Houlding and the rise of factionalism

Abstract

Born in Everton in 1832, John Houlding was an important figure in Liverpool politics and central to the foundation of professional football in the city. Houlding started out in life, however, from relatively humble beginnings. He helped his father in his occupation as a cow keeper (during Houlding’s childhood the district of Everton was semi-rural) before finding employment in a nearby brewery when his father’s stock was lost through cattle plague. Before long, Houlding had established himself as a licensed victualler and, eventually, was able to put enough capital together to set up his own brewery: Houlding’s Sparkling Ales. By the end of the 1880s he had added ownership of ten public houses to his brewery enterprise. Taking on a number of public roles − a civic-mindedness that earned him the soubriquet ‘King John of Everton’ − he enhanced his profile within the district of Everton. By the time of Houlding’s involvement with Everton Football Club he was overseer for the Township of Everton, a guardian with the West Derby Poor Law Union, a member of the Everton and Kirkdale Burial Board and president of the Liverpool Carters’ Union.