10.8.14

1891 Census- England

Here are the 1891 Census details on the England XI who lined up against Scotland at Ewood Park on 6th April 1891. Only 8 of the players can be positively identified in the Census records.  Interestingly, of those 8, 5 were living with their parents. Whereas only Billy Moon was actually an amateur (and he captained the team on this occasion), only 3 of the other 7 put their occupation down as professional footballer.



Age
M?
Occupation
Circumstances
GK
(William Robert) Billy Moon (c)
(Old Westminsters)



22
S
Solicitor
Moon was living with his widowed mother at  45 Portsdown Road, Paddington. His mother was described as 'living on her means'. Also at home were a 21 yr old brother who was a medical student, 3 teenage sisters, a housemaid and a cook.

RB
Bob Howarth 
(Preston North End)

25
M
Solicitor's clerk
Howarth lived at The Cross Keys, Market Place Preston with his wife Elizabeth and their 2 sons aged 4 and 2.

LB
Bob Holmes
(Preston North End)

23
S
Professional footballer
Lodging at The Grapes Inn, 42 Church Street Preston.
 
RH
Albert Smith
(Nottingham Forest)
22
S
Clerk
Lived at   45 Hutchinson Street Nottingham with his shoemaker father, his mother (described as a parish visitor) and his 19 yr old sister who was a warehouse girl.

CH
Johnny Holt
(Everton)

 25
No conclusive evidence found.
LH
Alf Shelton   
(Notts County)
23
S
Professional football player
He lived with his widower father and an elderly lodger at Castle Rd in Nottingham.

OR
Billy Bassett
(West Bromwich Albion)

22
S
Writing clerk
William Isiah Basset appears in all censuses as William J or William Jas. Bassett. He was living with his parents at 28 Nichols Street West Bromwich. Contrary to what Wikipedia says he had an older brother. Bassett had 4 siblings living at home.

IR
John Goodall 
(Derby County)

 27
M
Tobacconist
Living with his wife and 3 infants. There was also a servant in the house, 34 Dexter Street in Litchurch, Derby.

CF
Fred Geary 
(Everton)

 23
absent from the 1891 census
IL
Edgar Chadwick   
(Everton)
21
S
Professional footballer
The eldest of 7 children living at home with their baker/grocer parents in Blackburn. 

OL
Alf Milward
(Everton)

20
absent from the 1891 census