Chelsea FC Profile: Charles Harris
Full Name: Charles Harris (AKA Charles Renwick)
Born: Saturday, 1st December 1883
Place of birth: Wanstead, England
Died: Wednesday, 15th July 1964 (aged 80)
Place of death: Chelsea, London, England
Involvement with Chelsea:
Player from 1905 to 1909
Groundsman from 1919 to 1939
Trainer from 1939 to 1939
Charles played for Chelsea regularly as a reserve in the first few years of the club's existence, as well as his two first-team appearances.
After finishing playing football he maintained a life-long connection to Stamford Bridge. After the great war during which he served in the Machine Gun Corps, he was taken on to the ground staff and also became a trainer in 1939.
During world war 2, he served in the War Reserve Police, and up to a year before his death, he worked in a transfer box at Stamford Bridge on Greyhound racing evenings. Charles was also an expert masseur, practicing his skills for both Chelsea FC and the athletics association that also met at Stamford Bridge in the days before The White City became the predominant athletics venue in the area.
Charles' son Charles Renwick maintained the family link to the football club and was the chief cashier at Stamford Bridge at the time of his father's passing.
At the time of his death, Charles lived at 10 Wandon Road just over the road from the Stamford Gate at Stamford Bridge and Charles' funeral procession paused outside Stamford Bridge en-route to his burial.
Playing Career:
Chelsea (Aug 1905 to Jun 1909) - cost: unknown
Chelsea First-Team Career Summary
Debut: Saturday, 18th November 1905, Crystal Palace 7 - 1 Chelsea
Age on debut: 21 years 11 months 17 days
Last Appearance: Saturday, 21st April 1906, Chelsea 1 - 3 Gainsborough Trinity
Appearances
| Goals
|
* oth = other competitive matches such as Full Members Cup, Charity/Community Shield, Fifa World Club Cup.
Figures in ( ) are substitute appearances and are also included in the totals.
i.e. Charles Harris made 2 appearances for Chelsea, of which 0 were as a substitute.
Competitive Matches Played
Comp | Date | Home | Away | Att | |||
F.A. Cup | 18th Nov 1905 | Crystal Palace | 7 | 1 | Chelsea | 3,000 | ![]() |
League | 21st Apr 1906 | Chelsea | 1 | 3 | Gainsborough Trinity | 10,000 | ![]() |
Chelsea Graves Society Info & External Research Links:
Born Charles Renwick. After his father died, his mother remarried to a Thomas Harris and the children took the name. Charles seems to have used the name Harris in his football career but Renwick in official documents.

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