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Walter
Bennett |
Sheffield United
FC
2 appearances, 0 goals
P 2 W 1 D 1 L 0 F 8:
A 2
75% successful
1901
captain: none
minutes played: 180 |
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Timeline |
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Walter Bennett |
|
Birth |
Wednesday, 29 April 1874 in Mexborough,
West Riding of Yorkshire |
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registered in Doncaster April-June 1874 |
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Baptism |
21 June 1874 at St John the Baptist Church, Mexborough |
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According to the 1881 census,
six year-old Walter was the second youngest of four children to William
and Joanna (née Brooks), living in Woodruff Row, Mexborough. His father was an Iron
Moal. |
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According to the 1891 census
and now in 6 Sarah Street, Mexborough, Walter is a glass bottle blower
still with his parents and two brothers. |
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Marriage |
to Agnes
Knowles, in summer 1898 in Rotherham district, West Riding of Yorkshire |
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registered in Rotherham July-September 1898 |
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Children |
Cocky and Agnes Bennett had three children together. Lilian
(b.9 November 1898), William James
(b.mid-1900) and Johannah
(b.1905).
His father died in late-1905 |
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According to the 1901 census,
now a Professional Footballer, and living in 2 Shelley Street, Mexborough,
is now married to Agnes and living with his parents. |
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Death |
Monday, 6 April 1908 in
Denaby Main Colliery, West Riding of Yorkshire. Living at Cliff Street, Mexborough. |
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aged
33 years 346 days |
registered in Doncaster April-June 1908 |
Date of accident -
April 6 1908
Denby Main, Yorkshire (West Riding), Denaby and Cadeby Main Collieries Ltd
Category - Falls of roof - On roads, working or passing
Walter Bennett, 33, stone contractor.
A place was being made for an underground engine house, and as a preliminary
step the shale to a thickness of 6ft 8 ins., was being removed from above the
Barnsley seam, the intention being, when this had advanced far enough, to cut
trenches in the coal, build the side walls in these trenches, and finally remove
the block of coal. On a Friday water was thrown on the face of the place, and
on the following Monday about 16 tubs of shale had fallen. The deceased and
another man had filled 11 tubs, and were about to move a tub out of the place
when a huge piece fell from the face and killed Bennett. The place was 24ft
wide by 6ft 8ins., and the stone which fell was almost as high and wide as the
place, and averaged 1ft 6 ins thick. The fall disclosed converging slips which
were not visible before it occurred.
Report by Mr W H Pickering, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire District. |
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Obituary |
,%20Walter.jpg) "WALTER BENNETT KILLED—
—AWFUL AFFAIR
AT DENABY—TRAGIC END OF BRILLIANT CAREER—A FAMOUS INTERNATIONAL—.
"At midday on Monday, the district was
shocked by news of the violent death which had overtaken Walter Bennett,
whose fame was but a few years ago reached throughout the length and
breadth of the land, and whose name was a household word in the mouths of
all who took any sort of interest in Association football. His neck
was broken and his head crushed like an eggshell by a huge slab which fell
on him while he was engaged with another man named Ben Gethen in preparing
a road for a new engine-house, which is to be built near the Denaby Main
pit-bottom. This was considered to be one of the safest parts of the mine,
for it was well-constructed, well-lighted, and was near the main
road which ran straight into the pit-bottom 100 yards away. The accident
happened about ten o'clock, and about midday the body was conveyed to the
home of the dead man at 10, Cliff Street, Mexbro', where a grief-stricken
widow and a family of young children awaited it.
"The awful accident
cast a gloom upon the town of which Walter Bennett was a native, and with
which he and other members of the family had identified themselves in the
athletic departments of life. He was the most distinguished of all the
Bennetts, and the record of his fine doings in first-class football is
engraven in the memories of this essentially football-loving community. No
matter where one went on Monday evening—in the street or in places where
men meet together—poor 'Cocky' was the subject of conversation. It
was a mournful topic, but everybody took a grim pleasure in returning to
it and dwelling on the excellences of the dead man and on his departed
brilliance. Everybody agreed that it was a miserable ending to a
remarkable football career. 'To be killed in a coal-pit!' was the
cruellest cut of all.
