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10 January 2023
 
 

Reginald Welch

Wanderers FC & Harrow Chequers FC

2 appearances, 0 goals
2 goals against

P 2 W 0 D 1 L 1 F 1: A
2
25% successful
1872-74

captain:
none
minutes played:
180

Timeline

  Reginald Courtenay Welch
  also known as Reginald de Courtney Welch
Birth Friday, 17 October 1851 in Lion's Lodge, St. John's Place, Kew Road, Richmond, Middlesex
The Lion's Lodge in Richmond registered in Kensington September-December 1851 Paddington was in Middlesex Registration County up until 1889.
According to the 1851 census, Henrietta Anne Hele Fowell Welch (née Sprye) is pregnant with the child that is to become Reginald Welch. Living with her husband John, and three other children, at Lion's Lodge [left] in St John's Place in the Kew Road in Richmond. His father is a special pleader. They also have four servants.
Baptism: 16 August 1856 in Pinner, along with his brothers Frances Bernard and sister Amy Henrietta. Their father, Reginald, is stated as being a Special Pleader.
According to the 1861 census, Reginald C., a scholar, is now the eldest of six children who  live at Lancaster Lodge on Richmond Road in Twickenham. With six servants.
According to the 1871 census, Reginald C. is still a scholar, living at Lancaster House, in College Road, Harrow.  He lives with his parents, and six of his siblings, one of them with their wife and child, as well as a further eight servants...and a nurse!
According to the 1881 census, Reginald C. is lodging with the Halsey's at 57 Cambridge Street in Paddington, and his parents and some of his sisters can be found at Park Side, in Greenhill, Wandsworth. He is a Tutor of Law at the Lower Temple.
(His mother died in Cannes, 4 February 1888. His father died three months later in Kensington, 16 May 1888)
 

"A marriage has been arranged, and will shortly take place, between Adeline Charlotte (Memie), second daughter of the late Mr. Abingdon Compton, Bombay Civil Service, and Mr. Reginald Courtenay Welch, of 6, Southwick-place, Hyde-park-square." - The Morning Post, Wednesday, 5 December 1888

Marriage
to Adeline Charlotte Compton, on 22 December 1888, at St Jude's Church [left], Kent Road, Portsea, Hampshire.
The GRO Office in England records his name as De Courtney. The Register Office in Portsmouth records it as De Courteney whereas the original parish register correctly records it as De Courtenay which is how he signed his name. Reginald's address was stated as 6 Southwick Place, Hyde Park. He was the next-door neighbour of Frederick Brunning Maddison, who lived at number four.
"WELCH—COMPTON.―On the 22d inst., at St. Jude's, Southsea, by the Rev. J. S. Blake, M.A., Vicar, Reginald Courtenay Welch, of 6, Southwick-place, Hyde-park, son of the late John Welch, Esq., of the Inner Temple, to Adeline (Memie), younger daughter of the late Abingdon Compton, Esq., Bombay Civil Service." - The Morning Post, Monday, 31 December 1888
Children Reginald and Adeline de Welch had one son together. Walter George Frederick (b.7 March 1890)
  According to the 1891 census, Reginald De is married now to his wife, Adeline. They have one child, Walter, and they all live at 6 Southwick Place in Paddington with three servants. Reginald is an Army Tutor.
  According to the 1901 census, Reg Courtney is now a Principal at the Army College, based at Aldershot. He is at The Headland Hotel in Jubilee Street, Newquay with his son Walter on the night of the census.
Bizarrely, Courtenay is also at home, according to the census. With his wife and only son, Walter, at Cranmore House on Cranmore Lane, Aldershot. Still an Army Tutor.
Divorce

Petition for 'Judicial Separation' was filed on 7 January 1911
According to the 1911 census, Reginald Courtenay is still the Principal at the Army College, at Heath End in Farnham. His now separated wife is staying at her mothers, Louise Compton, elsewhere in Farnham.
Cause Set Down was filed on 24 July 1911; Final Decree "Dismissed on summons" 17 October 1911
registered in the Civil Divorce Records 1858-1918
(His only son, Walter George, died in Ypres on 30 October 1914)
According to the 1921 census, Reginald Courtenay is again still the Principal at the Army College, still at Heath End in Farnham.
Death Sunday, 4 June 1939 at the Army College in Heath End, Farnham, Surrey.
Buried in Green Lane Cemetery in Farnham (above left), date unknown
aged 87 years 230 days registered as Reginald C. Welch in Surrey SW April-June 1939

