Reginald Halsey Birkett (28 March 1849 – 30 June 1898) was an English

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who played for

Clapham Rovers Clapham Rovers was from its foundation in 1869 a leading English sports organisation in the two dominant codes of football, association football and rugby union. It was a prominent club in the late 19th century but is now defunct. The club play ...

, as well as the England national side. He also played international

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

for

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

1871 Events January–March * January 3 – Franco-Prussian War: Battle of Bapaume – Prussians win a strategic victory. * January 18 – Proclamation of the German Empire: The member states of the North German Confederation and the sout ...

, in the first international rugby match. In this match he scored England's first try.

Early life

Reginald Halsey Birkett was born in London on 28 March 1849. He was baptised on 31 May 1849 in St Botolph Bishopsgate in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

. His parents were

John Birkett John Birkett may refer to: * John Birkett (rugby union) (1884–1967), English rugby union player * John Birkett (surgeon) (1815–1904), English surgeon See also * John Burkett (born 1964), American baseball pitcher {{hndis, Birkett, John ...

(born 1816, Hackney, London) a surgeon, and Lucy Matilda Janson (born 1823 in Tottenham, London). Reginald got his middle name, Halsey, from his maternal grandfather Halsey Janson. He had a number of brothers and sisters including Percival (born 1851), Evelyn (born 1864), Arthus (born 1861) and Louis (born 1853). He was educated at William Jacob's school in

Calne Calne () is a town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Wiltshire, southwestern England,OS Explorer Map 156, Chippenham and Bradford-on-Avon Scale: 1:25 000.Publisher: Ordnance Survey A2 edition (2007). at the northwestern extremity ...

and

Lancing College Lancing College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding school, boarding and day school) for pupils aged 13–18 in southern England, UK. The school is located in West S ...

, for whom he later played club football. His brother was another rugby international, Louis Birkett.

Rugby career

Birkett was an important figure in the formation of the

Rugby Football Union The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the Sports governing body, national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby ...

as well. Clapham Rovers were one of the twenty-one London and suburban football clubs that followed

Rugby School Rugby School is a Public school (United Kingdom), private boarding school for pupils aged 13–18, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independ ...

rules that assembled at the

Pall Mall Restaurant The Pall Mall Restaurant was a hostelry situated at Number 1 Cockspur Street, Westminster, London, just off Pall Mall and near Trafalgar Square. The site was subsequently the offices of the White Star Line, and was then occupied by a Tex Mex r ...

Regent Street Regent Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London. It is named after George IV of the United Kingdom, George, the Prince Regent (later George IV) and was laid out under the direction of the architect John Nash (architect), J ...

and formed the

on 26 January 1871 and Birkett was not only present but also became one of the thirteen original committee members. Birkett was selected for the first international rugby match for

vs Scotland in

. In this match he scored England's first ever try, although at the time a try did not gain points, but rather was the means by which a team was granted the opportunity of converting the try into a point scoring goal. His brother Louis and his son John later also played for England. Of his rugby ability a near contemporary account states that he "''was very useful both forward and behind the scrummage, and had plenty of pace.''"Marshall, Francis, ''Football; the Rugby union game'', contribution by W Parker, (1892) (London Paris Melbourne, Cassell and company, limited)

Football career

When Reg Birkett was playing association football and rugby football, the two codes had not long been separated and the term 'football' could still apply to either. Whilst at school, he played both codes and was a member of Lancing's senior soccer team in 1866–67. He then joined Lancing Old Boys, and then on to Clapham Rovers FC, a club that played both codes of football and had distinguished itself in both. Birkett also represented Surrey FC. In 1879, Birkett had a season in which he both reached the FA Cup final and was selected to play for

. In the 1879 FA Cup Final, played at

Kennington Oval Kennington is a district in south London, England. It is mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, running along the boundary with the London Borough of Southwark, a boundary which can be discerned from the early medieval period between th ...

on 29 March 1879, Clapham Rovers were runners-up to

Old Etonians F.C. The Old Etonians Association Football Club is an England, English association football club whose players are alumni of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire. Having been a member of The Football Association and played several editions of the FA Cu ...

Birkett was the goalkeeper and was beaten at close range by a shot from

Charles Clerke Captain (Royal Navy), Captain Charles Clerke (22 August 1741 – 22 August 1779) was an officer in the Royal Navy who sailed on four voyages of exploration (including three circumnavigations), three with Captain James Cook. When Cook was killed ...

. However, despite letting in the only goal of the match, Birkett's prowess as a keeper was well respected and he went on to be selected for the England vs Scotland friendly international a week later, on the same ground. Despite conceding four goals, he was on the winning side, England prevailing 5-4. The following year, Clapham Rovers once again made it to the FA Cup final. The opposition this time was Oxford University A.F.C.

Clopton Lloyd-Jones Clopton Allen Lloyd-Jones (12 November 1858 – 7 March 1918) was an English businessman and amateur sportsman, best known for football and cricket. He played for the Clapham Rovers when they won the FA Cup in 1880 and was selected, but did not ...

scored for Clapham and combined with Birkett's clean sheet, Clapham prevailed 1-0.

Personal life and death

Reginald married Lizette Crunden in 1881 in

Cuckfield Cuckfield ( ) is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Mid Sussex District, Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England, on the southern slopes of the Weald. It lies south of London, north of Brighton, and east northea ...

West Sussex West Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west. The largest settlement is Cr ...

. They had at least two sons, Gerald (born 1883) and

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

(who would later captain the England rugby union side) (born 1884). A skin and fur broker by profession, he died at the age of 49 at his

Wimbledon Wimbledon most often refers to: * Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London * Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships Wimbledon may also refer to: Places London * W ...

home following an accident; whilst suffering from diphtheria, he leapt from a window while being helped into his bed and fell 20 feet to his death – at the inquest, a verdict of suicide whilst delirious was returned.

Honours

Clapham Rovers *

FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...

winner:

1880 Events January *January 27 – Thomas Edison is granted a patent for the incandescent light bulb. Edison filed for a US patent for an electric lamp using "a carbon filament or strip coiled and connected ... to platina contact wires." gr ...

runner-up:

1879 Events January * January 1 ** The Specie Resumption Act takes effect. The United States Note is valued the same as gold, for the first time since the American Civil War. ** Brahms' Violin Concerto is premiered in Leipzig with Joseph Joachim ...

References

External links

*
Player profile at the FA.com

iffhs article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birkett, Reg 1849 births 1898 deaths English men's footballers England men's international footballers Clapham Rovers F.C. players English rugby union players England international rugby union players People educated at Lancing College Rugby union forwards Men's association football goalkeepers Birkett family Suicides by jumping in England 1890s suicides Suicides in Wimbledon Rugby union players from London People from the City of London Footballers from London