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Players Index Page Last Updated
12 August 2025
 
 

Billy Wedlock

Bristol City FC

26 appearances, 2 goals

P 26 W 19 D 6 L 1 F 89: A 19
85% successful

1907-14

captain: none
minutes played:
2340

Timeline

  William John Wedlock
Birth Thursday, 28 October 1880 in Ashton Gate, Bedminster, Somerset
  registered in Bedminster October-December 1880 Bedminster was part of the Somerset County Registration until 1889
Baptism Wednesday, 1 December 1880 in St. Francis' Church, Ashton Gate, Bedminster

 

Cannot be found on the 1881 census, but we know that William is born to Thomas James and Sarah (née Cox).

 

According to the 1891 census, William has two more younger siblings, making him one of eight, living at 2 Ashton Place in Bedminster. His father is a general labourer.

First marriage to Rosina Maria Lilly, on Sunday, 20 May 1900 at St. John's Church, Bedminster, Gloucestershire
  registered in Bristol April-June 1900
Children Billy and Rosina Wedlock have seven children together. Rosina Ellen (b.September 1900), William James (b.22 December 1902), Thomas George (b.11 September 1904, both sons born in Aberdare), James (b.24 March 1906), Lily (b.21 October 1907), Ivy (b.December 1910) and Frederick George (b.28 June 1911).
 

According to the 1901 census, William is a tanner married to Rosina, living at his parents home at 172 North Street in west Bedminster. They have a daughter, six month old Rosina. They live with his sister, Louisa and her husband and children, as well as three unmarried sublings. His father is a watchman at the Electric Light Works.
According to the Kelly's Directory of Bristol, in 1906, William John is living at Garnet Street in Bedminster.

 

His father died in January 1909.
According to the 1911 census, William John is a professional footballer, still married, now with five more children. Three sons, William, Thomas and James, two daughters, Lily and Ivy, all living at 44 Exeter Road in Bristol.
His wife and mother both died in October 1915.

Second marriage to Ada Louise Owen, on Tuesday, 16 April 1918, at St. Francis Church Church, Ashton Gate, Gloucestershire
  registered in Bristol April-June 1918
Children Billy and Ada Wedlock have three children together. Ada (b.14 August 1918), Ronald William James (b.25 March 1922) and Dennis John (b.8 November 1925)
 

According to the 1921 census, William J. is now a licensed victualler and now married to Ada. As well as the seven children from his first marriage, their is now Ada from his second marriage. They live at The Star Inn at Ashton Gate.

  According to the 1939 register, William J., a licensee, is still married, and still living at The Star Inn, 1 Bower Ashton Terrace in Bristol.
Death Sunday, 24 January 1965 at 4 Clift House Road, Ashton Gate, Bedminster, Gloucestershire
aged 84 years 88 days registered in Bristol January-March 1995
Obituary
 
Funeral: January 1965 at Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bath Road, in the Arnos Vale area of Bristol.
"WEDLOCK William John of 4 Clift House Road Ashton Gate Bristol died 25 January 1965 Probate Bristol 27 July to Ada Louise Wedlock widow. £1057." [2025 equivalent: £17,933].
His second wife, Ada, died 25 February 1978, and is buried with Billy, his first wife, and one of his daughters, Rosina, who had died in 1930.

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

Playing Career

Club(s) Began his football career playing with Masonic Rovers FC and Bristol Melrose FC. Je joined Arlington Rovers FC and made with them for four years, during which time he signed amateur forms with Bristol City FC and represented Gloucestershire FA. From the 1899-1900 season, Wedlock was a part-time professional with Aberdare Athletic FC, until Bristol City FC eventually signed him for the 1905 season, and he remained until his retirment in 1921, completing 403 league appearances.
Club honours Welsh Cup runners-up 1903-04, 1904-05; Football League Division Two winners 1905-06, Division One runners-up 1906-07; FA Cup runners-up 1908-09;
Individual honours Football League (three appearances)
Distinctions The Wedlock Stand is named in his honour at Ashton Gate Stadium
Height/Weight 5' 4½", 10st. 7lbs [1909].

Source

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

England Career

Player number One of five who became 321st players (322) to appear for England
Position(s) Centre-half
First match No. 89, 16 February 1907, England 1 Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Goodison Park, Walton, Liverpool, aged 26 years 111 days.
Last match No. 118, 16 March 1914, Wales 0 England 2, a British Championship match at Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff, aged 33 years 139 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1906-07, 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1910-11, 1911-12, 1913-14;
Team honours British Championship shared 1907-08, 1911-12, winners 1908-09, 1910-11;
Individual honours FA Tour of South Africa 1910 (including the three tests), England's Joint-Top Goalscorer (one 1914 - the second non-forward to top the list).
Distinctions Held the record for record number of consecutive England appearances (25, 1907-12). He was also the oldest goalscorer from March 1914 until May 1923.

Beyond England

A stone mason by trade. After leaving football he was for many years a licensee of The Star Inn, near the Ashton Gate ground, on the Bower Ashton Terrace. Later renamed Wedlocks. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.264.

