Oldest Living football league players

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

Jim Maguire, who played for Rochdale, Alloa, Brechin, Dumbarton and Queen of the South, is dead.

 

According to Scotland's People, there is only one James Smith Maguire born between 1929 and 1932. Significantly, that man was born in Eaglesham, which matches his Wiki page, but is 2 years older than originally thought. @Ulitzer95 could you tidy this one up please? 

 

MAGUIRE

JAMES SMITH

M

1930

561 / 3

EAGLESHAM

 

That man died in 2020 as per below:

 

MAGUIRE

JAMES SMITH

90

SMITH

M

2020

649 / 306

BARRHEAD

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

Hugman's footballers list a Swansea Town player called Bobby Hennings. Middle name Iva.http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/8790

 

Actually his name was Bobby Ira Henning and he died 17th March 2022 - https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/latest-death-memorium-notices-swansea-23557850

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

Charlie Twissell, Singapore-born footballer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Twissell - who served in the Royal Navy as a radar technician before joining Plymouth and then York City as a winger, died earlier this year. No online report, other than this probate:

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/search-results

 

Last name	First name	Date of death				ce
Twissell	Charles Herbert	18 January 2023

 

He turned professional in 1957 but was an amateur when he joined Plymouth. He had an extensive amateur career, gaining 5 caps for the England Amateur team and played for Great Britain in the 1956 Olympic Games. @Ulitzer95 and @Canadian Paul, FYI. He might have been the last surviving member of that team. 

 

 

[whoismakoto 286]

1 hour ago, Octopus of Odstock said:

 

He might have been the last surviving member of that team.

 

 

That title belongs to Mike Pinner who died on 2 May, 2023 according to a letter I received from his wife

[Sinbabad 826]

11 hours ago, whoismakoto said:

That title belongs to Mike Pinner who died on 2 May, 2023 according to a letter I received from his wife

What about Terry Robinson ? Both Wiki and Olympedia list him as alive, or at least do not precise his death date.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

Jim Cairney Wiki, died in summer 2018, in Canada - as per this notice from his son, in The Scottish Banner - https://www.scottishbanner.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/SB-4202-August-NA.pdf

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

Gwyn Morgans, former Southport and Wrexham player, died last month - https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/2023/july/rip--morgan-gwyn-morgans/

 

Mick Jakeman, ex-Leicester City, died 1st May 2023 - https://funeral-notices.co.uk/notice/jakeman/5122395

[YoungWillz 19,103]

Not sure where to put this (as not really League, I guess - English footy remains a mystery to me in large part).

 

Anyhow, goalkeeper Sid Negus, who was Fakenham Town's oldest living player, has died aged 96: 

Article from 2 years ago to get his position and age: https://footballinberkshire.co.uk/features/history-nostalgia/54007/fakenham-towns-berkshire-connection-with-binfield-and-ascot-united/

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

On 22/11/2021 at 20:46, Ulitzer95 said:

@Octopus of Odstock, decided to do a bit of research into Eric Hampson (b. 1921) and I believe I've made some progress.

He retired in 1954. By 1959 he had moved to Bognor in Sussex and was working as a confectioner and tobacconist. The source is this old newspaper clipping I pulled up from the British Newspaper Archive:



Crucially, it gives his wife's name as Ethel. From this information I was able to locate her through Ancestry in the family trees. She was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire as Ethel Morris (not far from Eric) in 1922. She died in Lewes, Sussex in December 1973. So they were still living in Sussex at that point.

Now I have great reason to believe Eric moved away after she passed away, and I think I can just about prove it. His listing on the Ancestry family trees is private, meaning he's listed as living (so either he is still alive OR he has died and nobody who has him in their trees has added his death details). There is one clue however. Their daughter Elizabeth Vivian Hampson (b. 1952 in Staffordshire) is listed as having died in Queensland, Australia in 2012. If family members have updated that, it tends to suggest he was still alive in 2012. His absence from the GRO Index and 192People would give strength to the idea he's in or was in Queensland. That's where you should look for your answer.

 

 

Having - finally - had the chance to subscribe to Ancestry again and to have the time to go through it, Eric Hampson is indeed dead.

 

Died in 1995.

