William C. Butler
Encyclopedia
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. He subsequently became a J.P.
and Registrar in Cumberland
.
(1793–1867) and Emily Bayford. His paternal grandfather was Sir Richard Butler, 7th Baronet
.
In July 1877, he married Emily Chadwick; they had six children – three daughters and three sons. The sons were:
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. He was the only member of the England XI who was not a member of the Wanderers
club.
His second appearance for England came in February 1871; the match report included an early reference to the Combination Game
style of football:
.
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.
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...
in 1870 and 1871. He subsequently became a J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and Registrar in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
.
Family
Butler was the son of Captain Charles George Butler R.N.Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(1793–1867) and Emily Bayford. His paternal grandfather was Sir Richard Butler, 7th Baronet
Sir Richard Butler, 7th Baronet
Sir Richard Butler, 7th Baronet was an Anglo-Irish politician.He was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Butler, 6th Baronet and his wife Dorothea Bayly, daughter of Very Rev. Edward Bayly, Archdeacon of Dublin. In 1772, he succeeded his father as baronet...
.
In July 1877, he married Emily Chadwick; they had six children – three daughters and three sons. The sons were:
- Henry Beauchamp Butler (1878–1952) who was educated at Charterhouse SchoolCharterhouse SchoolCharterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and became a solicitor. He later joined the Colonial Service in Nigeria and took part in the EgbaEgbaThe Egba are a clan of the Yoruba people who live in western Nigeria. Many Egba live in the city of Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.- History :...
Expedition in 1918. - Charles Walter Butler (1880–1941) who was also educated at Charterhouse. He became a soldier in the Suffolk RegimentSuffolk RegimentThe Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...
, fighting in the Boer WarSecond Boer WarThe Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
between 1899 and 1900, in the First World War, where he was mentioned in despatches twice, and in the Afghan WarThird Anglo-Afghan WarThe Third Anglo-Afghan War began on 6 May 1919 and ended with an armistice on 8 August 1919. It was a minor tactical victory for the British. For the British, the Durand Line was reaffirmed as the political boundary between the Emirate of Afghanistan and British India and the Afghans agreed not to...
in 1919. He gained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the service of the Indian Army and was invested with the O.B.E. in 1920. - William Bayford Butler (1888–1937) who, like his brothers, was educated at Charterhouse and also fought in the First World War with the 3rd Battalion, Border Regiment. He reached the rank of Captain and was decorated with the Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
Football career
Butler was a member of the Barnes and Civil ServiceCivil Service F.C.
Civil Service F.C. is an English football club based in the city of London. The club originally played both association football and rugby football and the Civil Service, along with Blackheath F.C., is one of the two clubs that can claim to be a founder member of both the Football Association and...
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"
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...
which took place before the first officially recognized international
Scotland v England (1872)
Scotland v England was the first ever official international football match to be played. It was contested by the national teams of Scotland and England. The match took place on 30 November 1872 at West of Scotland Cricket Club's ground at Hamilton Crescent in Partick, Scotland...
in November 1872. He was the only member of the England XI who was not a member of the Wanderers
Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
club.
His second appearance for England came in February 1871; the match report included an early reference to the Combination Game
Combination Game
The Combination Game was a style of association football based around team work and cooperation. It would gradually favour the passing of the ball between players over individual dribbling skills which had been a notable feature of early Association games. It developed from "scientific" football...
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.
Later career
Butler was enlisted in the Third Battalion, The Border Regiment where in 1884 he reached the rank of CaptainCaptain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
.
He was later a Justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(J.P.) for Cumberland and held the office of Registrar of the Probate Division of the High Court of Justice.