 

Billy Wedlock - Career Statistics
Squads Apps comp. apps Mins. goals ave.min comp. goals Capt. Disc.
28 26 19 2340 2 1170 min 2 none none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Billy Wedlock - Match Record - All Matches
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 9 6 3 0 17 4 +13 0 5 1.889 0.444 83.3 +6
Away 17 13 3 1 72 15 +57 1 5 4.235 0.882 85.3 +12
All 26 19 6 1 89 19 +70 1 10 3.423 0.731 84.6 +18

 

Billy Wedlock - Match Record - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
British Championship 19 12 6 1 41 12 +29 1 8 2.156 0.632 78.9 +11
Friendly 7 7 0 0 48 7 +41 0 2 6.857 1.00 100.0 +7

 

Billy Wedlock - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1906-07 3 1 2 0 3 2 +1 0 1 1.00 0.667 66.7 +1
BC 1907-08 3 2 1 0 11 3 +8 0 0 2.667 1.00 83.3 +2
BC 1908-09 3 3 0 0 8 0 +8 0 3 2.667 0.00 100.0 +3
BC 1909-10 3 1 1 1 2 3 -1 1 1 0.50 1.00 50.0 =0
BC 1910-11 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 0 1 2.00 0.667 83.3 +2
BC 1911-12 3 2 1 0 9 2 +7 0 1 3.00 0.667 83.3 +2
BC 1913-14 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 19 12 6 1 41 12 +29 1 8 2.156 0.632 78.9 +11
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 19 12 6 1 41 12 +29 1 8 2.156 0.632 78.9 +11
All 19 12 6 1 41 12 +29 1 8 2.156 0.632 78.9 +11

Match History

Billy Wedlock -
 Club: Bristol City F.C. - 26 full appearances

F.A. International Select Committee - 26 full capsx


Age 26
1 89 16 February 1907 - England 1 Ireland 0
Goodison Park, Liverpool
BC HW   ch

2 90 18 March 1907 - England 1 Wales 1
Craven Cottage, Fulham
BC HD   ch
3 91 6 April 1907 - England 1 Scotland 1
St. Jame
s' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
BC HD   ch

Age 27
4 92 15 February 1908 - Ireland 1 England 3
Solitude Ground, Belfast
BC AW   ch
5 93 16 March 1908 - Wales 1 England 7
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
BC AW 30 ch
6 94 4 April 1908 - Scotland 1 England 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AD   ch
7 95 6 June 1908 - Austria 1 England 6
Cricketer Platz,
Wien

tour
AW   ch
8 96 8 June 1908 - Austria 1 England 11
Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien
AW   ch
9 97 10 June 1908 - Hungary 0 England 7
Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-pesth
AW   ch
10 98 13 June 1908 - Bohemia 0 England 4
Stadión Letná, Praha
AW   ch

Age 28
11 99 13 February 1909 - England 4 Ireland 0
Horton Park Avenue, Bradford
BC HW   ch
12 100 15 March 1909 - England 2 Wales 0
City Ground, Nottingham
BC HW   ch
13 101 3 April 1909 - England 2 Scotland 0
Sports Arena, Crystal Palace
BC HW   ch
14 102 29 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 4
Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-pesth

tour
AW   ch
15 103 31 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 8
Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-pesth
AW   ch
16 104 1 June 1909 - Austria 1 England 8
Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien
AW   ch

Age 29
17 105 12 February 1910 - Ireland 1 England 1
Solitude Ground, Belfast
BC AD   ch
18 106 14 March 1910 - Wales 0 England 1
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
BC AW   ch
19 107 2 April 1910 - Scotland 2 England 0
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AL   ch
FA Tour of South Africa 29 June 1910 - South Africa 0 England 3, Durban, Natal Province
tour
AW   ch
23 July 1910 - South Africa 2 England 6, Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg AW   ch
30 July 1910 - South Africa 3 England 6, Cape Town, Cape Province AW   ch

Age 30
20 108 11 February 1911 - England 2 Ireland 1
Baseball Ground, Derby
BC HW   ch

the first player to make twenty consecutive England appearances

21 109 13 March 1911 - England 3 Wales 0
The Den, New Cross
BC HW   ch

the first player to make 21 consecutive England appearances

22 110 1 April 1911 - England 1 Scotland 1
Goodison Park, Liverpool
BC HD   ch

the first player to make 22 consecutive England appearances
Age 31
23 111 10 February 1912 - Ireland 1 England 6
Dalymount Park, Dublin
BC AW   ch

the first player to make 23 consecutive England appearances

24 112 11 March 1912 - Wales 0 England 2
The Racecourse, Wrexham
BC AW   ch

the first player to make 24 consecutive England appearances

25 113 23 March 1912 - Scotland 1 England 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AD   ch
 

the first player to make 25 consecutive England appearances
Age 33
- 117 14 February 1914 - England 0 Ireland 3, Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough BC HL - -
26 118 16 March 1914 - Wales 0 England 2
Ninian Park, Cardiff
BC AW 70 ch
- 119 4 April 1914 - Scotland 3 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow BC AL - -