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Players Index Page Last Updated
17 February 2019
 
 

Harry Thickitt

Sheffield United FC

 2 appearances, 0 goals

P 2 W 2 D 0 L 0 F 6: A 1
100% successful
1899

disciplined: none
captain: none
minutes played: 180

Harry Thickitt

Timeline
  Henry Thickitt
Birth 28 March 1872 in Hexthorpe, Doncaster, West Riding of Yorkshire [registered in Doncaster, June 1872]..
Baptism 9 August 1874, along with his brother, Joseph James, at St. James' Church, Doncaster. Living at Fitzwilliam Street, his father is a blacksmith.

 

 

According to the 1881 census, Henry is the fourth of six children to Henry and Fanny. They live at 2 Portland Terrace in the Balby-with-Hexthorpe area of Doncaster. His father is an engine smith at the works.
The West Yorkshire Electoral Register puts them at Spring Terrace, from 1887-89.
The youngest of the six, Elizabeth, would drown in 1888...
"A GIRL DROWNED AT DONCASTER
"An inquest was held to-day at the Prior Well Inn, Hexthorpe, Doncaster, touching the death of Elizabeth Thickett, aged 9, daughter of Henry Thickett. The girl was gathering flowers near the river on Sunday night, when she fell into the water. A young man named Gornall tried to get her out, but could not, and a brass turner, named John Gornall, also vainly attempted. James Shircliffe, a labourer, dived in, but the water was thick and muddy, and he could not find the deceased. Eventually he got her out with a boat hook, but she was quite dead. The coroner said where the deceased fell into the river was a dangerous place, and had no rail round it. A verdict of "Accidentally drowned" was returned." - The Evening Telegraph and Star, Monday, 9 July 1888.
 

According to the 1891 census, Henry is a brass finisher living with his widowed mother and three siblings, the youngest been the seventh child. Along with two boarders, they all live at 43 Hexthorpe Road in Hexthorpe.
The West Yorkshire Electoral Register puts Thickitt at 43 Hexthorpe Road between 1890-92

First Marriage to Anna Maria Robinson, 15 March 1892 at St. James' Church in Doncaster [registered in Doncaster, March 1892], Anna died 6 April 1901
 

According to the 1901 census, Harry is a professional footballer, married to Anna Maria and they have four children, Charlotte, Norman Edward, Enid Madge and Francis Alice. They have George Hedley, a fellow professional footballer boarding with them. And they all live with Betsy Marie Jackson, a retired cowkeeper, and Anna Maria's aunty, at 66 Urban Road in Balby-with-Hexthorpe.
"SHEFFIELD UNITED FOOTBALLER FINED
"Yesterday, at Doncaster, Harry Thickett, the well-known Sheffield footballer, was summoned for trespassing on the Great Northern Railway Company's premises on the 25th of September last. Evidence having been called, the defendant said he had gone through the gates in question on and off for seven years. He was stopped some twelve months ago and had not been until the date in question. He would not have gone through then had he not been pressed for time. It was after eight o'clock when he was stopped, and his train left for Sheffield at 8.15.—Fined 5s. and costs." - The Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, Tuesday, 14 November 1898.
Second Marriage: Minnie Avill on 4 August 1902 at St. Jude's Church in Hexthorpe [registered in Doncaster, September 1902].