"Walter Bennett was proficient in all games of
skill. He was pre-eminently a footballer, but he was also one of the best
all-rounders in the Mexboro' and District Cricket League." -
Penistone Stocksbridge & Hoyland Express, Saturday, 11 April 1908 |
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"THE INQUEST ON WALTER BENNETT... |
...This afternoon, at Mexborough, Mr. D. Wightman, held an inquiry
into the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Walter Bennett.
There were present Mr. W. H. Pickering, H.M. Inspector of Mines, and Mr.
C. Bury, manager Denaby Colliery, representing the Colliery Company.
George Bennett, brother, gave evidence of identification. He said that
deceased was 33 years of age, and employed as a coal miner at Denaby Main.
He had only worked at the pit since last October, previous to which he was
a professional footballer and a glass blower. He was a healthy man.
Benjamin Gethan, miner, of Mexborough, said he was employed at Denaby
Main. He had been a miner about 56 years. On the 6th inst. he and deceased
went down the pit about 6 a.m. for the purpose of removing dirt in a new
heading over the top of the coal. They had been working at the same work
for about a month. They were joint contractors, and witness was the
responsible party. The accident happened about 12.30. The night deputy had
been round before they commenced work, as was shown by his mark on a
shovel. They had filled a tub with dirt. At the time of the accident
deceased was nearest the end of the heading. He was stooping to pick up a
pick when suddenly a fall of stone came from the face and fell on him. The
stone weighed about three tons. His head and shoulders were covered. He
did not speak. Witness shouted and got help. They had to break the stone
and got the body out three-quarters of an hour from the occurrence.
A
verdict of 'Accidentally killed' was returned. The Coroner remarked that
he did not usually follow football, but he had read in the papers where
clubs had crowds of anything under 100,000 at the matches. They must,
therefore, make enormous profits, and he thought, in this case, where the
deceased had been the means of helping to attract big crowds, it was a
very proper case in which a grant could be given to the widow and
children." - Yorkshire Telegraph & Star, Wednesday evening, 8 April 1908. |
Funeral
Thursday,
4pm, 9 April 1908
Mexborough
Cemetery, Mexborough |
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"AN
IMPRESSIVE SPECTACLE
"The internment took place on Thursday
afternoon, and the whole town turned out to see Walter Bennett take his
last journey. The afternoon opened fined, but as the great cortege wound
its way slowly round the end of the town the clouds rolled up, and when
the cemetery gates were reached everything was black and lowering....The
only spot of brightness to relieve the general gloom was yonder—through
the gates and on the cemetery green—where had been arranged the wreaths.
There were 29 of them. The tension was increased when the saddening sight
of the dead footballer, carried shoulder-high along the gravel by the
colleagues with whom he had played the previous Saturday was seen; Lawley
and Hancock, Nimrod and Marshall, Speight and Chadfield Sheldrake and
Moseley. Then came the principal mourners. There was the widow, Mrs.
Bennett, leaning on the arm of Mr. Tom Bennett (uncle) of Rotherham, and
accompanied by the three fatherless children, Lillian, Willie, and
Johanna, and many others. This sad company made its way through the avenue
of sympathisers to the Chapel where the Rev. W. H. F. Bate, conducted the
burial service. Inside the Chapel, the Vicar gave a kindly tone to the
service by referring to the way 'our brother' had made an impression among
the people. He who was returning to earth had been conspicuous in his
life-time, and had stood forth in the front rank of those who took part in
the greatest game of their times. Another short march and the funeral was
over. The coffin is of pitch pine, with the usual brass fittings, bore the
inscription: 'Walter Bennett, died April 6th, 1908, aged 33 years,' being
laden with three family wreaths, sank out of sight. The gief of the
bereaved mother during the process of internment was pitiable. However,
the worst was over. Mexboro' had seen the last of its International. The
funeral arrangements were in the capable hands of Mr. Walter Jennings, and
the carriages supplied by Mr. F. J. Law, of the Montagu Arms Hotel. Mrs.
Walter Bennett desires us to convey her sincere thanks to all those who
have been so kind to her, and for the many expressions of sympathy in here
bereavement."
