Henry Norris (businessman)

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Henry Norris
Member of Parliament
for Fulham East
In office
14 December 1918 – 26 October 1922
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byKenyon Vaughan-Morgan
Personal details
Born
Henry George Norris

(1865-07-23)23 July 1865
Kennington, London, England
Died30 July 1934(1934-07-30) (aged 69)
Barnes, Surrey, England
Political partyConservative
OccupationProperty developer, businessman, politician
Known forChairmanship of Arsenal and Fulham football clubs

Sir Henry George Norris (23 July 1865 – 30 July 1934)[1] was an English businessman, politician and football club director, most famous for his chairmanship of both Fulham and Arsenal.

Business and political career

Born in

tariff reform.[2]

During

Randall Thomas Davidson as a personal friend.[3]

Chairmanship of Fulham FC

A keen football fan, Norris first became a director of

Chelsea Football Club. He was offered the chance to move Fulham to Stamford Bridge, which businessman Gus Mears had recently acquired, but Norris baulked at the £1500 per annum rent, so Mears subsequently created his own team to occupy the ground.[6]

Chairmanship of Arsenal FC

In 1910, Norris and William Hall each bought 240 shares (18.75%)

title deed.[9] The Arsenal Stadium
opened in 1913, and the club dropped the Woolwich from its name the following year.

Norris's most infamous contribution to Arsenal's history was his role in the club's promotion from the

Tottenham Hotspur. It has been alleged that Norris bribed or in some way unduly influenced the voting members of the Football League, in particular the league chairman and owner of Liverpool, John McKenna;[11][12] at the League's AGM. Many sources claim that McKenna made a speech recommending Arsenal's promotion ahead of Spurs thanks to the former's longer spell in the League (Arsenal joined in 1893, Spurs in 1908), although Wolves – who finished in 4th ahead of Arsenal – had been members of the league since its inception in 1888.[11] However, with no newspapers at time reporting on it, it is highly unlikely that this actually happened.[13]

Norris made one other lasting contribution to Arsenal's history. In 1925, after acrimoniously firing manager

English football in the 1930s, although later Norris cited Knighton's sacking as the only decision he ever regretted.[14]

However, Norris was not in charge by the time Arsenal had come to dominate English football. In 1927, former Arsenal director William Hall requested that

Lord Hewart, found in favour of the FA.[15] Following Norris' ban from football in 1927 it subsequently came to light that Charlie Roberts, Eric Shawn, Dick Fitzwell and Phil McCracken (all chairmen of Football League clubs in 1919) had accepted bribes from Norris.[16]

Retirement

He largely left public life after his enforced departure from football. He died in 1934 at his home in Barnes a week after his 69th birthday,[2] of a heart attack.

References

Specific
  1. ^ a b "House of Commons: Constituencies Beginning with 'F'". Leigh Rayment. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e "Obituary: Sir Henry Norris". The Times. 31 July 1934.
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84018-900-1
    .
  4. ^ "Mayors of Hammersmith and Fulham". Hammersmith & Fulham Council. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007.
  5. ^ "A Life Of Sir Henry George Norris". 13 February 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  6. ISBN 978-0-7553-1466-9
    .
  7. ^ "Did Henry Norris Buy Arsenal?". 12 April 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  8. ^ Spurling (2004). Rebels for the Cause. p. 33.
  9. ^ Spurling (2004). Rebels for the Cause. p. 37.
  10. ^ "Arsenal's Last Game Outside The Top Flight". 24 April 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  11. ^ a b Spurling (2004). Rebels for the Cause. p. 40.
  12. ISBN 0-600-61344-5
    .
  13. ^ "Did Football League President Favour Arsenal?". 28 December 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  14. ^ Spurling (2004). Rebels for the Cause. p. 47.
  15. ^ "Arsenal Chairman Given Lifetime Ban". 27 April 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Arsenal Chairman Given Lifetime Football Ban". 27 April 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
General
  • Mortimer, David. Classic Football Clangers. pp. 18–20.
    ISBN 1-86105-744-X
    .

External links

Media related to Henry Norris (businessman) at Wikimedia Commons

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Constituency established
 Member of Parliament for
Fulham East
1918–1922
 Succeeded by
Civic offices
Preceded by
Robert Harris
 Mayor of Fulham
1909–1919 		Succeeded by
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