Jack Humble
Encyclopedia
John Wilkinson "Jack" Humble (1862 – 1931) was an English
football
player and club director, who was one of the principal founders of Arsenal Football Club
.
Humble was born in Hartburn
, County Durham
, but moved to London
in 1880 to work at the Royal Arsenal
, in a somewhat unusual manner; he and his brother walked the 400-mile journey south from their home village to the capital, which made headlines in the local newspapers back home. A staunchly left-wing man and a member of local socialist
parties, he strongly believed in workers' rights and campaigned for shorter working hours and more time for leisure activities, which included football, a passion of his.
Humble met several other football fanatics, such as David Danskin
, Fred Beardsley
and Morris Bates
at the Royal Arsenal and in 1886 became one of the founding members of Dial Square Football Club, who were soon renamed Royal Arsenal, and would eventually become the club known today as Arsenal. Royal Arsenal soon became one of the strongest amateur sides in Southern England
. Humble played for Royal Arsenal during 1887-88 and 1888-89, mainly as a full-back or half-back.
Humble's biggest contribution to Arsenal was his successful drive to turn the club professional. In 1891 Derby County
tried to recruit two of Royal Arsenal's players after an FA Cup
match between the clubs; Humble and Danskin realised that the club would be unable to survive if its players were being continually tempted away. Therefore, at the club's 1891 AGM
, Humble proposed the club turn professional; however with his socialist views, he baulked at turning the club into a limited liability company
at the same time, declaring: "The club [has been] carried on by working men and it is my ambition to see it carried on by them."
The rest of the London footballing world, dominated by an ethos
of amateurism, quickly shunned Woolwich Arsenal (as the club had been renamed); they were expelled from the London Football Association
. Boycotted by other sides, Arsenal could well have gone bankrupt, but in 1893 Humble's decision was vindicated as they were invited to join the Football League, making them the first southern club to become a League member. By this time Humble had become a full director of the club, having reluctantly accepted the club's need to become a commercial company in 1893.
Humble would remain a director of the club for over thirty years, during which time they moved to Arsenal Stadium
in Highbury
, north London
and became known simple as "Arsenal". He continued to work at the Royal Arsenal as a gun inspector, and spent World War I
seconded in Sheffield
and then Norway
.
He was the last original founding member to have a formal connection with Arsenal, and over time became the club's unofficial historian by virtue of being there longer than anyone else. In 1929, however, he was forced to resign from the Arsenal board in the same financial scandal which brought down chairman Sir Henry Norris
; Norris had used the club's expenses account for his own use, and had personally profited from the sale of the team bus
. Although Humble himself was entirely innocent of any charges, the Football Association ruled that as a director he should have scrutinised Norris's financial dealings more closely, and suspended him from football.
Humble was still alive to witness Arsenal's FA Cup win of 1930
. He died in December 1931, aged 69.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and club director, who was one of the principal founders of Arsenal Football Club
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Humble was born in Hartburn
Hartburn, County Durham
Hartburn is a suburb of Stockton-on-Tees in England, situated to the west of the town centre.The village was founded centuries ago and the surrounding area has been developed extensively, mostly with semi-detached housing, from the 1930s onwards. It is situated just off the A66 road to Darlington....
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, but moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1880 to work at the Royal Arsenal
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
, in a somewhat unusual manner; he and his brother walked the 400-mile journey south from their home village to the capital, which made headlines in the local newspapers back home. A staunchly left-wing man and a member of local socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
parties, he strongly believed in workers' rights and campaigned for shorter working hours and more time for leisure activities, which included football, a passion of his.
Humble met several other football fanatics, such as David Danskin
David Danskin
David Danskin was a Scottish mechanical engineer and footballer. He was a principal founding member of Dial Square FC, later renamed Royal Arsenal, the team that are today known as Arsenal....
, Fred Beardsley
Fred Beardsley
Frederick William Beardsley was an English footballer, chiefly associated with the foundation of Arsenal Football Club.Born at Nottingham, Beardsley started working in a government munitions factory. In his spare time he was a keen goalkeeper, and played for Nottingham Forest as an amateur...
and Morris Bates
Morris Bates
Joseph Morris Bates , usually known as Morris Bates, was an English footballer.Bates first played as an amateur for Nottingham Forest, before moving south to London to take up work at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich...
at the Royal Arsenal and in 1886 became one of the founding members of Dial Square Football Club, who were soon renamed Royal Arsenal, and would eventually become the club known today as Arsenal. Royal Arsenal soon became one of the strongest amateur sides in Southern England
Southern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
. Humble played for Royal Arsenal during 1887-88 and 1888-89, mainly as a full-back or half-back.
Humble's biggest contribution to Arsenal was his successful drive to turn the club professional. In 1891 Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
tried to recruit two of Royal Arsenal's players after an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
match between the clubs; Humble and Danskin realised that the club would be unable to survive if its players were being continually tempted away. Therefore, at the club's 1891 AGM
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
, Humble proposed the club turn professional; however with his socialist views, he baulked at turning the club into a limited liability company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
at the same time, declaring: "The club [has been] carried on by working men and it is my ambition to see it carried on by them."
The rest of the London footballing world, dominated by an ethos
Ethos
Ethos is a Greek word meaning "character" that is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or ideology. The Greeks also used this word to refer to the power of music to influence its hearer's emotions, behaviors, and even morals. Early Greek stories of...
of amateurism, quickly shunned Woolwich Arsenal (as the club had been renamed); they were expelled from the London Football Association
London Football Association
The London Football Association is the regional Football Association for Greater London. The London FA was established in 1882 and is affiliated to The Football Association...
. Boycotted by other sides, Arsenal could well have gone bankrupt, but in 1893 Humble's decision was vindicated as they were invited to join the Football League, making them the first southern club to become a League member. By this time Humble had become a full director of the club, having reluctantly accepted the club's need to become a commercial company in 1893.
Humble would remain a director of the club for over thirty years, during which time they moved to Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
in Highbury
Highbury
- Early Highbury :The area now known as Islington was part of the larger manor of Tolentone, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Tolentone was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Road. The manor house was situated by what is now...
, north London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
and became known simple as "Arsenal". He continued to work at the Royal Arsenal as a gun inspector, and spent World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
seconded in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and then Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
He was the last original founding member to have a formal connection with Arsenal, and over time became the club's unofficial historian by virtue of being there longer than anyone else. In 1929, however, he was forced to resign from the Arsenal board in the same financial scandal which brought down chairman Sir Henry Norris
Henry Norris
Sir Henry George Norris was an English businessman, politician and football club director, most famous for his chairmanship of both Fulham and Arsenal...
; Norris had used the club's expenses account for his own use, and had personally profited from the sale of the team bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
. Although Humble himself was entirely innocent of any charges, the Football Association ruled that as a director he should have scrutinised Norris's financial dealings more closely, and suspended him from football.
Humble was still alive to witness Arsenal's FA Cup win of 1930
1930 FA Cup Final
The 1930 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal and Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium. Arsenal won 2–0, with goals from Alex James and Jack Lambert...
. He died in December 1931, aged 69.