John Edmund Bentley
Encyclopedia
John Edmund Bentley was an English sportsman who played in the first international rugby football match in 1871, representing England as a halfback.
John Edmund Bentley was born in Calver
, Derbyshire
, the second son of Alfred Crompton, an industrialist and Charlotte Selina Wilson. Alfred Compton Bentley (12 January 1812 - 1857) was the son of John Bentley and Martha Chetham, and younger brother to the wealthy John Wansey Nathaniel Bentley. He had married Charlotte Selina Wilson on 28 April 1842. He became an industrialist and at the time of John's birth had moved his family to Calver
, Derbyshire
, where was managing a cotton spinning business at Calver Mills, near Bakewell
, along with Robert Philips Greg.
John attended Merchant Taylors School
in Middlesex, where the sport of rugby was in its infancy. After leaving school he stayed in London and joined the civil service. Some time after his father's death in 1857 the family moved to London and by 1861 were resident in the London parish of Kensington St Mary Abbott
. Here John resided with his mother, his older sister Charlotte, older brother Alfred, and younger siblings, Eleanor, Walter and Arthur. The family were still living in Kensington
in 1871
Bentley, having played at school, did not play for the school's well known old boys side, Old Merchant Taylors
, because his playing years pre-dated its formation. Old boys from the school had been instrumental in the founding of Wasps
, but that was an open club based in north London and Bentley was based south of the river Thames. His club of choice was the once famous Gipsies Football Club
, based in Peckham
, that would afterwards become a founding member of the Rugby Football Union
in 1871. His performances for the Gipsies produced an invitation to represent England in the first ever international in 1871 at Raeburn Place
in Scotland. England were to lose this encounter, but Bentley was also involved in the return match the following year at The Oval
where England were the victors. Arthur Guillemard of the Chislehurst based West Kent Football Club
, who also played in those first two international games, said of Bentley that he was very fast and much helped by his weight and strength, "which on one occasion at Chislehurst enabled him to run-in carrying two of his opponents on his back as if they were rag dolls"',
Bentley continued to watch international rugby right up to his last years. His obituary in his old school's magazine, The Taylorian of 1914, recalled that "he appeared at the South Africa v. England Match last year wearing in his button·hole the old English rose that had figured on his jersey in his International Matches."
(born 1 July 1875) and Margaret Helen Elizabeth Bentley (born 1877). The family lived in Hammersmith, London and John's occupation was a professional clerk, by 1881 being a Clerk In General Office of the Supreme Court Of Judicature. John and Margaret had at least two more children, Francis Bernard Bentley and Walter Basil Bentley and by 1891 were residing with John's uncle John Nathaniel Bentley. In 1901 John was still practicing as a clerk, being a civil service clerk 2nd class. John's eldest son, Edmund Clerihew Bentley
(1875-1956) became a famous writer, journalist, and was also renowned as the inventor of the 'clerihew', a form of poetry. John Edmund Bentley died on 12 December 1913.
Early life
Calver
Calver is a village in Derbyshire, England.-Overview:Calver is a small village situated in the Derwent Valley, Derbyshire. The village is bordered by the River Derwent and intersected by the A623 trunk road, responsible for carrying traffic between Manchester to the west, Sheffield to the north &...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, the second son of Alfred Crompton, an industrialist and Charlotte Selina Wilson. Alfred Compton Bentley (12 January 1812 - 1857) was the son of John Bentley and Martha Chetham, and younger brother to the wealthy John Wansey Nathaniel Bentley. He had married Charlotte Selina Wilson on 28 April 1842. He became an industrialist and at the time of John's birth had moved his family to Calver
Calver
Calver is a village in Derbyshire, England.-Overview:Calver is a small village situated in the Derwent Valley, Derbyshire. The village is bordered by the River Derwent and intersected by the A623 trunk road, responsible for carrying traffic between Manchester to the west, Sheffield to the north &...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, where was managing a cotton spinning business at Calver Mills, near Bakewell
Bakewell
Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
, along with Robert Philips Greg.
