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27 February 2023
 
 

Harry Daft

Notts County FC & Corinthians FC

5 appearances, 3 goals

P 5 W 4 D 1 L 0 F 18: A 4
90% successful

1889-92

captain: none
minutes played: 450

Timeline

  Harry Butler Daft
Birth Thursday, 5 April 1866 in Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
  registered in Bingham April-June 1866
Baptism Sunday, 1 July 1866 at St. Mary's Church, Radcliffe-on-Trent.
 

According to the 1871 census, Harry Butler is the youngest of two sons (the older is Richard Parr) to Richard and Mary (née Parr). They live at Radcliffe Hill in Radcliffe-on-Trent, with one servant. His father is a brewing agent and cricket outfitter.

 

According to the 1881 census, Harry now has three younger sisters living with their parents at Main Street in Radcliffe. Harry himself is a student at Trent College in Long Eaton.

 

According to the 1891 census, Harry B. is a manager of a sports warehouse. He lives alone with a servant at 43 Dovecote Lane in Beeston, Nottingham.

Marriage to Florence Whitlock, on Thursday, 23 April 1891 at St. Mary's Church in Radcliffe-on-Trent
  registered in Bingham April-June 1891
"Yesterday, at Radcliffe-on-Trent, H. B. Daft, the well known cricketer and International left winger of the Notts Association football team, was married to Miss Florence Whitlock, second daughter of Mrs. Whitlock, of Radcliffe. Some of the directors and all the members of the Notts football team were present, and a large party were entertained to luncheon at the house of Mr. R. Daft. Among the numerous presents were a timepiece from the Notts Incorporated Club and a silver epergne from the team." - The Bolton Evening News, Friday, 24 April 1891
Children Harry and Florence Daft had one daughter together. Dorothy (b.9 October 1892)
"FAILURE OF NOTTS CRICKETERS
"In the matter of Richard and Harry Butler Daft, of Radcliffe-on-Trent, lately trading at the Trent Bridge Hotel, West Bridgford, lately licensed victuallers, the said Harry Butler Daft, also trading in co-partnership with Bernard Barnett, as H. B. Daft and Co., at 85 Carrington-st., Nottingham, as cricket and sports outfitters, a first meeting of creditors was held on Tuesday, at Nottingham. The summary of Dafts' joint statement of affairs disclosed liabilities £3,374 9s. 10d., and a deficiency of £2,547 2s. 10d. There were small deficiencies under the separate estates. The Official Receiver said the debtors commenced business on March 26th, 1896, and to put the matter shortly, the sum total of their business experience was this:—They began without capital (borrowing £1,400 from relatives), they appeared to have spent in that 20 months on household and personal expenses £1,888, and to have lost in the course of their trading £278. The season of 1897 appeared to have been an exceptionally bad one, for their turnover fell nearly 50 per cent. below what had been the corresponding turnover on the previous year." - The Merthyr Times, Friday, 31 December 1897.
"T
HE AFFAIRS OF NOTTS CRICKETERS
"Messrs. Richard and Harry Butler Daft, lately of the Trent Bridge Hotel, West Bridgford, Nottingham, appeared at the Nottingham Bankruptcy Court on Wednesday to undergo a public examination. The joint statement of affairs placed the liabilities at 3.374l, 9s. 2d., and the assets at 127l. 7s., Richard Daft's separate liabilities being 108l. 13s. 4d., and assets 129l.; whilst the liabilities of Harry Butler Daft were put down at 296l. 8s., and the assets at 35l. 10s. It transpired that during the twenty months of trading Richard Daft withdrew 958l. 15s., and his son 902l. 10s. The money had, it was stated, been expended in household and personal expenses, but both debtors admitted that some had gone in betting—less than 100l. in each case. H.B. Daft stated that 100l. had been received by him in earnings as a professional cricketer, but it had cost him more than half that to play. The examination was adjourned.
Harry Butler Daft and Bernard Barnett, sports' outfitters, of Carrington Street, Nottingham, also underwent examination. The liabilities were 1.942l., and the assets 1,054l. The examination was closed." -
Derby Mercury, Wednesday, 26 January 1898.
 

(His father died 18 July 1900)
According to the 1901 census, Harry B. is a professional cricketer, married to Florence with one daughter, Dorothy. They live with Florence's mother, Catherine Whitlock, at Lorne Grove in Ratcliffe-on-Trent.

 

According to the 1911 census, Harry Butler is living with his wife and daughter and his older brother, Richard, at High Cross in Ware, Hertfordshire.
(His mother died on 2 November 1918)

Cannot find Harry on the 1921 census, however, Kelly's Directory for Hertfordshire places Harry Butler Daft as a Private Resident in High Cross between 1922 and at least 1937.
  According to the 1939 register, Harry and Florence are still married and are still living at High Cross. Harry is a retired professional cricketer.
Death Friday, 12 January 1945 in High Cross, Ware, Hertfordshire
aged 78 years 282 days registered in Ware January-March 1945

Obituary

"DEATH OF HARRY DAFT Famous Notts. Cricketer and Footballer.
"
The death has occurred at High Cross, Herts., of Harry Butler Daft, the old Notts. cricketer and Notts. County and England footballer, at the age of 77. The second son of Richard Daft, he was born at Radcliffe-on-Trent on April 5th, 1866, and gained a place in the Trent College eleven at the age of 12. He appeared for Gentlemen against Players at the Oval in 1886, and assisted the Nottinghamshire eleven as an amateur till 1890, when he became a professional, retiring from first-class cricket nine years later. A batsman possessing a sound defence, Daft made his highest score of 103 against Northants in 1897. As an Association footballer, he played for England against Scotland and Wales in 1890, and against Ireland in 1889, 1891, and 1892, and was a member of the Notts. County's Association Cup-winning team of 1894." - Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday, 13 January 1945.

