearance (90 min) F.A. International Select Committee - one full appearance (90 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 22
u/o 19 December 1891 - England 6 Canadian-Americans 1, The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington Fr HW   ch
   

Age 23 trial  
one appearance - The Professionals vs. The Amateurs, 22 March 1893;

Age 25
1 51 12 March 1894 - Wales 1 England 5
The Racecourse, Wrexham		 BC AW   lh
   

one of three who became the 214th players (215) to appear for England
the second Casuals AFC player to represent England
one of four who became the 48th Corinthians FC player to represent England
his brother Robert was also playing for England - the eleventh set of brothers to do so -
 the seventh set to play in the same match

trial  
one appearance - The Whites vs. The Stripes, 15 March 1894;
Age 26    
withdrew - The Professionals vs. The Amateurs, 28 March 1895;

     

 
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