According to the 1911 census, Henry is a football team manager and married to Minnie. They have four children, Thomas Avill, Henry Ruby, William Emerson and Leonard Wake, as well has his three older children from his previous marriage. They live at 159 Coronation Road in Bristol.
"AN OLD HOTEL BILL.
"A Former Sheffield United Played Sued.
"Harry Thickett, of Trowbridge, the international football player, who was associated with Sheffield United at its most successful period, and up till recently was manager for Bristol City, figured as the defendant in an action before his Honour Judge Benson at Sheffield County Court to-day.
"Thickett was sued for £3 13s 2d. in respect of board, meals, and refreshments supplied for himself and football friends at the King's Arms Hotel, Sheffield, during May, 1910.
"Mr. W.I. Mitchell appeared for the plantiff, Mr. A.T. Winby, manager of the hotel.
"Evidence was given as to the rendering of the account to Bristol on numerous occasions, and its subsequent return through the Dead Letter Office.
"Defendant declared that the bill had been paid, but that as he worked as a limited liability company he did not have the receipts. He added that he had stayed at the hotel at various times over a period of twenty years.
"His Honour found for the plaintiff for the amount claimed." - The Yorkshire Telegraph and Star, Friday, 8 August 1913.
"TOO FAT FOR THE ARMY
"Harry Thickett, of Trowbridge, the well-known footballer, has been rejected by the National Service Medical Board, with a weight of 24st. 7lb., and without troubling him to strip, the doctors marked his arrival at the examination station where was placed upon the scales, which went down with him permanently unfit." - Western Mail, Monday, 17 June 1918.
Death: 15 November 1920 at The Carpenter's Arms Inn in Trowbridge, aged 48 years 232 days [registered in Melksham, December 1920].
Funeral: 18 November 1920, at Trowbridge cemetery, officiated by Rev. P.A. Nash.
As he was a man of unusual weight (26st), the coffin required eight pallbearers, and instead of the usual custom of conducting the ceremony in the church, this was omitted and the whole of the rites was carried out graveside.
The mourners included his widow and family, a large number of licensed victuallers, and various past and present players from Bristol City FC, including Billy Wedlock and Joe Cottle.
His wife's gravestone (left) is erected in Doncaster's Hyde Park cemetery. And correctly states that Henry is interred in Trowbridge.

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career
Club(s) Began his junior career with local club Hexthorpe FC. He was signed by Sheffield United FC in 1890, playing one league match, leaving for Doncaster Rovers FC, playing twice, and then Rotherham Town FC, where he made ten league appearances, returning to United in December 1893 for a £30 transfer fee. He missed the 1894-95 season because of suffering with Typhoid Fever, but returned to play and complete his 259 league outings. After not re-signing for United, Thickitt was thought to be joining Plymouth Argyle FC, but joined Bristol City FC as player-manager in May 1904, retiring on 29 March 1905 after fourteen league appearances.
Club honours Football League Champions 1897-98; FA Cup winners 1898-99, 1901-02, runners-up 1900-01
Individual honours Football League (two appearances)
Distinctions Thickitt's son, Harry, was also a professional footballer, earning a trial with Barnsley FC and being signed by Bath City FC.
Height/Weight 5' 9¼", 13st. 6lbs [1899], 5' 8½", 14st. 7lbs [1901], 24st 7lbs [1918], over 26st [1920]

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

Management Career
Club(s) Appointed Bristol City FC player-manager in May 1904, retiring from playing a year later. In March 1906, he had left to manage Bradford City FC, but a change of heart saw him re-sign for Bristol City FC on 4 April 1906 until he was sacked on 6 October 1910.
Club honours Football League Division Two winners 1905-06; FA Cup runners-up 1908-09;

England Career
Player number 246th player to appear for England.
Position(s) Right-back
First match No. 66, 20 March 1899, England 4 Wales 0, a British Championship match at Ashton Gate, Ashton Vale, Bedminster, Bristol, aged 26 years 357 days.
Last match No. 67, 8 April 1899, England 2 Scotland 1, a British Championship match at Aston Lower Grounds, Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham, aged 27 years 11 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1898-99;
Team honours British Championship winners 1898-99;
Individual honours None
Distinctions None

Beyond England
He was the licensee of the Carpenter's Arms, Trowbridge, when he died. He weighed over 26 stone. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.245.

 

The Numbers
Parties Apps comp. apps minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain
2 2 2 180 0 0 min none none
minutes are approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stuck to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts % W/L
2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 0 1 3.00 0.50 100.0 +2

Match Record

Venue & Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts % W/L
Home - British Championship 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 0 1 3.00 0.50 100.0 +2
All 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 0 1 3.00 0.50 100.0 +2

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1898-99 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 0 1 3.00 0.50 100.0 +2
BC All 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 0 1 3.00 0.50 100.0 +2

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 0 1 3.00 0.50 100.0 +2
2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 0 1 3.00 0.50 100.0 +2

Match History

 Club: Sheffield United F.C. - 2 full appearances

F.A. International Select Committee - 2 full capsx


Age 26
1 66 20 March 1899 - England 4 Wales 0, Ashton Gate, Bristol BC HW Start rb

Age 27
2 67 8 April 1899 - England 2 Scotland 1, Aston Lower Grounds, Birmingham BC HW Start rb

Notes

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CG