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Harry Hampton Aston Villa

A

andygeorge

proper brummie kid
Later this year there is going to be an exhibition at the National Football Museum, it`s going to feature various footballers and the part they played in the war effort, one player that might be featured is Aston Villa`s legendary forward Harry Hampton, i have recently bought at auction his 1905 F A Cup winners medal which i am happy to lend, are there anybody on this forum that my be related to Harry or anyone that knows anything about his war record, there is some info on his wikipedia page, it would be great to find out more about Harry, who also played for Birmingham City as well.
 
Hello andy, I have been told that Harry Hampton is somewhere in my extended family tree - but only through marriage. Because I have been concentrating on my closer family I have not had time to research my exact connection or his war records. A cousin of mine - pomgolian - on this forum - may have more information as I believe she may be a closer relative of Harry"s. I have told her about this thread.
How great you bought his FA cup winners medal and offered to lend it to the exhibition. Because of my connection I will follow this thread with great interest. Hope you get some replies soon.
 
Hi Pollypops Really appreciate your reply, it`s great to know there are family members out there who are part of this excellent forum, the exhibition hopefully will feature Harry, the more information known about Harry`s war experience the better, Winning the 1905 F A Cup final and scoring both goals would have been his greatest moment in football (he was only nineteen at the time ), although he played and won another F A Cup winners medal in 1913, there is an interesting story of how his 1905 winners medal has actually survived to this day, i will explain if anyone would like to know.
 
The story goes regarding Harry`s 1905 F A cup winners medal along with his 1910 league championship medal and other famous villa players`championship medals, is that at the time the then Aston Villa Chairman, would buy medals and trophies from various players who needed a bit of extra income, then sell them on to a scrap dealer for their scrap value, somehow these few medals survived the melting pot, i wonder what became of his 1913 cup winners medal, as for his war record, i have searched through the forum and found out he was with the RAMC other than that, it is all i know
 
Just a follow up on what i have found regarding Harry Hampton`s war record, according to the Great War Forum, private Joseph Harry Hampton No 508656 1st London Divisional Field Ambulance RAMC, i will contact Aston Villa next week to see if they have anymore info other than that
 
Thanks Andy for your reply, had a look on Wikipedia and there's a photo of him scoring in the 1905 F.A. Cup you may have seen this though. would you let us know how you get on after you contact Villa?
 
It`s a great photo of Harry scoring Villa`s 1st goal, if you look closely in the photo you will notice Aston Villa players wearing black armbands, the Lord Mayor had died the day before, i will try and contact Laure Mansell Villa`s archivist who might shed some light on Harry`s war experiences
 
The 3rd Birmingham Pals (16th Royal Warwicks) had two former VIlla (wash my mouth with soap and water!) Players.
1905 FA Cup winner, Joseph "Jack" Windmill rose to the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major and gained the Military Cross and theDistinguished Conduct Medal for bravery.After the war he continued in the teaching profession and was appointed headmaster of Brook Street School, Wordsley in 1922. Windmill died at his Kingswinford home in 1927 aged 46

Albert Evans. He missed the 1905 FA Cup Final having broke his leg for the third time. He was then transferred to WBA and broke his leg again. Playing in a charity match in 1915 he broke his leg again. However, his Medal Index Card shows he went to France with his battalion on 21 Novemeber 1915.

Terry.
 
Thanks Terry for your reply, sorry it has taken so long to respond, I will mention to the National Football Museum about Jack Windmill, although he didn`t have a long football career, winning an F A Cup winners medal is still pretty special, and to win the Military Cross and the DCM is some achievement, he could be a real possibility to be a featured player in the exhibition, Albert Evans is another interesting Villa player, he was part of their great double winning team of 1896-97, he also won two league championship medals with Villa as well, interesting that he went to France in 1915, considering he would have been 40 years of age when the war started, i will shortly be contacting Villa about these and any other Villa players that served their country during WW1
 
A Pal at work is related to "Dicky" York who played for Villa and England. He served in the RFC/RAF in WW1. There's another one!

Terry
 
Thanks Terry Yet another great Aston Villa player that has served his country in World War One, i have seen a postcard of Dicky in his uniform, i am visiting Villa Park on the 4th of July to see the club historian, i will ask her what details she has on the Villa players that fought in the war regards Andy
 
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