England Football Online
Players Index Page Last Updated
8 July 2023
 
 

Robert Topham

Wolverhampton Wanderers FC & Casuals FC & Corinthians FC

 2 appearances, 0 goals

P 2 W 2 D 0 L 0 F 11: A 2
100% successful
1893-94

captain: none
minutes played: 180

Timeline
  Robert Topham
appears to be also known by the name Dick
Birth Sunday, 3 November 1867 at Elson, Ellesmere, Shropshire
  registered in Ellesmere October-December 1867
Baptism Sunday, 1 December 1867 at Ellesmere
Education Attended Oswestry School and Oxford University.
 

According to the 1871 census, Robert is the fifth of six children, and the oldest of two sons, the other being Arthur, 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 18 December 1882)
 

According to the 1891 census, Robert is an assistant master living at the Grammar School in Brewood, Cannock.
 

According to the 1901 census, Robert is now an assistant schoolmaster living at Belvedere School in Hove.
 

According to the 1911 census, Rob is now a farmer visiting his elder widowed sister, Marion Owen and her family at Plas-yn-grove in Eastwick, Ellesmere.
(His mother died 24 June 1915)
Marriage to Mabel Young, in Kingston, late-1917.
  registered in Kingston October-December 1917
 

According to the 1921 census, Robert, still a farmer, but now married to Mabel, is now living at Davington Hall in Faversham with one servant. His older sister, Frances Anne, is a visitor.
According to Passenger Lists, Robert, a tutor, arrived in Southampton from New York on 6 October 1925 on bard the Cunard Liner Aquitania, stated as living at Littlecot in Birchington.
  His brother, Arthur, died 18 May 1931.
  According to the 1939 register, Robert is retired and still married, living by private means and at his sister's home at Playsn Grove on Horse Shoe Lane, in Eastwick area of Ellesmere.
Death Friday, 31 August 1951 at Whitegates Convalescent Home, Alpha Road in Birchington, Kent.
aged 83 years 301 days registered in Thanet July-September 1951
Probate "TOPHAM Robert of The Chateu Gallwey-avenue Birchington Kent died 31 August 1951 at Whitegates Convalescent Home Alpha-road Birchington Probate (save and except settled land) Gloucester 29 January to Robert Charles Dorsett Owen retired captain H.M. army.
 Effects £6316 8s. 2d. [2024 equivalent: £167,681]. Further grant (limited to settled land) 20 May 1952"
  "TOPHAM Robert of The Chateu Gallwey-avenue Birchington Kent died 31 August 1951 at Whitegates Convalescent Home Alpha-road Birchington Probate (limited to settled land) Gloucester 20 May to George Okell solicitor.
 Effects £2500 [2024 equivalent: £66,317]. Former grant (save and except settled land) D.R. Gloucester 29 January 1952."
Oxford University Alumni Topham, Robert, born at Ellesmere, Salop, 1867; IS. Robert, gen,
       KEBLE, matric. 19 Oct., 86, aged 18 (from Oswestry gr. school); brother of Arthur G.
Source

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

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Although he was a pupil at Oxford University, he did not earn his Blue. Instead, he started out with his local club, Oswestry FC before "going to reside at Brewood" joining Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in 1891. He was also playing for Casuals FC (losing 13-1 at Aston Villa FC in the FA Cup first round, 17 January 1891) and Chiswick Park FC.
"R.Topham...has promised to assist his old comrades in their League matches against Aston Villa and Sunderland, at Wolverhampton, on December 26th and 27th, and also, if possible, in the English Cup ties." - Scottish Referee, 9 December 1895
Corinthians 1894-98.
League History
 23 appearances, 14 goals		 Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 1891-95 23 appearances, fourteen goals
debut: 14 March 1891 Aston Villa FC 6 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2.
last: 27 December 1895 Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 1 Sunderland AFC 3.

Club honours		 Welsh FA Cup runners-up 1884-85;
Football League fourth place 1890-91 (1ᵃ 2ᵍ);
 FA Cup winners 1892-93 (6, 3ᵍ), runners-up 1896-96 (0);
FA Amateur Cup runners-up 1893-94;
Individual honours None
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 5' 11", 14st 0lbs [1893]

Source

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

England Career
Player number One of seven who became the 199th players (203) to appear for England.
Position(s) Outside-right
First match No. 47, 25 February 1893, England 6 Ireland 1, a British Championship match at Wellington Road Football Ground, Perry Barr, Handsworth, aged 25 years 114 days.
Last match
1 year 15 days		 No. 51, 12 March 1894, Wales 1 England 5, a British Championship match at The Racecourse, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged 26 years 129 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1892-93, 1893-94;
Team honours British Championship winners 1892-93;
Individual honours The Amateurs (two appearances March 1893-March 1897),
The Stripes (one appearance March 1894)
Distinctions Robert was picked to play for Wales against Scotland in 1885, but he did not accept.
Older brother of Arthur Topham.

Beyond England
A master at Brighton College 1892-1905, after which he became a hop grower in Kent. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.248.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
2 2 2 180 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
2 2 0 0 11 2 +9 0 0 5.5 1 100 +2
Both of his matches were played in the British Championship

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 1 1 0 0 6 1 +5 0 0 6.00 1.00 100.0 +1
Away 1 1 0 0 5 1 +4 0 0 5.00 1.00 100.0 +1

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1892-93 1 1 0 0 6 1 +5 0 0 6.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1893-94 1 1 0 0 5 1 +4 0 0 5.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC All 2 2 0 0 11 2 +9 0 0 5.50 1.00 100.0 +2

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 2 2 0 0 11 2 +9 0 0 5.50 1.00 100.0 +2
2 2 0 0 11 2 +9 0 0 5.5 1 100 +2

Match History

 Clubs: Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. & Casuals F.C. - one full appearance (90 min)  
  F.A. International Select Committee - two full appearances (180 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 25
1 47 25 February 1893 - England 6 Ireland 1
Wellington Road Ground, Handsworth		 BC HW 30 or
 

one of seven who became the 199th players (203) to appear for England
the tenth player from Wolverhampton Wanderers FC to represent England
the first Casuals AFC player to represent England

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

 Clubs: Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., Casuals F.C. & Corinthians F.C. - one full appearance (90 min)  

Age 26
2 51 12 March 1894 - Wales 1 England 5
The Racecourse, Wrexham		 BC AW   or
 

one of four players to become the 48th players from Corinthians FC to represent England
his brother Arthur 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 29  
one appearance - The Amateurs vs. The Professionals, March 1897;

     

 
cg