Francis Birley
Encyclopedia
Francis Hornby Birley was an English footballer who played as a half back. He won the FA Cup
three times in the 1870s and made two appearances for England
in 1874
and 1875
.
, Lancashire
, the son of Thomas Hornby Birley and Anne Leatham. His uncle was Hugh Birley
, who became Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
for Manchester
from 1868 to 1883.
At the age of 13, Birley started at Winchester College
where he remained until 1868. He was an all round sportsman who played for the school at both cricket and football. As a cricketer, in 1867 he took 7–73 as the college beat Eton College
, and in 1868 as captain he took 4–41 and 2–25. He was also a keen athlete and was the school champion at the pole vault
and high jump
.
to study law
. He was one of the first to study Law separately at Oxford (it had previously been taught as a joint honours degree with modern history). He was not a great academic, achieving only a third class Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1872, although he was more successful as a sportsman. In his time at Oxford he threw the hammer
against Cambridge University in 1872 and represented the university at football. As a cricketer, although he played in the fresher's match he did not get a game for the University, although he did win a University College cup in 1871 for throwing the cricket ball with a distance of 107 yds 2 ft 1 inch.
In 1873
he was part of the Oxford University
football team that reached the second final of the FA Cup
, where they were beaten 2–0 by the holders, the Wanderers
. The following year, he played for Oxford University
in the first ever varsity
football match against Cambridge University, finishing on the winning side in a 1–0 victory.
In 1873–74
, Oxford University again reached the final, and this time were victorious, defeating the Royal Engineers
2–0. The match was played at Kennington Oval on 22 March 1874, Birley's 22nd birthday.
Birley's first England
cap came against Scotland
on 7 March 1874, when "the Scots managed a 2–1 victory to avenge their 1873 defeat".
side, making his first appearance for them on 21 October 1873.
In 1875
he was one of several Wanderers players selected to meet Scotland at Kennington Oval on 6 March. This match ended 2–2, with England's goals coming from Birley's Wanderers team-mates, Charles Wollaston
and Charles Alcock
.
In 1875–76
, he was a member of the Wanderers team that reached the FA Cup Final
for the third time in its five year history, scoring in the semi-final
against Swifts
. This was his only goal for the Wanderers. In the final
, Wanderers met the Old Etonians
at the Kennington Oval
; Birley was now the captain of the team. The first match ended in a 1–1 draw, with the Wanderers victorious 3–0 in the replay on 18 March.
The following season, Wanderers were again victorious in the Cup Final
, defeating Oxford University
2–1, with Birley again the team captain. He made a total of 32 appearances for the Wanderers between 1873 and 1877; his last game was the 1877 FA Cup final.
He also played representative football for London and Middlesex
.
Although he played in the fresher's match he did not get a game for Oxford University. He did however play for Lancashire
, making his first appearance in a first class match against Hampshire
on 21 July 1870 when he took three wickets, helping Lancashire to win by ten wickets. He played twice more for Lancashire in the summer of 1870, and once in 1872.
He also made one appearance for Surrey
in 1879. His first class career took in five matches and eight innings in which he scored 65 runs, whilst he took four wickets as a bowler.
Most of his cricket was played for Cheshire
. In 1868 he played his first match for Cheshire, and between then and 1873 he played in nine matches and scored 316 runs in his fourteen innings, with five not outs, achieving an average of 35.11 with a top score of 106 not out.
in the Inner Temple
in 1876. He later worked on the Northern Circuit and became a Justice of the Peace
in Surrey
.
, Surrey) in Claridges, Lingfield, Surrey
. His wife's brother was fellow Wanderers player, Jarvis Kenrick
. He had seven children, two of whom died as infants. His two sons who survived into adulthood, James and George, both served with distinction during the First World War. At the time of the 1881 Census he was living at Hart Lill Mansion, Pendleton
in Salford
, with his widower father, two sisters and his wife and daughter, Margaret.
In the 1907 census, he was living at Claridges, Lingfield, Surrey. In 1910, Birley died at Dormansland, Surrey
, aged 60.
His sister, Caroline was a renowned geologist
. He was well-known as an ornithologist.
Wanderers
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
three times in the 1870s and made two appearances for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in 1874
1873-74 in English football
The 1873–1874 season was the third season of competitive football in England. Oxford University beat the Royal Engineers 2–0-National team:* England score given firstKey* A = Away match* F = Friendly-Honours:...
and 1875
1874-75 in English football
The 1874–1875 season was the fourth season of competitive football in England.-National team:* England score given firstKey* H = Home match* F = Friendly-Honours:...
