John Forster Alcock (14 April 1841 – 13 March 1910) was an influential English sportsman and football organiser. He was founder of
Football Association and FA Committee-member in 1863 – 1866.
Biography
John Forster Alcock was born in
Sunderland in 1841 to Charles Alcock (1807–1881) – a ship-owner and ship-broker – and Elizabeth Forster (1825–1891). He was the eldest child of 9 and the family lived on Norfolk Street (otherwise known as Sunniside), Sunderland and on the same street lived an uncle who headed the Alcock family's upholstery business. The Alcock family relocated prior to the 1861 census to the
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
area and both John Forster Alcock and
Charles William Alcock (his younger brother) attended
Harrow School.
Less is known of John Forster Alcock than his brother, but he was a ship-owner and ship-broker who represented the
Forest Club at the meetings that led to the foundation of the
FA in 1863. He served on the committee of the FA until 1866 when he was replaced by
Charles William Alcock.
[http://www.thefa.com/~/media/6779CE82FA2D48CCA499AC1AA3AF2A7D.ashx ]
John Forster Alcock died aged 69 in 1910.
Family
John Forster Alcock married Catherine Ruth Rouse (1848–1891) in 1867 and they divorced in 1874. He then married Augusta Lackland White (1867–1956) in Hampstead in 1886 and they went on to have three children:
Frank Alcock (1887–1917 Rhodesia Rifles attd Kings African Rifles
),
Augusta Theodora Alcock (1888-unknown),
John Forster Alcock (1896–1977).
References
;Notes
;Bibliography
*†Alcock, Charles. ''Football: our winter game''. 1874.
* Booth, Keith. ''The Father of Modern Sport: The Life and Times of Charles W. Alcock'', Parrs Wood Press. 2002.
External links
British Football Legends profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alcock, John Forster
1841 births
1910 deaths
Footballers from Sunderland
People educated at Harrow School
Creators of association football
Founders of association football institutions
English footballers
History of football in England
Wanderers F.C. players
English football referees
Association football forwards