On this day in 1949, Sir Samuel Hill-Wood, chairman of Arsenal, passed away while in office, the first Arsenal chairman to do so.

Hill-Wood became chairman of Arsenal in 1929, succeeding Henry Norris, and was at the helm during the glory years of the 1930s under Herbert Chapman.

Stepping down in 1936 due to the war, he returned in 1946 and remained as chairman until his death in 1949.

Samuel Hill-Wood
Samuel Hill-Wood via blog.woolwicharsenal.co.uk

A first-class cricketer, Hill-Wood also owned Glossop North End before the First World War and was largely responsible for getting them included in an enlarged Second Division.

His son Denis, and his grandson, Peter, kept a Hill-Wood as chairman of Arsenal until ill health forced Peter Hill-Wood to step down in 2013 when he was replaced by Sir Chips Keswick.