.
Winchester College
Birley was born in ChorleyChorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, the son of Thomas Hornby Birley and Anne Leatham. His uncle was Hugh Birley
Hugh Birley
Hugh Birley was a British businessman and Conservative politician.Birley was born in Blackburn, Lancashire. Following education at Winchester School, he went to India, where he was the head of Birley, Corrie and Company, East India merchants...
, who became Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Manchester
Manchester (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester was a Parliamentary borough constituency in the county of Lancashire which was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its territory consisted of the city of Manchester.- History :...
from 1868 to 1883.
At the age of 13, Birley started at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
where he remained until 1868. He was an all round sportsman who played for the school at both cricket and football. As a cricketer, in 1867 he took 7–73 as the college beat Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and in 1868 as captain he took 4–41 and 2–25. He was also a keen athlete and was the school champion at the pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
and high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
.
Oxford University
In 1868, he went up to University College, OxfordUniversity College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
to study law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. He was one of the first to study Law separately at Oxford (it had previously been taught as a joint honours degree with modern history). He was not a great academic, achieving only a third class Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1872, although he was more successful as a sportsman. In his time at Oxford he threw the hammer
Hammer throw
The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...
against Cambridge University in 1872 and represented the university at football. As a cricketer, although he played in the fresher's match he did not get a game for the University, although he did win a University College cup in 1871 for throwing the cricket ball with a distance of 107 yds 2 ft 1 inch.
In 1873
FA Cup 1872-73
The Football Association Challenge Cup 1872–73 was the second staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. Sixteen teams entered, one more than the previous season, although two of the sixteen never actually played a match....
he was part of the Oxford University
Oxford University A.F.C.
Oxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
football team that reached the second final of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, where they were beaten 2–0 by the holders, the Wanderers
Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
. The following year, he played for Oxford University
Oxford University A.F.C.
Oxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
in the first ever varsity
Varsity match
A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two university rivals; in its original and most common form, it is used to describe meetings between Oxford University and Cambridge University.-Popular British and Irish Varsity matches:*University of Oxford v...
football match against Cambridge University, finishing on the winning side in a 1–0 victory.
In 1873–74
FA Cup 1873-74
The Football Association Challenge Cup 1873–74 was the third staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. Twenty-eight teams entered, twelve more than the previous season, although six of the twenty-eight never actually played a match....
, Oxford University again reached the final, and this time were victorious, defeating the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers A.F.C.
The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
2–0. The match was played at Kennington Oval on 22 March 1874, Birley's 22nd birthday.
Birley's first England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
cap came against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 7 March 1874, when "the Scots managed a 2–1 victory to avenge their 1873 defeat".
Wanderers
By now, Birley was had joined the WanderersWanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
side, making his first appearance for them on 21 October 1873.
In 1875
1874-75 in English football
The 1874–1875 season was the fourth season of competitive football in England.-National team:* England score given firstKey* H = Home match* F = Friendly-Honours:...
he was one of several Wanderers players selected to meet Scotland at Kennington Oval on 6 March. This match ended 2–2, with England's goals coming from Birley's Wanderers team-mates, Charles Wollaston
Charles Wollaston
Charles Henry Reynolds Wollaston was an English footballer for Wanderers F.C. and England.Wollaston played for Wanderers in the first FA Cup Final in 1872 and scored in the second final of 1873. In all he won five winner's medals, the first player to achieve this feat.He earned four caps for...
and Charles Alcock
C. W. Alcock
Charles William Alcock was an influential English sportsman and administrator. He was a major instigator in the development of both international football and cricket, as well as being the creator of the FA Cup....
.
In 1875–76
FA Cup 1875-76
The Football Association Challenge Cup 1875–76 was the fifth staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. Thirty-two teams entered, three more than the previous season, although five of the thirty-two never actually played a match....
, he was a member of the Wanderers team that reached the FA Cup Final
1876 FA Cup Final
Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Summary:The replay took place one week later at the same venue...
for the third time in its five year history, scoring in the semi-final
FA Cup Semi-finals
The FA Cup Semi-finals are played to determine which teams will contest the FA Cup Final. They are the penultimate phase of the FA Cup, the oldest football tournament in the world.- Location :...
against Swifts
Swifts F.C.