John attended Merchant Taylors School
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Merchant Taylors' School is a British independent day school for boys, originally located in the City of London. Since 1933 it has been located at Sandy Lodge in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire ....
in Middlesex, where the sport of rugby was in its infancy. After leaving school he stayed in London and joined the civil service. Some time after his father's death in 1857 the family moved to London and by 1861 were resident in the London parish of Kensington St Mary Abbott
St Mary Abbots
St Mary Abbots is an historic church located on Kensington High Street , London at a prominent intersection with Kensington Church Street. The present church was built in 1872 by the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott in neo-Gothic Early English style. It was the latest in a succession of churches...
. Here John resided with his mother, his older sister Charlotte, older brother Alfred, and younger siblings, Eleanor, Walter and Arthur. The family were still living in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
in 1871
Rugby union
Old Merchant Taylors' FC
This article concerns the rugby club. For a list of eminent Old Merchant Taylors' please see Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood#Old Merchant Taylors ...
, because his playing years pre-dated its formation. Old boys from the school had been instrumental in the founding of Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
, but that was an open club based in north London and Bentley was based south of the river Thames. His club of choice was the once famous Gipsies Football Club
Gipsies Football Club
The Gipsies Football Club was a short lived 19th century rugby football club that was notable for being one of the twenty-one founding members of the Rugby Football Union, as well as producing a number of international players in the sport's early international fixtures.-History:The Gipsies...
, based in Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, that would afterwards become a founding member of the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
in 1871. His performances for the Gipsies produced an invitation to represent England in the first ever international in 1871 at Raeburn Place
Raeburn Place
Raeburn Place is the main street of Stockbridge, Edinburgh, and the name of the playing fields there.-Rugby:The first international rugby football game was played on the playing fields at Raeburn Place on 27 March 1871 between England and Scotland. It was won by Scotland, though England got revenge...
in Scotland. England were to lose this encounter, but Bentley was also involved in the return match the following year at The 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...
where England were the victors. Arthur Guillemard of the Chislehurst based West Kent Football Club
West Kent Football Club
The West Kent Football Club was a short-lived 19th century rugby football club that was notable for being one of the twenty-one founding members of the Rugby Football Union, as well as producing a number of international players in the sport's early international fixtures.-History:West Kent were...
, who also played in those first two international games, said of Bentley that he was very fast and much helped by his weight and strength, "which on one occasion at Chislehurst enabled him to run-in carrying two of his opponents on his back as if they were rag dolls"',
Bentley continued to watch international rugby right up to his last years. His obituary in his old school's magazine, The Taylorian of 1914, recalled that "he appeared at the South Africa v. England Match last year wearing in his button·hole the old English rose that had figured on his jersey in his International Matches."
Career and later life
John Edmund Bentley married Margaret Richardson, eldest daughter of George Clerihew, MD Inspector-General of Hospitals, on 23 April 1874 at St Barnabas, Kensington The couple quickly had two children, Edmund Clerihew BentleyEdmund Clerihew Bentley
E. C. Bentley was a popular English novelist and humorist of the early twentieth century, and the inventor of the clerihew, an irregular form of humorous verse on biographical topics...
(born 1 July 1875) and Margaret Helen Elizabeth Bentley (born 1877). The family lived in Hammersmith, London and John's occupation was a professional clerk, by 1881 being a Clerk In General Office of the Supreme Court Of Judicature. John and Margaret had at least two more children, Francis Bernard Bentley and Walter Basil Bentley and by 1891 were residing with John's uncle John Nathaniel Bentley. In 1901 John was still practicing as a clerk, being a civil service clerk 2nd class. John's eldest son, Edmund Clerihew Bentley
Edmund Clerihew Bentley
E. C. Bentley was a popular English novelist and humorist of the early twentieth century, and the inventor of the clerihew, an irregular form of humorous verse on biographical topics...
(1875-1956) became a famous writer, journalist, and was also renowned as the inventor of the 'clerihew', a form of poetry. John Edmund Bentley died on 12 December 1913.