Source

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

Playing Career

Club(s) Played football since the age of thirteen while he attended Trent College, after leaving he joined Notts County FC in the mid-1880's. He joined Nottingham Forest FC on 17 January 1893, where he played for only eight months, before rejoining County in August. He retired from first class football on 14 December 1894, and joined Newark FC.
Corinthians 1887-1890.

League History
141 appearances, 59 goals
Notts County FC 1888-92, 101 appearances, 47 goals.
debut: 22 September 1888, Stoke FC 3 Notts County FC 0.
Nottingham Forest FC 1893, four appearances, one goal.
debut: 28 January 1893, Nottingham Forest FC 1 Derby County FC 0.
Notts County FC 1893-94, 36 appearances, eleven goals.
debut (division two): 16 September 1893, Rotherham Town FC 0 Notts County FC 2.
last (division two): 1 December 1894 Leicester Fosse FC 5 Notts County FC 1.
Club honours FA Cup runners-up 1890-91 (6ᵃ 3ᵍ), winners 1893-94 (6ᵃ, 1ᵍ);
Football League third place 1890-91 (21ᵃ, 6ᵍ); Division Two runners-up 1894-95 (12ᵃ 4ᵍ);
Individual honours Football League (two appearances);
Gentlemen vs. Players 1886; Nottinghamshire FA;
Distinctions Also played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire CC 1885-99.
Height/Weight 5' 9½", 11st. 2lbs [1891], 5' 9", 11st. 7lbs [1895].

Source

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

England Career

Player number One of nine who became the 157th players (164) to appear for England.
Position(s) Inside/outside-left
First match No. 36, 2 March 1889, England 6 Ireland 1, a British Championship match at Anfield Road, Anfield, Liverpool, aged 22 years 331 days.
Last match
3 years 3 days
No. 44, 5 March 1892, Ireland 0 England 2, a British Championship match at Cliftonville Gardens, Cliftonville, Belfast, aged 25 years 335 days.44 & 47 min
Major tournaments British Championship 1888-89, 1889-90, 1890-91, 1891-92;
Team honours British Championship shared 1889-90, winners 1890-91, 1891-92;
Individual honours The Blues (withdrew in March 1890)
England's joint Top Goalscorer
(two 1892)
Distinctions Died two days after Chris Charsley

Beyond England

Served on the FA Committee from 1884-85. Carried on with his professional cricket career after he hung up his football boots - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.83.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain
5 5 5 450 3 150 min 3 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
5 4 1 0 18 4 +14 0 1 3.6 0.8 90 +4
All of his matches were played in the British Championship competition

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 2 2 0 0 12 2 +10 0 0 6.00 1.00 100.0 +2
Away 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 0 1 2.00 1.50 83.3 +2

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1888-89 1 1 0 0 6 1 +5 0 0 6.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1889-90 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 0 0 2.00 1.00 75.0 +1
BC 1890-91 1 1 0 0 6 1 +5 0 0 6.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1891-92 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 5 4 1 0 18 4 +14 0 1 3.60 0.80 90.0 +4

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 5 4 1 0 18 4 +14 0 1 3.60 0.80 90.0 +4
5 4 1 0 18 4 +14 0 1 3.6 0.8 90 +4

Match History

 Club: Notts County F.C. & Corinthians F.C. - three full appearances (540 min) F.A. International Select Committee - five full appearances (450 min) 3ᵍx

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 22
1 36 2 March 1889 - England 6 Ireland 1
Anfield Road, Liverpool
BC HW   il
  

one of nine who became the 157th player (164) to appear for England
one of two who became the eleventh player from Notts County FC to represent England
one of two who became the thirtieth Corinthian to represent England

Age 23
2 39 15 March 1890 - Wales 1 England 3
The Racecourse, Wrexham
BC AW   ol

trial  
withdrew - The Whites vs. The Blues, 24 March 1890;

Age 24
3 40 5 April 1890 - Scotland 1 England 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AD   ol

the second player to represent England on his birthday

 Club: Notts County F.C - two full appearances (180 min) 3ᵍ  

4 41 7 March 1891 - England 6 Ireland 1
Molineux Ground, Wolverhampton
BC HW 35 ol
  

Age 25
5 44 5 March 1892 - Ireland 0 England 2
Cliftonville Gardens, Belfast
BC AW 44 header
47 shot
another goal: disallowed [0-2]
ol
  

the scorer of the 28th brace for England
his two goals in 1892 makes him equal-top goalscorer for the year/season

     

 
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