World's first professional black footballer in Darlington to be celebrated in film
A grant's been given to the Arthur Wharton Foundation
Last updated 18th Oct 2023
A new short film is set to be released celebrating the world's first professional black footballer in Darlington.
The Arthur Wharton Foundation has been awarded a £7,700 grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to create and showcase “A Light that Never Fades” – a film that will explore the story of Arthur Wharton.
Arthur Wharton was born in Jamestown, Ghana and moved to England at the age of 18 to train as a missionary at Cleveland College, Darlington. Here he took an interest in sports where his achievements led to his first season at Darlington FC in 1883.
He went on to have a successful sporting career playing for a number football teams, as well as becoming a cycling champion, a professional cricketer and a rugby player.
This new project, made possible thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will focus on exploring the years that followed his successes and will imagine how he came to understand the legacy he would leave behind.
Beloved stage and screen actor Derek Griffiths is set to play Wharton in the short film that local company Broken Scar Productions is due to begin shooting later this year.
The project will enable people from the local area and across the UK to learn who Arthur Wharton was, what he achieved, how his life ended tragically and how his legacy is finally being recognised and appreciated.
Beyond the production of “A Light that Never Fades” the short film will be taken into schools, colleges and community hubs across the North East by the Arthur Wharton Foundation and used as a resource to educate about black heritage, equality and diversity.
Shaun Campbell, Founder of the Arthur Wharton Foundation said: “We are pleased to get this fantastic support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and we are sure our project “A Light that Never Fades” will help people understand and appreciate the impact and legacy that Arthur Wharton left behind.
"It's easy to forget about the very sad demise of Arthur and what the back end of his life was like. As somebody who achieved so much in life and yet was laid to rest, he became a forgotten person. He died in 1930 and he eventually got a headstone in 1997 or 1998.
"Anybody who comes to the North East, you've got to earn your stripes. The people are honest and grounded. There's an element on them embracing you that must make you feel good about yourself. I would think that for Arthur to be given that opportunity and to have accepted that, as a young man who came from Ghana, must have been wonderful."
Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We’re delighted to support The Arthur Wharton Foundation with this important project to explore and highlight the fascinating story of the world’s first black professional footballer. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, more people will be able to learn about the significant impact he had on the UK’s sporting and cultural heritage.”