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Arnold Hills
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Arnold Hills
Arnold Frank Hills (12 March 1857 – 7 March 1927) was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and activist. He played once for the England national football team in 1879. Hills was an advocate of temperance and vegetarianism, and served as president of the London Vegetarian Society and Vegetarian Federal Union.
Hills was born in Denmark Hill, Surrey, on 12 March 1857, the son of Frank Clarke Hills, a manufacturing chemist, and Ann Ellen Hills (née Rawlings).
Hills was a British mile champion, winning the 1878 AAC Championships title, and was the three-mile champion in 1879.
In his youth, he played football and cricket for Harrow School, where he captained the first XI. After leaving Harrow, he attended University College, Oxford, where he earned a B.A. in 1880 and two football blues. He played as a forward for Oxford University when the team finished runners-up to Wanderers in the 1877 FA Cup Final.
After leaving Oxford, Hills continued to play as an amateur for Old Harrovians and received a Corinthian's Cap while with the club. He played once for England, against Scotland on 5 April 1879 at the Kennington Oval, in a 5–4 England win.
Hills was managing director of the Thames Iron Works, a shipbuilding business in London that had existed since 1846. He lived for five years among his workers in a small house in East India Dock Road in Canning Town and organised recreational centres for them. He also caused resentment during a strike over pay and working conditions by employing strikebreakers.
In the summer of 1895, Hills and Dave Taylor helped found Thames Ironworks F.C., which later became West Ham United. Hills wanted the local community to have its own football team and financially supported the club until April 1900. After disagreements with West Ham's board over professionalism, he ended his formal ties with the club and the Thames Ironworks.
Hills proposed that West Ham be formed as a limited company and became its major shareholder. He encouraged business associates, family members, and his workers to invest, promising to buy one share for every share sold to the public. He rented the Memorial Grounds to the club on favourable terms. Hills told the new directors that he would not interfere in the running of the club and, despite being its largest single shareholder, did not attend annual general meetings, ask to address meetings, or present demands or suggestions.
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Arnold Hills
Arnold Frank Hills (12 March 1857 – 7 March 1927) was an English businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and activist. He played once for the England national football team in 1879. Hills was an advocate of temperance and vegetarianism, and served as president of the London Vegetarian Society and Vegetarian Federal Union.
Hills was born in Denmark Hill, Surrey, on 12 March 1857, the son of Frank Clarke Hills, a manufacturing chemist, and Ann Ellen Hills (née Rawlings).
Hills was a British mile champion, winning the 1878 AAC Championships title, and was the three-mile champion in 1879.
In his youth, he played football and cricket for Harrow School, where he captained the first XI. After leaving Harrow, he attended University College, Oxford, where he earned a B.A. in 1880 and two football blues. He played as a forward for Oxford University when the team finished runners-up to Wanderers in the 1877 FA Cup Final.
After leaving Oxford, Hills continued to play as an amateur for Old Harrovians and received a Corinthian's Cap while with the club. He played once for England, against Scotland on 5 April 1879 at the Kennington Oval, in a 5–4 England win.
Hills was managing director of the Thames Iron Works, a shipbuilding business in London that had existed since 1846. He lived for five years among his workers in a small house in East India Dock Road in Canning Town and organised recreational centres for them. He also caused resentment during a strike over pay and working conditions by employing strikebreakers.
In the summer of 1895, Hills and Dave Taylor helped found Thames Ironworks F.C., which later became West Ham United. Hills wanted the local community to have its own football team and financially supported the club until April 1900. After disagreements with West Ham's board over professionalism, he ended his formal ties with the club and the Thames Ironworks.
Hills proposed that West Ham be formed as a limited company and became its major shareholder. He encouraged business associates, family members, and his workers to invest, promising to buy one share for every share sold to the public. He rented the Memorial Grounds to the club on favourable terms. Hills told the new directors that he would not interfere in the running of the club and, despite being its largest single shareholder, did not attend annual general meetings, ask to address meetings, or present demands or suggestions.
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