 

Facts

• 1921(AGE)

  Select fact

  Birth

  11 Nov 1921 • Leek. Staffordshire

• 193918

  Select fact

  Residence

  1939 • Staffordshire, England

  1 source

• 194220

  Select fact

  Marriage

  Mar 1942 • Stoke, Staffordshire

   

  Ethel Morris

  (1922–1973)

• 197048

  Death of father Edwin Hampson(1894–1970)

  Apr 1970 • Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, England

• 197351

  Death of wife Ethel Morris(1922–1973)

  Oct 1973 • Peacehaven Sussex

• 199573

  Select factView

  Death

  1 Nov 1995

  1 source
• Select fact

  Burial

  Staffordshire, England

  1 source

 

 

[Ulitzer95 11,087]

21 minutes ago, Octopus of Odstock said:

 

 

Having - finally - had the chance to subscribe to Ancestry again and to have the time to go through it, Eric Hampson is indeed dead.

 

Died in 1995.

 

Facts

• 1921(AGE)

  Select fact

  Birth

  11 Nov 1921 • Leek. Staffordshire

• 193918

  Select fact

  Residence

  1939 • Staffordshire, England

  1 source

• 194220

  Select fact

  Marriage

  Mar 1942 • Stoke, Staffordshire

   

  Ethel Morris

  (1922–1973)

• 197048

  Death of father Edwin Hampson(1894–1970)

  Apr 1970 • Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, England

• 197351

  Death of wife Ethel Morris(1922–1973)

  Oct 1973 • Peacehaven Sussex

• 199573

  Select factView

  Death

  1 Nov 1995

  1 source
• Select fact

  Burial

  Staffordshire, England

  1 source

 

 

Sorry OoO, but this cannot be right.

The footballer, as we understand was born on 11 November 1921 in Stroke on Trent, Staffordshire.
Check record on FreeBMD – this birth existed.

The 1995 death record for "that" Eric Hampson lists his age at "78".



That would mean a birth of ~1917...
Check record on the GRO – confirms this individual was born in 1917.

In fact, here's the full record for "that" Eric Hampson:

Name	Eric Hampson
Death Age	78
Birth Date	9 Feb 1917
Registration Date	Nov 1995
Registration district	Newcastle Under Lyme
Inferred County	Staffordshire
Register Number	42
District and Subdistrict	7332
Entry Number	144

A quick look at FreeBMD pulls up the birth record for the 1917-born Hampson. He was born in Leigh, Lancashire, and his mother's surname was Aldred. This contradicts the family trees on Ancestry that match these birth and death records. They give his mother as Emma Adams. FreeBMD confirms that Ms. Adams was the mother of the 1921 born Hampson.

This is why amateur genealogy is so dangerous. One person matches the wrong record, and then lots of others on Ancestry simply copy it.

I'm convinced the real Eric Hampson moved abroad.

 

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

Her

1 minute ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Sorry OoO, but this cannot be right.

The football, as we understand was born on 11 November 1921 in Stroke on Trent, Staffordshire.
Check record on FreeBMD – this birth existed.

The 1995 death record for "that" Eric Hampson lists his age at "78".



That would mean a birth of ~1917...
Check record on the GRO – confirms this individual was born in 1917.

In fact, here's the full record for "that" Eric Hampson:

Name	Eric Hampson
Death Age	78
Birth Date	9 Feb 1917
Registration Date	Nov 1995
Registration district	Newcastle Under Lyme
Inferred County	Staffordshire
Register Number	42
District and Subdistrict	7332
Entry Number	144

A quick look at FreeBMD pulls up the birth record for the 1917-born Hampson. He was born in Leigh, Lancashire, and his mother's surname was Aldred. This contradicts the family trees on Ancestry that match these birth and death records. They give his mother as Emma Adams. FreeBMD confirms that Ms. Adams was the mother of the 1921 born Hampson.

This is why amateur genealogy is so dangerous. One person matches the wrong record, and then lots of others on Ancestry simply copy it.

I'm convinced the real Eric Hampson moved abroad.

 

 

Ah bumholes, thought we had it then. Let me do some more digging.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

Okay, there are a few updates though:

 

Name	Mr John Simm
Birth	24 Nov 1929
Death	12 Apr 2018
Residence	Wigan, Wigan, England

 

Stan Nicholson: His birth entry says his mother's name was Lewis

 

Stanley Nicholson

1931–2023

BIRTH ABT SEP 1931 • Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England

DEATH 15 FEB 2023 • Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England

 

Mother is Olive Lewis, so it's the same chap.

