|
Fred
Wheldon |
Aston Villa FC
4 appearances, 6 goals
three goals
on his debut
P 4 W 4 D
0 L 0 F 15: A 3
100% successful
1897-98
captain: none
minutes played: 360 |
|
 |
|
Timeline |
| |
George Frederick Wheldon |
|
Birth |
Tuesday, 2 November 1869 in Tat Bank Road, Langley Green, Oldbury,
Worcestershire |
|
|
registered in West Bromwich October-December 1869 |
|
|
According to the 1871
census, Fred is the youngest of six to Joseph and Eliza (née Strickley). They live at
Causeway Green Road in Oldbury. His father is a fireman. |
|
|
According to the 1881 census,
George F. is the youngest of the five children, living with their parents
on Langley Road in Oldbury. His father is a foreman in the chemical works. |
|
|
According to the 1891 census,
George F. is a steam engine fitter along with his older brother, Charles.
They both live with their parents on 41 Langley Road in Oldbury with a
single servant. His father is a manager of the manufacturer chemist. |
|
First marriage |
to Emma Jane Thompson,
on 14 May 1893, in the Parish Church, Langley, Worcestershire |
|
|
registered in West Bromwich April-June 1893 |
|
Children |
Fred and Emma
Wheldon had
three sons together. Frederick Joseph (b.6 May 1894),
Archie (b.18 November 1895) and Bernard (b.9
July 1897) |
|
|
According to the 1901 census,
George F. is a beer house keeper, now married to Emma, with one child,
Bernard. They live at 23 Langley Green Road in Oldbury.
Worcestershire Electoral Registers puts George Frederick at 23 Langley
Green Road in 1901. |
|
Divorce |
Petition Filed 8 July 1901;
Setting Down Cause 16 August 1901; Decree Nisi
8 November 1901; Final Decree 2 June 1902;
"George Frederick
Wheldon, the Worcester cricket professional and an Aston Villa and West
Bromwich footballer, has obtained a decree nisi on the ground of his
wife's misconduct with a man named Zachariah York." -
Aberdeen Daily Journal, Friday, 22 November 1901 |
|
Second marriage |
to Ann Laura
Esther Margrett,
on 4 March 1903 in Newnham, Gloucestershire. |
|
|
registered in Westbury-on-Severn January-March 1903 |
|
Children |
Fred and Ann
Wheldon had
five children together. Jack Edward (b.19 December 1903),
Norris (b.8 June 1905), Freda Margrett (b.11
December 1907), Madge Morvyth (b.14 January 1913)
and Ronald James (b.12 December 1913) |
|
|
His mother died at 41
Langley Road in Oldbury, 4 August 1907
According to the 1911 census,
George Frederick is a publican and has remarried, to Annie, and they have
three more children, Edward, Norris and Freda. Along with Bernard, they
live at The Farrier's Arms, on Farrier Street in Worcester.
Worcestershire Electoral Registers puts George Frederick at 3 Farrier
Street from 1903 until his death in 1924.
His
father Joseph, died shortly after, 18 July 1911, at 41 Langley Road. |
|
|
According to the 1921 census,
George Frederick is a licensed victualler and is still married, to Annie, and they have
one more son, Ronald James. All seven of the family still live at The
Farrier's Arms. |
|
Death |
Sunday, 13 January 1924
at the Farrier's Arms, Farrier Street in Worcester, Worcestershire,
from Locomotor ataxia. |
|
aged
54 years 72 days |
registered in Worcester January-March 1924 |
|
Probate |
"WHELDON
George Frederick of The Farriers' Arms Inn Farrier-street
Worcester
died 13 January 1924 Probate
Worcester
14 February to Ann Laura
Esther Wheldon widow.
Effects £2588 9s. 11d."
[2023 equivalent: £130,231] |
|
|
Ann Laura Wheldon died
on 21 July 1948 in Worcester |
|
Source |
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & |
|
Playing Career |
Club(s) |
Began his career with Rood
End White Star FC. Also played with Langley Green Victoria FC, from where
he had a trial with West Bromwich Albion FC in 1888. It was Small Heath FC
that signed Wheldon in 1890 and made 46
Football Alliance appearances, scoring 31 goals, before Heath
joined the Football League. After four more seasons, he joined Aston Villa FC
on 4 June 1896 for a
record £350 transfer fee.
