Archie Bown – Swindon Town FC player

The names of James Thomas Bown and his wife Mary Jane may not mean much to you. He was a clerk in the Works and she was a wife and mother. She was probably a lot of other things as well but wife and mother are the roles we know her by on official documents.

They married on August 20, 1881 at St. Mark’s Church and had four children of whom three survived to adulthood.

Now the Swindon Town football fans among you may have heard of their eldest son Archibald James William Bown. Born on July 22, 1882 Archibald entered the Works on January 11, 1897 as a draughtsman in the Carriage Department. It was something of an inauspicious start. Written in the margin of his employment records on February 24, 1897 was the comment ‘unsatisfactory character.’ He had been at work less than 2 weeks and was just 15 years old. He would show them!

Archie played his first game for Swindon Town on February 10, 1902 – an away game at West Ham. He didn’t score a goal – not that day. In a career that spanned 12 seasons Archie played a total of 291 games in which he scored 142 goals. He remains the Town’s fifth highest goal scorer in the club’s history.

In 1906 he married Beatrice Annie Scott and in 1911 the couple lived at 37 Roseberry Street with their two daughters Gladys and Trissie. Throughout his career with Swindon Town Archie continued to work as an Engine Fitter in the Works.

He also played for Swindon Casuals, Whiteheads, Southampton (as a guest) Bristol City and Weymouth where he ended his career and opened his own Sports Department. He died in 1958.

Archie’s parents continued to live in Swindon at various addresses including Commercial Road, County Road and Cumberland Road where Mary Jane died in December 1938. She was buried on December 26 in Radnor Street Cemetery, grave plot B2843. James married Alice Knee in 1944. He died three years later aged 87 years and was buried with his first wife on October 10, 1947.

It is also believed that Archie was related to athlete James Kibblewhite whose story featured on this blog recently. His grandfather was James Kibblewhite Bown born in 1836. More research is required to establish the connection kindly provided by Andrew Griffiths.

Arthur Jefferies Lewis White – Prominent GWR Official and Swindon F.C.’s Chairman

Arthur Jefferies Lewis White was born on November 23, 1872, the son of Richard Lewis and Elizabeth Corbett White. He entered employment in the GWR on January 3, 1887, a month after his 15th birthday. A year later at a GWR Board Meeting to consider the promotion of the Lad Clerks Arthur was described as shorthand writer with previous office experience. He was already on a career path that would see him become Chief Clerk and Chief Accountant to Charles B. Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer.

Arthur married Emily Sendell at Christ Church on October 2, 1917. He was 44 years old and she was 42.

A keen musician and mandolin player, Arthur White was chairman of the Great Western Railway Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society and President of the Swindon Great Western Railway Social and Education Silver Band. He was a director of the New Swindon Permanent Building Society and a Freemason and member of the Sussex Lodge of Emulation, No. 355. He was also a writer and wrote several books about the Swindon Railway Works. But it is probably fair to say his greatest love (after his wife, of course) was football.

Arthur White was elected Chairman of the directors of Swindon Town Football Club in the 1910-11 season and served for nearly 20 years. The obituary published in the North Wilts Herald on Friday November 1, 1929 declared his pride of the club knew no bounds.

Swindon Town Football Club 1910-11 squad – the year in which Arthur J.L. White was elected Chairman

Arthur Jefferies Lewis White died at his home at 13 Okus road, Swindon after suffering a year of poor health.

The funeral service at St. Saviours Church was attended by a great many mourners and the North Wilts Herald reports that:

Practically every shop in the GWR Works was represented, and directors, players and officials of the Swindon Town Football Club also attended.

A guard of honour was formed by the local Freemasons, who led the procession and behind the coffin walked the family mourners, representatives of the Great Western Railway, the different societies with which Mr White was connected and the Town footballers.

Arthur Jefferies Lewis White was buried in grave plot E8134. His wife Emily survived him by nearly 40 years. She died aged 92 years of age at the Cheriton Nursing Home and was buried in the neighbouring plot E8134A.

Bob Menham – a larger than life character

“He is active and decides what to do quickly, is a good punter, fists out well, and kicks cleanly and surely. – Sporting Life April 10, 1897.

Measuring 6ft 1ins tall, Bob Menham certainly stood out in a crowd!

Robert William Menham was born in North Shields in 1871, the son of cabinet maker Henry Menham and his wife Annie and grew up in Burley, Leeds. In 1891 he enlisted with the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards and in 1894 he married Bessie McKay.

Meanwhile, his football career quickly took off seeing him play for Luton Town, Everton and Wigan County before being transfered to Swindon Town where he is still considered to be one of the most talented goalkeepers the club has ever had. During the 4th round FA Cup replay against Staple Hill FC he even managed to score a goal, electing to take a penalty securing a 6-0 win for the Town.

And when Swindon Town F.C. found itself in dire financial straits in 1901, Bob joined a money saving initiative, which ultimately rescued the club.

Swindon Town F.C.

Players’ Wages Fund Subscription List

The following subscription list showing the amount received up-to-date has been opened on behalf of the Swindon Town F.C. Players, who a short time ago, when the financial condition of the club was in a very critical state, agreed to accept a greatly reduced wage in order that the club might exist, at least, till the end of the present season. As a matter of fact, the wage bill was reduced to practically half the former amount, and it is on that account that the players have been compelled to appeal to the public to assist them in carrying out their resolve. It is hoped that all lovers of sport will respond to the appeal, and all subscriptions and donations will be thankfully received, and duly acknowledged on behalf of the players by Mr R.W. Menham (capt.) Radnor Street, Swindon.

The Evening Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, March 16, 1901.

The Swindon Town FC 1902/3 squad

Bob retired in 1903, taking up a role on the team’s Board of Directors, while the family moved to the Castle Hotel, Prospect where he was licenced victualler for many years and was the president of the Swindon and District Licensed Victuallers Association. He served on the Swindon Town Council from 1907-1920 representing the East Ward.

Old-time Everton followers will regret to hear of the death of Bob Menham former Everton and Swindon goalkeeper, later a director of Swindon, and a well-known licensee there. He is still regarded at Swindon as the best goalkeeper the Wiltshire club ever had. His nephew Gordon, was also associated with Everton about twenty years ago.

The Liverpool Echo, Wednesday, January 31, 1945.

Robert William Menham died at his home, 67 Eastcott Hill, on January 30, 1945 aged 73 years old. His funeral took place on February 1, when he was buried in Radnor Street Cemetery in grave plot C1057 with his two little daughters, Muriel who died in 1900 and Marian Annie who died in 1907. Bessie Leah, his wife, died in April 1953 and is buried in the same plot.

Bob Menham’s memorial cleared and cleaned today by Kevin.