Herbert Chapman (1878 - 1934)

Born 18 Jan 1878 in Kiveton Park, South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Annie Bennett (Poxon) Chapman — married after Jun 1905 (to 1934) in Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom

Died 6 Jan 1934 at age 55 in Hendon, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Biography

Herbert Chapman is Notable.

Wikidata: Item Q313784, en:Wikipedia - Legendary football manager Huddersfield/Arsenal

Herbert was born in 1878 in Kiveton Park near Rotherham, South Yorkshire. He was the son of John Chapman and Emma Haynes.

In the 1881 census Herbert (age 3) was the son of John Chapman in Kiveton Pk, Wales (York Wr), Nottinghamshire, England.^[1]

In the 1891 census Herbert (age 13), Coal Miner, was the son of John Chapman in Nottinghamshire, England.^[2]

In the 1901 census Herbert (age 23), Clerk in Colliery Weigh Office, was the single son of John Chapman in Nottinghamshire, England.^[3]

In 1905 he married Annie Bennett Poxon in Nottingham. They had four children:

• Kenneth Herbert Chapman 1908-1989 played rugby for Harlequins RUFC, later President of the Rugby Football Union
• John Bruce Derek Chapman 1910-1974
• Nancy Molly Chapman 1913-
• Joyce Chapman 1919-

Herbert had been playing football on an amateur basis since 1896 and had a solid, if unspectacular career playing for a variety of Football League and non-league clubs around England. He sporadically turned professional but usually had another job near to his current club. However he really found his calling in life when he was made player-manager of Northampton Town. Bringing some tactical discipline to what had previously been an ad hoc style of play, his innovations proved successful and by 1909 Northampton were champions of the Southern League.

In the 1911 census Herbert (age 33), Secretary Football Club, was the married head of household in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England.^[4]

Over the next couple of years Northampton continued to place highly in the Southern League but their path into the Football League was barred - at the time new teams could only enter the league by election. Herbert was ambitious and Northampton gave their blessing for him to move on when he was offered the manager's role at a league club, Leeds City, despite Leeds themselves facing re-election.

His time at Leeds was troubled, not helped by the suspension of normal football competitions because of the war. He took up a management position in a munitions factory to help the war effort, delegating management of the team as they played in various regional competitions. After the war he abruptly resigned without explanation, and Leeds were subsequently found guilty of multiple financial irregularities, expelled from the league, and several officials including Herbert were banned from football.

While Leeds City were eventually wound up (Leeds United were formed to take their place and their ground), Herbert was working outside football at a coke works in Selby. He was approached by Huddersfield Town for an assistant's role, they also helped him appeal against his ban on the grounds that he was not involved in running the club at the time the irregularities occurred. The appeal was successful and Herbert returned to work as assistant manager in February 1921, becoming manager a month later.

In the 1921 census the family (bar Kenneth) were living in Heckmondwike, Dewsbury.^[5]

Once again Herbert's innovative tactical approach and demand for control over all aspects of running the club bore fruit, with an FA Cup win in 1922, Herbert's first national-level trophy.

In 1925, after celebrating a second successive Football League Division One title with Huddersfield, Herbert left the club and took over as manager of London club Arsenal FC. His family moved to Hendon and his wife got a job with a school in Edmonton.

At Arsenal Herbert involved himself with every aspect of running the club, down to the design of the kit. His methods paid off with Arsenal winning both the FA Cup and the first of three consecutive League titles under his management.

Herbert died unexpectedly on 6 January 1934 and was buried in 1934 in St Mary's Churchyard, Hendon, London Borough of Barnet.^[6] His estate passed probate on 19 June 1935 in London, England.^[7]

Find A Grave: Memorial #5971231

His widow passed away in 1958.

Achievements

• 1909 - Southern League Champions: Northampton Town
• 1922 - FA Cup winners: Huddersfield Town
• 1924 - First Division Champions: Huddersfield Town
• 1925 - First Division Champions: Huddersfield Town
• 1930 - FA Cup winners: Arsenal
• 1931 - First Division Champions: Arsenal
• 1933 - First Division Champions: Arsenal
• 2003 - Inductee, English Football Hall of Fame

Both Huddersfield in 1926 (after he left for Arsenal) and Arsenal in 1935 (after he had died) completed three Football League titles in a row, something no club had ever done previously, and which would not be repeated until Liverpool's third successive title 50 years after Chapman's death.

Sources

1. ↑ 1881 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1881"
   citing p. 38, Piece/Folio 3308/132, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,968
   FamilySearch Record: Q27K-W3WX (accessed 4 September 2023)
   FindMyPast Image
   Herbert Chapman (3), unmarried son, in household of John Chapman (40) in Wales (York Wr) in Worksop registration district in Nottinghamshire, England. Born in Kiveton, Yorkshire, England.
2. ↑ 1891 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1891"
   citing PRO RG 12, Nottinghamshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey
   FamilySearch Record: 4H67-XPZ (accessed 4 September 2023)
   FindMyPast Image
   Herbert Chapman (13) son, Coal Miner, in household of John Chapman (49) in Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom in Worksop registration district in Nottinghamshire, England. Born in Yorkshire, England.
3. ↑ 1901 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1901"
   citing Anston subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey
   FamilySearch Record: XSN9-VL1 (accessed 4 September 2023)
   FindMyPast Image
   Herbert Chapman (23), single son, Clerk in Colliery Weigh Office, in household of John Chapman (58) in Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom in Worksop registration district in Nottinghamshire, England. Born in Kiveton Pk, Yorkshire.
4. ↑ 1911 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1911"
   citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey
   FamilySearch Record: X7GW-ZK4 (accessed 4 September 2023)
   FindMyPast Image
   Herbert Chapman (33), married, Secretary Football Club, head of household in Northampton registration district in Northamptonshire, England. Born in Kiveton Park, Yorkshire.
5. ↑ Findmypast.co.uk search without subscription
6. ↑ Burial: "Find A Grave Index"
   citing record ID 5971231, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com
   FamilySearch Record: QVV9-1W3B (accessed 4 September 2023)
   Herbert Chapman burial (died on 6 Jan 1934) in 1934 in Hendon, London Borough of Barnet, Greater London, England.
7. ↑ Probate: "England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957"
   citing Probate, London, England, United Kingdom, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Great Britain.; FHL microfilm
   FamilySearch Record: W774-YHZM (accessed 4 September 2023)
   Herbert Chapman probate on 19 Jun 1935 in London, England, United Kingdom. Died 6 Jan 1934.

• Familysearch: Herbert Chapman

• http://www.kivetonwaleshistory.co.uk/heritage/family-histories/the-chapman-family - family genealogy

• Indexed under UK Football Managers (freespace page)