George Croughly Gordon
Encyclopedia
George Croughly Gordon was a Scottish amateur footballer who played for the Scottish XI against England in the first representative match
played in March 1870. He was a member of the British civil service
before settling in Australia where he worked as a telegraph construction contractor.
, London to Cosmo Gordon and Helen Hensley. His paternal grandfather was born near Tomintoul
, Banffshire
.
He was married to Mary Agnes Wallace and they had two sons:
who had been originally named in the side to face England in the first "international"
football match between representatives of the two countries. The match had been postponed by two weeks because the Oval pitch was frozen; by the time of the re-scheduled match, Kilmarnock was required on military duty.
The match ended in a 1–1 draw with the goals coming from Robert Crawford
for Scotland and a late equalizer from Alfred Baker
.
In 1881, he was in Auckland
, New Zealand where he was described as a "merchant" when he subscribed for shares in various mining companies.
He later emigrated to Australia where by 1884 he was in partnership with Matthew Moreton and others trading as "Gordon & Moreton", telegraph construction contractors. The firm was contracted to build the second section of the telegraph from Fairview, near Cooktown, Queensland
to Cape York
, for a distance of 168 miles, with work lasting from July 1884 to October 1886.
He died at the mining town of Cue
, Western Australia on 20 August 1899.
England v Scotland representative matches (1870–1872)
Between 1870 and 1872, the Football Association organised five representative association football matches between teams from England and Scotland, all held in London. The first of these matches was held at The Oval on 5 March 1870, and the fifth was on 21 February 1872. The matches, which were...
played in March 1870. He was a member of the British civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
before settling in Australia where he worked as a telegraph construction contractor.
Family
Gordon was born in KensingtonKensington
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...
, London to Cosmo Gordon and Helen Hensley. His paternal grandfather was born near Tomintoul
Tomintoul
Tomintoul is a village in the Moray council area of Scotland; until 1975 it was located in the county of Banffshire.It is said to be the highest village in the Scottish Highlands, but at is still significantly lower than the highest village in Scotland .The village was laid out on a grid pattern...
, Banffshire
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
.
He was married to Mary Agnes Wallace and they had two sons:
- Roy Stuart Croughly Gordon (c.1893–1960)
- John Glenny Croughly Gordon (b. 1899)
Football career
Gordon was a member of the Nomads club. On 5 March 1870, he was selected as a late replacement for Lord KilmarnockCharles Hay, 20th Earl of Erroll
Charles Gore Hay, 20th Earl of Erroll and 3rd Baron Kilmarnock, KT, CB , known as Lord Hay until 1891, was a Scottish soldier and Conservative politician....
who had been originally named in the side to face England in the first "international"
England v Scotland representative matches (1870–1872)
Between 1870 and 1872, the Football Association organised five representative association football matches between teams from England and Scotland, all held in London. The first of these matches was held at The Oval on 5 March 1870, and the fifth was on 21 February 1872. The matches, which were...
football match between representatives of the two countries. The match had been postponed by two weeks because the Oval pitch was frozen; by the time of the re-scheduled match, Kilmarnock was required on military duty.
The match ended in a 1–1 draw with the goals coming from Robert Crawford
Robert Copland-Crawford
Robert Erskine Wade Copland-Crawford was a Scottish soldier and amateur sportsman.He served in the Afghan War from 1878 to 1880, and was mentioned in dispatches...
for Scotland and a late equalizer from Alfred Baker
Alfred Joseph Baker
Alfred Joseph Baker was an English amateur sportsman who scored England's goal in the first representative match against a Scottish XI in March 1870. By profession, he was an auctioneer.-Family:...
.
Business career
Gordon was a member of the Civil Service at the time of his appearance for "Scotland".In 1881, he was in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand where he was described as a "merchant" when he subscribed for shares in various mining companies.
He later emigrated to Australia where by 1884 he was in partnership with Matthew Moreton and others trading as "Gordon & Moreton", telegraph construction contractors. The firm was contracted to build the second section of the telegraph from Fairview, near Cooktown, Queensland
Cooktown, Queensland
Cooktown is a small town located at the mouth of the Endeavour River, on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland where James Cook beached his ship, the Endeavour, for repairs in 1770. At the 2006 census, Cooktown had a population of 1,336...
to Cape York
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
, for a distance of 168 miles, with work lasting from July 1884 to October 1886.
He died at the mining town of Cue
Cue, Western Australia
- Further reading:* 'Along the Cue railway. Inspection of line with suggested improvements, visit to Georgina Siding'. West Australian, 11 June 1898, p. 5-External links:* *...
, Western Australia on 20 August 1899.