-
Penistone Stocksbridge & Hoyland Express, Saturday, 11 April 1908 |
|
Source |
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & |
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Playing Career |
Club(s) |
Began his career with local side Mexborough FC and
"at the early age of 16, he received a
substantial offer from Derby County. However, his father insisted that the
lad should remain at work and get a trade. The offers were coming in thick
and fast. Newton Heath wanted young Bennett, they refused to pay the 100
for the player." During the 1895-96 season,
Bennett scored 82 goals, nineteen of which came in two matches, before being signed by Sheffield United FC on 21 February 1896
for a £40 transfer fee.
He joined Bristol City
FC on 13 April 1905 and returned to his hometown, Denaby United FC on 16
September 1907.
"He had offers from other Southern clubs. He was invited to settle down
and qualify as a Gloucestershire professional cricketer." |
League honours
243 appearances, 83 goals |
Sheffield
United FC 1896-1905 195 appearances, sixty goals
debut: 22
February 1896 West Bromwich Albion FC 1 Sheffield United FC 0.
Bristol City FC 1905-06 48 appearances, 23 goals
debut
(division two): 15 April 1905 Bristol City FC 0 Liverpool FC 1.
last
(division two): 20 October 1906 Wednesday Club 3 Bristol City FC 0. |
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Club honours |
Football
League Division One runners-up 1896-97 (19ᵃ 3ᵍ), 1899-1900 (27ᵃ 13ᵍ),
1906-07 (8ᵃ 2ᵍ), Champions 1897-98 (26ᵃ 12ᵍ); Division Two winners 1905-06
(37ᵃ 21ᵍ);
FA Cup winners 1898-99
(9ᵃ 4ᵍ), 1901-02 (8ᵃ 2ᵍ),
runners-up 1900-01 (7ᵃ 5ᵍ); |
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Individual honours |
"At
their meeting last night the directors of Sheffield United decided to set
apart the proceeds of the match at Bramall Lane on Easter Monday, between
United Reserve and Mexborough Town, for the benefit of the widow and
family of the later Walter Bennett." - Yorkshire Telegraph &
Star, Wednesday evening, 8 April 1908
[The teams met on 20 April, in front of 2,000 spectators, Mexborough
winning by a single goal.] |
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Distinctions |
His father,
William, also played for Mexborough FC. His brothers, William, played with
Wednesday Club, whereas George (1901-02) and Harry
(1900-05) played with Barnsley FC, as did his nephew,
Walter (1946-50), as well as Doncaster Rovers FC and
Halifax Town FC. Another nephew, William Hague, was a heavyweight Boxing
Champion (1909-11). |
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Height/Weight |
5'
8", 12st.
6lbs [1899],
5'
7½", 13st.
0lbs [1901/05], another source reads
5'
6", 12st.
0lbs [1901] |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]. |
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England Career |
|
Player number |
One of six who
became the 262nd players (265) player to appear for England. |
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Position(s) |
Outside-right |
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First match |
No. 72, 18 March 1901,
England 6
Wales 0, a British
Championship match at
St. James' Park, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, aged
26 years 323 days. |
Last match
12 days |
No. 73, 30 March 1901, England 2
Scotland
2,
a British Championship match at
Sports Arena, Crystal Palace, Sydenham, London, aged
26 years 335 days. |
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Major tournaments |
British Championship 1900-01; |
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Team honours |
British Championship winners 1900-01; |
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Individual honours |
None |
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Distinctions |
None |
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Beyond England |
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A miner by trade, where he returned
to the industry after leaving football. He lost his life when the pit roof
collapsed in 1908 at Denaby Main. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.32. |
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The Numbers |
|
parties |
Appearances |
comp. apps |
minutes |
 |
captain |
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
180 |
0 |
none |
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The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation. |
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P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
+6 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
75 |
+1 |
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Both of his matches were played in the British Championship
competition and at a home venue |
Tournament Record
|
British Championship Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
| BC 1900-01 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
+6 |
0 |
1 |
4.00 |
1.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
BC
All |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
+6 |
0 |
1 |
4.00 |
1.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
All Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
| BC |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
+6 |
0 |
1 |
4.00 |
1.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
+6 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
75 |
+1 |
Match History
|
apps |
match |
match details |
comp |
res. |
rundown |
pos |
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England
Football Online