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17 January 2025
 
 

Billy Brawn

Aston Villa FC

 2 appearances, 0 goals

P 2 W 1 D 1 L 0 F 5: A 3
75% successful
1904

captain: none
minutes played: 180

Timeline
  William Frederick Brawn
Birth Thursday, 1 August 1878 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
  registered in Wellingborough July-September 1878
 

According to the 1881 census, William F. is the only child to David and Esther (née Robinson), and they live at 48 Wood Street in Wellingborough. His father is a general labourer.
 

According to the 1891 census, Wm Fredk. is now the eldest of six children to their parents, now living at 6 Buckwell Green in Wellingborough. His father now a curriers labourer.
 

According to the 1901 census, Frederick is boarding with Robert and Sarah Shaw at The Golden Lion, in Sheep Street, Wellingborough. The rest of his family live at 13 Harrowden Road in the north of the town.
Marriage to Ada Coombs, on Saturday, 28 June 1902, in All Hallows Church, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. At the time, Brawn is living at Kempston Road and Ada at 27 Upper Havelock Street
  registered in Wellingborough April-June 1902
Children Billy and Ada Brawn had three sons together. Horace William (b.early 1904, bap.5 June 1904), Basil Frederick (b.1905, bap.13 August 1905) and John Dudley (b.21 September 1915, bap.26 December 1915).

At the time of his elder children's baptisms, despite being christened in Northamptonshire, they were residing in Birmingham.
By 22 November 1909, the date of Horace's school admission, they are living at 149 Engadine Street in Wandsworth, where they still were a year later according to the London Electoral registers.
According to the 1911 census, William Frederick, a professional footballer for Chelsea FC, is now married to Ada with two children, Horace and Basil. They live at 81 Chelverton Road in Putney.
By 1914, according to Kelly's Directory for the area, Brawn is living at 19 Boston Road in Brentford. The King's Arms inn, confirmed by the London Electoral Register the following year. Although the baptism of John at Christmas 1915 revealed Billy as a publican living at 62 Hamilton Road, Brentford.
His brother, Arthur, died 19 October 1918, in Flanders, before another brother, Herbert, died 25 May 1919 in Mesopotamia. Their father died at the end of 1919.

According to the 1921 census, William is now a licensed victualler, still married, and has another son, Jack. With a servant, they still live at The King's Arms Brentford.
Kelly's Directory for Middlesex confirms the Brawn's at The King's Arms in the 1920's, as do the London Electoral Registers (1915-32).
They are still at 19 Boston Road by the time Basil is married on 28 September 1929.
"Mr. William Brawn, the old International, is seriously ill in Brentford Hospital, London." - Evening Despatch, Wednesday, 27 July 1932.
Thursday, 18 August 1932 at Brentford Hospital, Boston Manor Road, New Brentford, Middlesex. Living at The Kings Arm Hotel (above left), 19 Boston Road, Brentford.
Remarkably, the hospital where Brawn would die had only been built four years earlier, and it was located across the other side of the main road, beyond the railway station.
  "Billy Brawn, the old Aston Villa, Chelsea, Brentford and England footballer, died in Brentford Hospital yesterday." - Daily Mirror, Saturday, 20 August 1932
aged 54 years 17 days registered in Brentford July-September 1932

Obituary
"DEATH OF WILLIAM BRAWN—Member of Aston Villa's 1905 Cup-Winning Team.
 "A link with Aston Villa's Cup triumph of 1905 was broken yesterday, when William Brawn, a member of the team that beat Newcastle United in the final, died from heart trouble in hospital at Brentford yesterday. He was 54 years old. Brawn joined Aston Villa from Sheffield United in 1901, and it was after that that this brilliant outside-right gained his highest honours. In addition to his Cup winning medal, he was capped for England against Ireland and Wales in 1904. After leaving Villa, Brawn went to Middlesbrough, and finished up with Brentford, where he has lived ever since." - Birmingham Gazette, Saturday, 20 August 1932.
"'BILLY' BRAWN DEAD.
"The death took place on Thursday, August 18th, of W. F. Brawn, the old Aston Villa, Chelsea and English international footballer. Since his retirement from the game, 'Billy' had been a licensed victualler at the King's Arms Hotel, 29, Boston Road, Brentford. He suffered from heart trouble and an uncommon type of anæmia for a long time. 'Billy' Brawn was 54. He was twice capped for England and was a member of Aston Villa's Cup-winning side of 1905. A fine, stalwart player, he was for several years with Chelsea before going to live at Brentford." - The West London Observer, Friday, 26 August 1932.
Funeral Tuesday, 22 August 1932 at Ealing & Old Brentford Cemetery, South Ealing Road in Ealing.
Probate "BRAWN William Frederick of the Kings Arms Hotel 19 Boston-road Brentford Middlesex died 18 August 1932 at Brentford Hospital New Brentford Probate London 11 October to Ada Brawn widow. Effects £1750 12s. 7d." [2024 equivalent: £103,639]
  His wife, Ada Brawn died in January 1947
Source

