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23 September 2021
 
 

Hubert Heron

Uxbridge FC, Wanderers FC & Swifts FC

5 appearances, 0 goals

P 5 W 1 D 1 L 3 F 9: A 16
30% successful

1873-78

captain: one
minutes played:
450

Timeline

  George Hubert Hugh Heron
Birth Friday, 30 January 1852 in Hillingdon, Uxbridge, Middlesex
  registered in Uxbridge January-March 1852 Uxbridge was in the Middlesex Registration County up until 1889
Baptism 27 February 1852 at St. Margeret's Church in Uxbridge
Education Attended Mill Hill School, and the Surrey County School in Cranley.
 

According to the 1861 census, George H. is a pupil at the Preparatory School for boys, in Hillingdon End, Hillingdon. His parents are George Rippon Heron and Mary (née Hole).

 

According to the 1871 census, George, and his older sister, Ellen, are visiting the Hole family at Castelnau Villas in Barnes. George is a brewer.

 

According to the 1881 census, George is the eldest of the eight children living with his parents at 162 High Street in Uxbridge, with one servant. He is a commercial clerk, his father is wine merchant and auctioneer.

First marriage to Minnie Eliza Dimmock, on 14 February 1882, at St. Gabriel's Church, Warwick Square, London
  registered in St. George Hanover Square January-March 1882
"HERON ― DIMMOCK. ― On Tuesday 14th inst., at St. Gabriel's, Warwick-square, by the Rev. George Mould, M.A., George Hubert Hugh Heron, of Trinity House, Bournemouth, eldest son of George Rippon Heron, of Uxbridge, to Minnie Eliza, eldest daughter of A. Raynard Dimmock, of the same place." - Bucks Herald/London Evening Standard, Friday, 17 February 1882/Hampshire Chronicle, Saturday, 18 February 1882.
Children Hubert and Minnie Heron had one son together. George Alfred Hubert (b.1885 in Bournemouth)
 

According to the 1891 census, George or his family cannot be found, but he is married and has a son, George.

(Minnie Heron had died middle of 1900)
According to the 1901 census, George is a widower and lives with his son at 50 Woodgrange Road in West Ham. He is a brewer's clerk.

"DEATHS

...Mr. G. R. Heron passed away on October 3rd, 1902...." - Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette, Saturday, 9 May 1914.

Second marriage to Edith Mary Grimsdale, on 5 April 1905, at St. Mary's Church in Twickenham, Middlesex
  registered in Brentford April-June 1905
"On Wednesday a quiet but interesting wedding took place at St. Mary's Church, Twickenham, the contracting parties being Mr. Hubert Heron (son of the late Mr. George R. Heron, and Mrs. George Heron of Rockdale, Belmont Road, Uxbridge), and Miss Edith Mary Grimsdale, daughter of the late Mr. James Grimsdale, of Ferry House, Twickenham. The Rev. J. Prosser officiated. The bride was given away by her brother, Mr. Frank Grimsdale, and Mr. Percy Heron acted as best man. Subsequently Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Heron left for Hastings, where the honeymoon will be spent." - Middlesex & Buckinghamshire Advertiser, Uxbridge, Harrow & Watford Journal, Saturday, 8 April 1905
 

According to the 1911 census, George is remarried to Edith. His only son lives with them at 'Cowley', Hornchurch Road in Romford. George is still a brewer's clerk and they have one servant.

 

"There passed away on Sunday evening, just before eleven, another old and highly respected Uxbridge resident, in the person of Mrs. Mary Heron, of 'Rochdale,' Belmont Road, Uxbridge, at the advanced age of 86 years. Deceased was married over sixty years ago to Mr. George Rippon Heron, who for many years carried on the business of Wine Merchant in High Street." - Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette, Saturday, 9 May 1914

Death Friday evening, 5 June 1914 at The Crossways, Waldegrave Road, Twickenham, Middlesex
"late last Friday evening he had a fatal seizure and passed peacefully away."
aged 62 years 126 days registered in Brentford April-June 1914

