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Charles Crump (born 15 December 1840, died 15 April 1923) was an English football legislator and administrator; Chief Clerk, Northern Division, Great Western Railway Company; and committed Methodist.

Early life
Charles Crump was born in Kingsland, Herefordshire, England, the eighth of 10 children of butcher Thomas (1797-1877) and Elisabeth Crump (nee Morris, 1805-1869). Charles' oldest brother Rev John Crump was a Methodist minister sent to New Zealand by the Wesleyan Missionary Committee, and his nephew through brother James Crump was Rev John Arthur Crump, FZS, who also emigrated to New Zealand becoming a Methodist missionary to New Britain, anthropologist, and zoologist. In 1853 when Charles was 13 years old, he moved with his parents to Shrewsbury, Shropshire, where he became a butcher's errand boy to older brother James Crump. Charles moved to Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, in March 1857.

Personal life
Crump married Ann Howard (1846-1871) on 31 October 1867 having one child Charles Crump (1869-1957). Following Ann's death, Charles married Clara Anne Gittoes (1857-1939) on 19 October 1876. They had five children: Francis Joseph Crump (1877-1878), Clara Ann Crump (1878-1939), Gertrude Alice Crump (1879-1964), Jennie Louise Crump (1881-1967), and prominent English civil engineer Edwin Samuel Crump (1882-1961).

Great Western Railway Company
Upon moving to Wolverhampton in 1857, Crump became a Junior Clerk in at the Great Western Railway Company Locomotive and Carriage Works on Staffordshire Road. He started as a Boy Clerk in the Wagon Office, then in the Locomotive Department. He was promoted to Chief Clerk, Northern Division by July 1868 holding this position until his retirement in December 1905. Crump organised weekend sporting activities for young men from the Great Western Railway, starting with walking, bandy, and eventually ball kicking.

Stafford Road Football Club
Weekend football kicking arranged by Crump for railway workers grew in popularity, and led to the establishment in 1871 of Wolverhampton's first football club, the Stafford Road Football Club. Crump served as inaugural captain and centre forward. The 'Roaders' played their first match against Wednesbury Old Athletic Club in the 1871-2 winter season. In 1881, Crump captained the 'Roaders' in the fifth round of the Football Association English Cup tie match against the Old Etonians. Crump played football into his fifth decade of life. The Stafford Road Football Club produce one England International, Richard 'Dickie' Baugh (born 14 Feb 1864, died 14 Aug 1929.

Football Association referee
Following retirement as a player, Crump became a highly respected national and international football referee, frequently refereeing Football Association Cup (F A Cup) finals.

Football Association administration and legislation
Crump was elected to the Football Association Council in 1883. In this role, his deep knowledge of the rules of football and quick mind led to his election as Football Association Vice President in 1886. Crump served as a member of the Football International Board and was renowned for his ability to solve difficult problems relating to rules and regulations of the game. Crump received the honour of presiding over the F A Cup final in 1911, presenting the winner's cup to Bradford City. Crump was elected a member of the Football League, where he served on the Appeals Committee.

Professional football
Crump was a leader in the opposition to the professionalisation of football, but when professionalism was accepted after a series of votes in 1885 Crump accepted the decision.

Birmingham District and Counties Football Association
When the Birmingham District and Counties Football Association was formed in 1875 Charles Crump was elected inaugural President, remaining in the role for 33 years until the time of his death.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club
Crump played a major role in the development of the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, refereeing the team's first match, and serving as Vice President.

Methodism
Crump was from a devoutly Christian home and he had lifelong links to the Wesleyan church. Upon moving to Wolverhampton in 1857, Crump joined the Wolverhampton Wesleyan Chapel on Darlington Street (now Darlington Street Methodist Church) where he was married to Clara Annie Gittoes, and where his funeral was held in 1923. Here he served there for more than 40 years as Sunday School Superintendent. Wife Clara Annie, daughters, and daughter-in-law were Sunday School teachers. Crump was a supporter of the Royal Wolverhampton Orphanage and President of the Wolverhampton Charity Association. When in the 1940s the Wolverhampton Wanderers proposed to play football on Sundays, submissions in opposition noted that the Football Association was established by Christian men, notably including Charles Crump.

Honors and recognition
The town of Wolverhampton honored Crump with a banquet on 10 December 1920. Charles and Clara Ann were presented with an 'illuminated address' and gifts. Later the same year the Birmingham District and Counties Football Association also held a banquet in his honour, giving an 'illuminated address' and a book of an 'address of welcome.' Mrs Crump was presented with a diamond pendant. In celebration of Crump's 80th birthday, the Football Association held a banquet in London to celebrate his lifelong involvement with the game. Crump was presented with £4,000, an 'illuminated address,' and a silken scroll and casket. A tribute in the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News of 27 December 1884 noted that 'No one connected with the Association game is more universally respected than the President of the Birmingham Association, nor has one, it may equally be argued, done more to raise and elevate the tone of football throughout the country.'

Death
Crump died on 15 April 1923 at the North British Hotel, Edinburgh, after attending the England versus Scotland football match at Hampden Park, Glasgow.