Information AboutArnold Hills |
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Hills was the first President of the London Vegetarian Society (1888) and the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club, and also served as President of a London Vegetarian Rambling Club. He also founded '' The Vegetarian '', an independent magazine, as well as the Vegetarian Federal Union (1889), of which he was also President. He also had close ties with the Temperence League . Arnold Hills was also a keen Sport sman who was an English mile champion, and in his youth had played Football for his school team Harrow . He continued to play as an amateur for Old Harrovians after he left, even winning a Cap whilst there; for England , against Scotland on April 5 1879 at the Kennington Oval ; England won 5-4. In addition to his vegetarian activism, Hills was Managing Director of the Thames Iron Works , a large Shipbuilding business in London which had existed since 1846 . He chose to live among his workers in a small house in the East India Dock Road in Canning Town and organised recreational centres for them. However, he caused some bitterness when there was a strike over poor pay and working conditions by employing 'black' labour. Considering his philanthropy, it must have been a situation that troubled him greatly. In the summer of 1895 Hills, along with Dave Taylor , helped found Thames Ironworks F.C. , who would later become West Ham United . He believed that the local community should have its own football team and financially supported the football club until April 1904 , when after increasing disagreements with West Ham's board members over the pursuit of 'professionalism', he broke ties with the club. REFERENCES
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