Stanley, Arthur - Please Don't Bury Me Alive!

ARTHUR STANLEY - PLEASE DON'T BURY ME ALIVE!

A growing category in our 'Famous Residents' section embraces those who spent their schooldays in Derbyshire. Here Peter Seddon puts the sporting 'Old Reptonian' Arthur Stanley under the spotlight and reveals some curious trivia connected to his accomplishments both in life and in death!

Hands up who has heard of Arthur Stanley!

If you have just raised an arm you must surely be either a relative or an ardent sports buff - for in common with many of his long-expired ilk, Arthur Stanley's star doesn't shine quite as brightly today as it once did in his Victorian heyday.

Yet this Old Reptonian holds a sporting record thought to be unique - the only man to gain both an FA Cup Winners' medal and to appear in a tennis final at the Wimbledon Championships.

Arthur John Stanley was born in Paddington, London, on 26 June 1853.

He was sent by his parents to Repton School, Derbyshire, where during the late 1860s he was first introduced to the then infant sport of association football - it had been 'born' in 1863 via the formation of the Football Association.

He soon acquired a proficiency at the burgeoning game and was a member of the Repton First XI in 1871. He was also a fine cricketer, and in the same year a member of the Repton XI.

A. J. Stanley left Repton in 1872 to go up to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he continued to play 'soccer' but did not gain his 'blue' - that is, the award of colours for playing in the Varsity game against Oxford.

After graduating from Cambridge he enjoyed a long career on the Stock Exchange in London, but continued to play football for pleasure. He first nailed his colours to the then leading association side Clapham Rovers, and for a time in the late 1870s was the club's secretary.

He appeared for Clapham Rovers at inside-right in the 1879 Cup Final against Old Etonians, when the Rovers were defeated 1-0. But a year later in the 1880 Cup Final he emerged with a winners' medal - on this occasion Clapham Rovers overcame Oxford University by the same single goal margin.

He also played football for the Old Reptonians, Upton Park and London.

With an FA Cup winners' medal already in hand, he had a shot at another emerging sport - lawn tennis. The now world-famous Wimbledon Championships had been inaugurated in 1877, and in both 1885 and 1886 Arthur Stanley reached the Mens' Doubles Final in partnership with C. E. Farrer.

The pair were beaten on each occasion by the celebrated Renshaw twins 'Willie' and Ernest - in three sets in 1885 and in four sets in 1886. Despite those reversals Stanley and Farrer were evidently accomplished players, for gaining even a single set from the Renshaws was quite an achievement.

Thereafter, by now in his thirties, Arthur Stanley faded from the sporting scene, but lived a long life.

He died aged 82 at 53 Lancaster Gate, Hyde Park, London, on 16 July 1935.

He left an estate valued at £18,491 and issued some unusual instructions to his survivors.

In his will he displays the not uncommon contemporary fear of being buried alive and goes to extreme lengths to prevent this - he said: 'I direct that before burial my death shall be certified and confirmed by a qualified medical practitioner, and that he shall also sever my jugular vein'!

Evidently Arthur John Stanley was a 'belt and braces' man to the very end. He may not be the most celebrated Old Reptonian of all time, but no other can match either his unique sporting double or splendidly quirky last will and testament.

Can you add to this piece? It has not been possible to find a picture of A. J. Stanley - can anyone source one? Just click 'edit' or 'discussion' to make a contribution.

[edit]

FEEDBACK

Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not comment on it? Perhaps you disagree with something in it, or you know something the writer doesn't and can add some extra facts. You may want to ask a question about this article. Making a contribution is easy - either click 'edit' to insert more information or 'discussion' and then 'add comment.' This is your site. Please feel free to use it to the full and share your memories, thoughts and knowledge about Derbyshire with others.

If there is no 'edit' link showing it means the article has either previously been published in the Derby Evening Telegraph, or it has been protected by the site administrator and cannot be edited.'

Other tags that are relevant to Stanley,_Arthur_-_Don't_Bury_Me_Alive!

Help us to improve Bygone Derbyshire by adding more tags to this article. Simply edit this page, find this area and add the words in a list separated by commas next to the *.

To find out more about tagging please click here.