Obituary

"Death of Mr. Reginald Courtenay Welch.
The last survivor of the Wanderers football team which played in the first F.A. Cup final died at Heath End, near Aldershot yesterday. He was Mr. Reginald Courtenay Welch, aged 87, and he had been principal of the Army College at Heath End for many years. Before the War, Sir John French, then General Officer commanding at Aldershot, accepted an offer by Mr. Courtenay Welch to organise in the grounds of Government House, Aldershot, a torchlight tattoo for military charities. The Aldershot tattoo has grown from this."
-
The Evening Dispatch, Monday, 5 June 1939.
Probate "WELCH Reginald Courtenay of the Army College Heath End Farnham Surrey died 4 June 1939 Probate London 13 September to Westminster Bank Limited.
Effects £19478 10s." [2019 equivalent: £1,282,733]
Source Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career

Club(s) Welch was educated at Harrow School, although he does not appear on the register to have played any form of football.  He did however go on to play for Old Harrovians FC before joining Harrow Chequers FC. As an amateur he also played for Wanderers FC, with whom he played as goalkeeper in the final of the first ever FA Cup tournament.  Also appeared for Remnants FC.  Apparently also played for Bury St. Edmunds FC in 1877, according to The History of Bury Town FC.
Club honours FA Cup winners 1871-72, 1872-73;
Individual honours None
Distinctions "He claimed to be the first person in England to ride a bicycle" - The Yorkshire Post, Monday, 5 June 1939.
Height/Weight not known
Source Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career

Player number One of eleven who became the first players (3) to appear for England.
Position(s) Half-back and goalkeeper; Fourth goalkeeper to appear.
First match No. 1, 30 November 1872, Scotland 0 England 0, a friendly match at The West of Scotland Cricket Ground, Hamilton Crescent, Partick, Glasgow, aged 21 years 44 days.
Last match No. 3, 7 March 1874, Scotland 2 England 1, a friendly match at The West of Scotland Cricket Ground, Hamilton Crescent, Partick, Glasgow, aged 22 years 141 days.
Distinctions Welch was the last surviving member of the original 1872 team, and the 1874 team, fourteen months after Robert Ogilvie.
Died seventeen days after Charley Dobson.
At the time of his death, Welch became the oldest ex-England player to die, taking two years off the record set by Charlie Clegg in 1937.

Beyond England

Welch was a member of The F.A. International Select Committee between 1873 and 1875, and again from 1879 to 1890. He was also an Army tutor between 1883 and 1895, going on who became the principal of the Army College at Farnham, Surrey in 1895. He was also chairman of the Throat Hospital in Golden Square 1883-95. Originator of The Aldershot Tattoo. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.264./Harrow School Register.


The Numbers
parties Appearances minutes Goals
Against
GA ave.min clean sheets captain
2 2
(1 as gk)
180
(90 as gk)
0 2 45 min none none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
2 0 1 1 1 2 -1 1 1 0.5 1 25 -1
Both of his matches were friendly matches and at an away venue

Match History
 
 Clubs: Wanderers F.C. & Harrow Chequers F.C. - two full appearances (180 min) 2ᵍᵃ  
  F.A. Committee - two full appearances (180 min) 2ᵍᵃx

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 21
1 1 30 November 1872 - Scotland 0 England 0
The West of Scotland Cricket Ground, Partick
Fr AD   hb
  

the third player to appear on an England teamsheet
the second player from Wanderers FC to represent England
one of the first players (one) from Harrow Chequers FC to represent England

Age 22
2 3 7 March 1874 - Scotland 2 England 1
The West of Scotland Cricket Ground, Partick
Fr AL 2ᵍᵃ
cs: 42 min
gk
  

The fourth goalkeeper to appear for England - second to concede
his (& Ottaway) gap of 462 days (1 years, 97 days) is a new record between appearances

  

 
cg/dr