William C. Butler

Captain William Charles Butler (17 January 1844 – 6 December 1914) played football for England against a Scottish XI in two unofficial internationals in 1870 and 1871.[1][2] He subsequently became a J.P. and Registrar in Cumberland.

Contents

Family

Butler was the son of Captain Charles George Butler R.N. (1793–1867) and Emily Bayford.[3] His paternal grandfather was Sir Richard Butler, 7th Baronet.[4]

In July 1877, he married Emily Chadwick; they had six children – three daughters and three sons. The sons were:

Football career

Butler was a member of the Barnes[1] and Civil Service[2] football clubs. In March 1870, he was invited by the Wanderers' captain, C.W. Alcock to take part in a match between "England" and "Scotland". This was the first of five "pseudo-internationals" which took place before the first officially recognized international in November 1872.[11] He was the only member of the England XI who was not a member of the Wanderers club.[12]

His second appearance for England came in February 1871;[2] the match report included an early reference to the Combination Game style of football:

It seemed as if the [Scottish] defence would prove more than equal to the attack, until a well-executed run-down by C.W. Alcock, W.C. Butler and R.S.F. Walker, acting in concert, enabled the last-named of the trio to equalise the score by the accomplishment of a well-merited goal for England.[13]

Later career

Butler was enlisted in the Third Battalion, The Border Regiment where in 1884 he reached the rank of Captain.[3][14]

He was later a Justice of the peace (J.P.) for Cumberland and held the office of Registrar of the Probate Division of the High Court of Justice.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "England 1 Scotland 1". England Unofficial Matches. 5 March 1870. http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1869-70/M00UOSco1870.html. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c "England 1 Scotland 1". England Unofficial Matches. 25 February 1871. http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1870-71/M00UOSco1871.html. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  3. ^ a b c "William Charles Butler". Thepeerage.com. 5 June 2006. http://thepeerage.com/p19467.htm#i194661. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  4. ^ "Captain Charles George Butler". Thepeerage.com. 8 February 2011. http://thepeerage.com/p19458.htm#i194578. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  5. ^ "Charterhouse register, 1872-1910". Charterhouse School. p. 506. http://www.archive.org/stream/charterhouseregi02charuoft/charterhouseregi02charuoft_djvu.txt. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  6. ^ "Henry Beauchamp Butler". Thepeerage.com. 5 June 2006. http://thepeerage.com/p19467.htm#i194664. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  7. ^ "Charterhouse register, 1872-1910". Charterhouse School. p. 533. http://www.archive.org/stream/charterhouseregi02charuoft/charterhouseregi02charuoft_djvu.txt. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  8. ^ "Lt.-Col. Charles Walter Butler". Thepeerage.com. 28 March 2008. http://thepeerage.com/p19467.htm#i194665. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  9. ^ "Charterhouse register, 1872-1910". Charterhouse School. p. 704. http://www.archive.org/stream/charterhouseregi02charuoft/charterhouseregi02charuoft_djvu.txt. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  10. ^ "William Bayford Butler". Thepeerage.com. 28 March 2008. http://thepeerage.com/p19469.htm#i194684. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  11. ^ "England 1 Scotland 1". www.londonhearts.com. 5 March 1870. p. 4. http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/images/1870/1870030504.htm. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  12. ^ Cavallini, Rob (2005). The Wanderers F.C. – "Five times F.A. Cup winners". Dog N Duck Publications. pp. 30–31, 143. ISBN 0-9550-4960-1. 
  13. ^ "Second International Match – England v. Scotland". www.londonhearts.com. 25 February 1871. p. 2. http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/images/1871/1871022502.htm. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  14. ^ London Gazette: no. 25316. p. 585. 8 February 1884. Retrieved 10 March 2011.