John Houlding facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Houlding
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| Lord Mayor of Liverpool | |
| In office 1897–1898 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas Hughes |
| Succeeded by | William Oulton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. August 1833 |
| Died | 17 March 1902 (aged 68) Cimiez, Nice, France |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Occupation | Businessman, politician |
| Known for | Founding Liverpool F.C. |
John Houlding (born around August 1833 – died March 17, 1902) was an English businessman. He is most famous for being the Lord Mayor of Liverpool and for starting Liverpool Football Club. In 2017, a bronze statue of Houlding was placed outside Anfield to celebrate Liverpool F.C.'s 125th birthday.
Contents
John Houlding's Life and Work
Early Life and Business
John Houlding was a successful businessman in the city of Liverpool. He studied at Liverpool College. He owned a brewery, which made him quite wealthy. This allowed him to live comfortably for the rest of his life.
Becoming Lord Mayor
Houlding was elected to the Liverpool City Council. He represented the Everton area for the Conservative Party. In 1897, he became the Lord Mayor of Liverpool. This is a very important role, like being the main leader of the city. He was also part of some groups, including the Orange Order and he was a freemason.
How John Houlding Started Liverpool FC
Everton's First Home at Anfield
Before he started Liverpool F.C., Houlding was involved with another football team, Everton F.C.. In 1882, Everton needed a special enclosed field to play their games. They used to play in a public park called Stanley Park. A meeting was held at the Sandon Hotel in Anfield, which Houlding owned. This meeting led to Everton F.C. renting a field on Priory Road.
When they had to leave that field, Houlding helped Everton find a new pitch at Anfield Road. He paid a small rent to John Orrell, who was also a brewer. The very first football game played at Anfield was on September 28, 1884. Everton won that match against Earlestown with a score of 5–0.
Growing Problems at Anfield
At Anfield, new stands were built for fans. About 8,000 people came to watch games. Everton even became one of the first teams in the Football League in 1888. However, Houlding started to cause problems for the club. He increased the amount of money Everton had to pay him for loans. Also, the players had to use Houlding's Sandon Hotel to change their clothes before and after games.
In 1885, Houlding bought the land at Anfield Road from Orrell. He then charged Everton F.C. rent to play there. Orrell owned land next to the football ground. He wanted to build a road across Houlding's land to get to his own. To stop this, Houlding wanted Everton F.C. to buy his land and Orrell's land. If his plan worked, Houlding would have made a lot of money. The club would have been controlled by a few big shareholders.
Everton Leaves Anfield
Many members of Everton F.C. thought Houlding was trying to make money from the club. In January 1892, the club's 279 members met to talk about this issue. After another meeting on March 15, 1892, Everton F.C. decided to leave Anfield. They wanted to find a new home ground. Later that year, Everton F.C. moved to Goodison Park. This new stadium was on the north side of Stanley Park.
Founding Liverpool Football Club
After Everton left, Houlding and Orrell were left with an empty football ground. Houlding decided the best thing to do was to start a brand new football club. He named the new club Everton Athletic at first. However, the Football Association would not allow this name. It was too similar to the original Everton club. So, the new club was renamed Liverpool F.C..
Liverpool F.C.'s very first game was a friendly match. They played against Rotherham Town on September 1, 1892.
John Houlding's Legacy
John Houlding passed away on March 17, 1902, in Cimiez, France. He had been sick for a long time. He was 68 years old. At his funeral, players from both Liverpool and Everton carried his coffin. This showed how much they respected him and all he had done for football in the city. In November 2018, a bronze statue of Houlding was put outside Anfield. It is almost 7 feet tall and marks Liverpool F.C.'s 125th anniversary. A historian named Dr. David Kennedy wrote a book about John Houlding in 2022.
See also
- Founding Fathers of Merseyside Football
