Edward Charles William [sometimes Werner] Roeder was born in Germany and came to Adelaide about 1890. His father was a Dr. Wilhelm Roeder of Heidelberg, Germany. Edward married Alice Clarry at a private residence in the Adelaide suburb of Prospect in 1897, and they went on to have two children. In the 1890s he was working as a sales rep for Fowler’s grocery company and his name was often in the papers as he was a man of many talents. He organized one of the first soccer clubs in Adelaide, Pioneers, who played intermittent and poorly recorded games against a handful of other clubs not under the aegis of an organized association. He played in an Adelaide selection against the crew of HMS Ringarooma at Prince Alfred College in 1893. Here he apparently earned the nickname of “Bismarck” because of the huge metal shinpads he wore.
Roeder was also a renowned singer, often in demand at concerts and parties, and a keen tennis player. Chess was another of his accomplishments. He was named as the chairman of the British Association Football League of South Australia in 1895, an organization which was struggling to keep the game alive. There were no more club games, and the association’s activities seemed to be limited to suggesting games against other states or visiting ships- none of which happened.
Early SA soccer historian Jimmie Stewart wrote a newspaper article in 1925 in which he claims that another tentative soccer association was established in 1898. Roeder was mentioned as a committee member. However, there was no mention of this in the press at the time. A more robust association was finally formed in 1902, but without Roeder on the committee. However, he did play several league games for the North Adelaide club in 1903-04, after which he seemed to end his association with the game.
The Roeders had moved to Broken Hill before 1909. E.C.W. had been a member of the militia since 1897, and at the Barrier he became more heavily involved, commanding units and organizing camps. When the German Club at Broken Hill was burnt down by rioters on New Year’s Eve 1914, a Mr Roeder was mentioned as the manager. It is not certain if this was E.C.W.- he may have left for Adelaide before this time.
In 1914 he transferred to the army engineers with the rank of 2nd lieutenant. He didn’t serve overseas- he would have been in his mid-forties at this time- and in 1915 he was posted to Western Australia. Here he changed his surname to Chapman. Little is known of his later life, although it is possible he may have settled in Sydney.