Swifts Football Club were a football team based in Slough, England.The club were founded c.1868 and played their home matches on a ground near The Dolphin public house, Slough...
. This was his only goal for the Wanderers. In the final
1876 FA Cup Final
Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Summary:The replay took place one week later at the same venue...
, Wanderers met the Old Etonians
Old Etonians F.C.
The Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
at the Kennington Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
; Birley was now the captain of the team. The first match ended in a 1–1 draw, with the Wanderers victorious 3–0 in the replay on 18 March.
The following season, Wanderers were again victorious in the Cup Final
1877 FA Cup Final
The 1877 FA Cup Final was a football match between Wanderers and Oxford University on 24 March 1877 at Kennington Oval in London. It was the sixth final of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup . Wanderers were the reigning cup-holders and had won the...
, defeating Oxford University
Oxford University A.F.C.
Oxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
2–1, with Birley again the team captain. He made a total of 32 appearances for the Wanderers between 1873 and 1877; his last game was the 1877 FA Cup final.
He also played representative football for London and Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
.
Cricket career
Birley was described as "a moderate right-hand batsman and a useful slow right-arm bowler, an excellent field. He was said to possess excellent judgement as a captain whilst at Winchester".Although he played in the fresher's match he did not get a game for Oxford University. He did however play for Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
, making his first appearance in a first class match against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
on 21 July 1870 when he took three wickets, helping Lancashire to win by ten wickets. He played twice more for Lancashire in the summer of 1870, and once in 1872.
He also made one appearance for Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
in 1879. His first class career took in five matches and eight innings in which he scored 65 runs, whilst he took four wickets as a bowler.
Most of his cricket was played for Cheshire
Cheshire County Cricket Club
Cheshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Cheshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
. In 1868 he played his first match for Cheshire, and between then and 1873 he played in nine matches and scored 316 runs in his fourteen innings, with five not outs, achieving an average of 35.11 with a top score of 106 not out.
Later career
After leaving university he became a barristerBarrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1876. He later worked on the Northern Circuit and became a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
.
Family life
On 1 August 1876, he married Margaret Kenrick (daughter of the Rev Jarvis Kenrick, vicar of CaterhamCaterham
Caterham is a town in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. The town is geographically divided into two sections: Caterham on the Hill and Caterham Valley - the main town centre. The town lies close to the A22, a few miles south of Croydon, in a valley cut into the dip slope of the North Downs...
, Surrey) in Claridges, Lingfield, Surrey
Lingfield, Surrey
Lingfield is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge district of Surrey, England. It is most famous for its horse racing course, Lingfield Park. Lingfield lies to the east of a section of the A22 which runs between Godstone and East Grinstead...
. His wife's brother was fellow Wanderers player, Jarvis Kenrick
Jarvis Kenrick
Jarvis Kenrick was an English association football player....
. He had seven children, two of whom died as infants. His two sons who survived into adulthood, James and George, both served with distinction during the First World War. At the time of the 1881 Census he was living at Hart Lill Mansion, Pendleton
Pendleton, Greater Manchester
Pendleton is an inner city area of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is about from Manchester city centre. The A6 dual carriageway skirts the east of the district....
in Salford
County Borough of Salford
Salford was, from 1844 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England, coterminate with Salford. It was granted city status in 1926.-Free Borough and Police Commissioners:...
, with his widower father, two sisters and his wife and daughter, Margaret.
In the 1907 census, he was living at Claridges, Lingfield, Surrey. In 1910, Birley died at Dormansland, Surrey
Dormansland, Surrey
Dormansland is a village and civil parish approximately one mile south of Lingfield in Surrey, southern England. It is bordered on the east by the county of Kent and on the south by West Sussex.The Prime Meridian passes just to the west of Dormansland....
, aged 60.
His sister, Caroline was a renowned geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
. He was well-known as an ornithologist.
Sporting honours
Oxford UniversityOxford University A.F.C.
Oxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winner: 1874 - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
finalist: 1873
Wanderers
Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winners: 18761876 FA Cup FinalMatch rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Summary:The replay took place one week later at the same venue...
and 18771877 FA Cup FinalThe 1877 FA Cup Final was a football match between Wanderers and Oxford University on 24 March 1877 at Kennington Oval in London. It was the sixth final of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup . Wanderers were the reigning cup-holders and had won the...