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

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Started his career playing schoolboy football in Wellingborough and then joining Wellingborough FC. He was signed by Northampton Town FC during the 1898-99 season and onto Sheffield United FC on 26 January 1900 for £125. Aston Villa FC signed 'Gansey' Brawn on 23 December 1901. Then Middlesbrough FC signed him, along with Steve Bloomer, from Derby County FC, on 16 March 1906. Joined Chelsea FC for a transfer fee of £950 on 21 November 1907, and ended his career at Brentford FC from May 1911. He retired after November 1913.
"The committee of the Football Association that investigates applications from ex-professionals for permission to take part in the management side of the game will recommend to the Council, at its meeting next Monday, that William Brawn be refused permission to become a director of the Brentford club." - Northampton Daily Echo, Friday, 25 August 1922.

League honours
258 appearances 38 goals		 Sheffield United FC 1900-01 fourteen appearances, four goals
debut: 3 March 1900 Aston Villa FC 1 Sheffield United FC 1.
Aston Villa FC 1902-06 95 appearances, nineteen goals
debut: 11 January 1902 Blackburn Rovers FC 4 Aston Villa FC 0.
Middlesbrough FC 1906-07 56 appearances, five goals
debut: 24 March 1906 Middlesbrough FC 0 Sheffield United FC 1.
Chelsea FC 1907-11 93 appearances, ten goals
debut: 23 November 1907 Chelsea 4 Bristol City FC 1.
last: 29 April 1911 Gainsborough Trinity FC 3 Chelsea FC 1.
Club honours Football League Division One runners-up 1899-1900 (5ᵃ 3ᵍ), 1902-03 (16ᵃ 2ᵍ); Division Two third place (12ᵃ);
FA Cup runners-up 1900-01 (0ᵃ), winners 1901-02 (0ᵃ), 1904-05 (6ᵃ);
Individual honours None
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 6' 1", 13st. 5lbs [1910].
Source

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

England Career
Player number One of seven who became the 290th players (293) to appear for England.
Position(s) Outside-right
First match No. 80, 29 February 1904, Wales 2 England 2, a British Championship match at The Racecourse, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged 25 years 212 days.
Last match No. 81, 12 March 1904, Ireland 1 England 3, a British Championship match at Cliftonville Gardens, Cliftonville, Belfast, aged 25 years 224 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1903-04;
Team honours British Championship winners 1903-04;
Individual honours The North (one appearance, 1ᵍ January 1904);
Distinctions None

Beyond England
Was a Brentford licensee after leaving football until his death. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.44.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
2 2 2 180 0 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 1 1 0 5 3 +2 0 0 2.5 1.5 75 +1
Both of his matches were played in the British Championship competition and at an away venue

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1903-04 2 1 1 0 5 3 +2 0 0 2.50 1.50 75.0 +1
BC All 2 1 1 0 5 3 +2 0 0 2.50 1.50 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 5 3 +2 0 0 2.50 1.50 75.0 +1
2 1 1 0 5 3 +2 0 0 2.5 1.5 75 +1

Match History

 Club: Aston Villa F.C. - two full appearances (180 min) F.A. International Select Committee - two full appearances (180 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 25 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, January 1904;

1 80 29 February 1904 - Wales 2 England 2
The Racecourse, Wrexham		 BC AD   or

one of seven who became the 290th player (293) to appear for England
the seventeenth Aston Villa FC player to represent England

2 81 12 March 1904 - Ireland 1 England 3
Cliftonville Gardens, Belfast		 BC AW   or
 


  

 
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