 

 

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

Tommy Hoyland, former Sheffield United stalwart, died recently

https://www.sufc.co.uk/news/2023/october/04/rip-tommy-hoyland/

[YoungWillz 19,103]

On 29/09/2019 at 11:23, Octopus of Odstock said:

Wilf Billington 28/01/1930 Workington alive in Australia

Wilf Billington reportedly dead aged 93:  https://cumbriacrack.com/2023/10/11/workington-reds-goalie-wilf-billington-dies-aged-93/

[Gisooo 2,548]

On 29/06/2022 at 15:13, whoismakoto said:

Egypt

Abdel Aziz Kabil             

14 March 1927

 

Abdel Aziz Kabil also known as Mohamed Kabil (Wiki) dead at 96

 

Mentioned also by @arghton in Foreign Personalities thread

[diego 1,833]

On 10/16/2023 at 4:45 PM, Gisooo said:

 

Abdel Aziz Kabil also known as Mohamed Kabil (Wiki) dead at 96

 

Mentioned also by @arghton in Foreign Personalities thread

The oldest Egyptian Olympian is now Wagih El-Attar, born on 22 February 1928. El-Attar represented his country in the four-man rowing event at the 1952 Helsinki Games, where Egypt was eliminated in the repechage of the first round. He had better luck at the 1955 Mediterranean Games, where he won bronze in the doubles limp. He now lives in Orange Country, California.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

Not football league, but Roy Erskine, now 92, should get an obit (of sorts). Why should Stirling Albion's oldest living player be so notable for a so-so career with them and Cowdenbeath? 

 

Because he's Judy Murray's dad, Andy and Jamie Murray's grandad, that's why.

 

 

[Master Obit 331]

@Octopus of Odstock - Do we know how accurate Hugman's footballers is for birthdates?

[maryportfuncity 10,017]

Thought this shot of Carlisle United's "legends" squad in their snazzy Slazenger sponsored sweaters might brighten the thread. A few notables and obitables Ray Train, Les O'Neill... still with us. 

 

Sadly, think Mrs Ure - front and centre - has gone. Can't recall exactly how many goals she scored that season. 

 

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

1 hour ago, Master Obit said:

@Octopus of Odstock - Do we know how accurate Hugman's footballers is for birthdates?

Relatively good, bear in mind the data on Hugmans comes from data compiled for over 40 years.

Of course, though, some people fudge their age.

I'd say it's 90 per cent accurate 

 

[Master Obit 331]

Just now, Octopus of Odstock said:

Relatively good, bear in mind the data on Hugmans comes from data compiled for over 40 years.

Of course, though, some people fudge their age.

I'd say it's 90 per cent accurate 

 

Cool.

The list on the first page, the ones that are GRO okay - is that up to 2021, or 2022 (or later?)

I'm willing to help in the sourcing of information as a result of my archiving work, so if you would be able to confirm what "x", "GRO OKAY", "alive" mean then it would be helpful.

[Master Obit 331]

Ray Griffiths died Q3/2022 in Warrington 

Norman Wood died Q1/2022 in Sunderland

 

None of the others on the first page were England or Wales casualties in 2022. Fire me any others you need checking (or any uncertainties from past years where you wasn't quite sure if it was the right one - I can check exact DOB) and I reckon we can get this list down a bit more.

 

[Octopus of Odstock 1,861]

GRO okay is up to 21  (haven't seen 2022 uploaded yet) and means there is no-one of that name dead in GRO.

 

Alive.means they're alive (for certain)

 

X means not sure.

[Master Obit 331]

6 minutes ago, Octopus of Odstock said:

GRO okay is up to 21  (haven't seen 2022 uploaded yet) and means there is no-one of that name dead in GRO.

 

Alive.means they're alive (for certain)

 

X means not sure.

It is on there if you are able to access the html. I also live in close proximity to the archives, so can check against the E+W death index there (which is up to Q1/2023 presently and which I'll work this list against when I next go). 

[Master Obit 331]

If you're able to supply me everything you need checking, then I can gladly supply you any deaths (such as the two I listed above.)