After becoming the licensed victualler in Langley Green, Villa
refused to sign Wheldon for the new season.
"PLAYERS AND PUBLIC HOUSE LICENCES
"The directors of Aston Villa have taken a firm
stand on the question of players conducting public houses. That matter has
been brought to head in consequence of Fred Wheldon, the old international
inside left, for whose transfer the Villa paid an unprecedented sum a few
years ago, declaring his intention to become a licensee. The directors
have refused to re-engage him under these circumstances, and as he
persists in his resolve, his severance from the club seems inevitable. He
is mentioned as a probable recruit for West Bromwich, but he states that
no steps have been taken in this direction."
- The Leeds Mercury, Friday, 4 May 1900.
Wheldon then returned to West Bromwich Albion FC, ahead of other League
clubs, on 28 June 1900. West Brom offered £100, whereas Villa wanted a
£300 transfer fee. Southern League side Queen's Park Rangers FC signed
Wheldon on on 31 December 1901, scoring six in
fourteen league appearances, before
Portsmouth FC, the Southern League winners, signed him on 1 May 1902. Joined Worcester
City FC, of the Birmingham League, on 13 June 1904, where he served as
club captain. He retired from playing on 3 January 1907. |
|
|
| |
League honours
258 appearances 136 goals |
Small Heath
FC 1892-96
109 appearances 65 goals
debut
(division two): 3 September 1892 Small Heath FC 5
Burslem Port Vale FC 2.
Aston Villa FC 1896-1900 123
appearances 68 goals
debut: 2 September 1896 Aston Villa FC 2 Stoke FC
1.
West Bromwich Albion FC 1900-01 26 appearances
three goals
debut: 1 September 1900 Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 0 West
Bromwich Albion FC 0
last: 30 April 1901 West Bromwich Albion FC 0
Sheffield United FC 2. |
Club honours |
Football Alliance
third place 1891-92 (22ᵃ 29ᵍ);
Football League Division
Two winners 1892-93 (22ᵃ 25ᵍ),
runners-up 1893-94 (28ᵃ 22ᵍ);
Football League
Champions 1896-97 (30ᵃ 18ᵍ), 1898-99 (33ᵃ 16ᵍ), 1899-1900
(34ᵃ 11ᵍ);
FA Cup winners 1896-97 (7ᵃ 4ᵍ);
Sheriff of
London's Charity Shield shared 1898-99, runners-up 1899-1900;
Southern League third place 1902-03, fourth place
1903-04; |
|
Individual honours |
Football League
(four appearances) |
|
Goalscoring honours |
Football League
Division Two top goalscorer 1892-93 (24); Division One
1897-98 (21); |
|
Distinctions |
Also
played cricket for Worcestershire CC
(1899-1906) and later for Carmarthenshire. |
|
Height/Weight |
5'
8½", 11st.
7lbs [1897], 5'
8", 11st.
7lbs [1903]. |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]. |
|
England Career |
|
Player number |
One
of five who became the 229th players
(232) to appear for England. |
|
Position(s) |
Inside/outside-left |
|
First match |
No.
59,
20 February 1897, England
6
Ireland 0,
a British Championship match at Trentbridge Cricket Ground,
Brook Lane, West Bridgford, Nottingham, aged
27 years 111 days.
|
|
Last match |
No. 64, 2 April 1898, Scotland 1
England 3, a British Championship match at Celtic Park, Kerrydale Street,
Parkhead, Glasgow, aged
28 years 152 days.
|
|
Major tournaments |
British Championship 1896-97, 1897-98; |
|
Team honours |
British Championship winners 1897-98; |
|
Goalscoring honours |
England's
Top Goalscorer (three 1898) |
|
Distinctions |
None |
|
Beyond England |
|
No additional information, but
evidentially, remained a landlord at the Farrier's Arms in Worcester until
his death. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.266. |