Obituary

"DEATH OF MR HUBERT HERON, OF UXBRIDGE - A FAMOUS INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLER.
"We regret to announce the death of Mr. Hubert Heron, eldest son of the late Mr. George R. Heron, of Uxbridge, who passed away at his residence, Crossways, Waldegrave Road, Twickenham, on Friday last at the age of 62 years. He only survived his mother about a month.
"The late Mr. Heron was educated at Mill Hill, and the Surrey County School, Cranley, and then started business as a small brewer at Uxbridge. He afterwards carried on a wine and spirit business, and subsequently held an important appointment in the secretary's office of Messrs. Ind Coope & Co., at Romford. Mr. Heron was twice married, first to Miss Dimmock, of Uxbridge, and then to Miss Grimsdale, of Uxbridge, who survives him.
"The deceased gentleman was particularly well known in Uxbridge, and the news of his death was received with feelings of much sorrow by a wide circle of friends.
"As a footballer, perhaps the late Mr. Heron will be best remembered, for he was one of the finest, if not the finest of his time. He, with the late Mr. Mansfield Gardiner, the Rev. Jack Shepherd and the brothers Smith (of the Old Bank), founded the old Uxbridge Club, who used to play on Uxbridge Common. Mr. Heron eventually joined the London Wanderers, a celebrated Amateur Team, whose headquarters were at Kennington Oval. In the 1875-6 season, the Wanderers won the English Association Challenge Cup, his brother, Mr. Frank Heron, (now living at Southall), also playing in the team... Mr. Heron had a fine record as an International player, playing five years in all against Scotland. In 1876 he captained the team, when his brother Frank also played, this being one of few instances where two brothers have played at the same time in an International game.
"Mr. Heron did not miss a single match of all the cup-ties. He also played in such matches as London and Sheffield, London and Nottingham, besides playing for his county, Middlesex. In his early days the offside rule which prevailed in the Association game was the same as in Rugby, and it was on the suggestion of Mr. Hubert Heron that the F.A. adopted the present offside rule. He was also a good cricketer and assisted the Uxbridge Club for some years, being reported as being one of the best players the local club ever had. As a runner and hurdle jumper, he also excelled, winning many prizes all round the district, and once winning the L.A.C. open hurdle race, which was considered one of the events of the year. He was also a clever skater and a powerful swimmer, and it was a usual occurrence for him to enter the water at the old flood gates on the Frays and swim up to the plank bridge and back, a feat that few local swimmers would now attempt."
- The Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette, Saturday, 13 June 1914.
Funeral
Tuesday, 9 June 1914
Uxbridge Cemetery
"The funeral took place at the Uxbridge Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon, the Rev. W. W. Clarke, of Twickenham, officiating. The coffin, covered with lovely wreaths, was conveyed from Twickenham by motorhearse. The breastplate was inscribed 'George Hubert Hugh Heron, died 5th June 1914, aged 62 years.' " - The Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette, Saturday, 13 June 1914
Probate "HERON George Hubert Hugh of Crossways Waldegrave-road Twickenham Middlesex died 5 June 1914 Administration London 27 June to Edith Mary Heron widow.
Effects £441 19s. 2d." [2019 equivalent: £51,269]
Frank Heron died 23 October 1914
Edith Heron died at the end of 1952.
Source Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career

Club(s) Heron attended Mill Hill School. On leaving school he played as an amateur for Uxbridge before playing with the Wanderers on 4 March 1874. Also appeared for Swifts. 
Club honours FA Cup winners 1875-76, 1876-77, 1877-78;
Individual honours Middlesex FA and London FA
Height/Weight not known
Source Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & Rob Cavallini's The Wanderers FC [2005].

England Career

Player number One of nine who became the 12th players (19) to appear for England.
Position(s) Centre-forward
First match No. 2, 8 March 1873, England 4 Scotland 2, a friendly match at The Surrey Cricket Ground, The Oval, Kennington, London, aged 21 years 37 days.
Last match No. 7, 2 March 1878, Scotland 7 England 2 Scotland 2, a friendly match at Hampden Park, Hampden Terrace, Glasgow, aged 26 years 31 days.
Individual honours The Probables (one appearance ͨ, one goal, 1878)
Records Record England appearances between 1878 until 1880, overtaken by Billy Mosforth.
Distinctions Brother of Francis, becoming the second set of brothers to play in the same match, in 1876.
Became the first player to make four consecutive England appearances.

Beyond England

Heron served on the F.A. International Select Committee between 1873 and 1876 and earned his living as a commercial clerk in Uxbridge and a wine merchant in Bournemouth, apparently with his brother, Francis. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.127./FindMyPast.com


The Numbers
parties Appearances minutes captain
5 5 450 0 one
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 1 1 3 9 16 -7 1 0 1.8 3.2 30 -2
All of his matches were friendly matches

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 2 1 1 0 6 4 +2 0 0 3.00 2.00 75.0 +1
Away 3 0 0 3 3 12 -9 1 0 1.00 4.00 00.0 -3

Captain Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Away 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 1 0 0.00 3.00 00.0 -1
1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 1 0 0 3 0 -1

Match History
 
 Clubs: Uxbridge F.C., Wanderers F.C. & Swifts F.C. - two full appearances (180 min)  
  F.A. Committee - five full appearances (450 min) 1ᶜx

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 21
1 2 8 March 1873 - England 4 Scotland 2
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (home ground)
Fr HW   cf
   
one of nine who became the twelfth (nineteen) players to appear for England
the only player from Uxbridge FC to represent England
one of four players to became the third (three) from Wanderers FC to represent England
the first player from the Swifts FC to represent England

Age 22
2 3 7 March 1874 - Scotland 2 England 1
The West of Scotland Cricket Ground, Partick
Fr AL   cf

 Clubs: Wanderers F.C. & Swifts F.C. - three full appearances (270 min) 1ᶜ  

Age 23
3 4 6 March 1875 - England 2 Scotland 2
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (home ground)
Fr HD   cf

the second player to make three England appearances

Age 24
MOST APPS
4 5 4 March 1876 - Scotland 3 England 0
The West of Scotland Cricket Ground, Partick
Fr AL ko ͨ cf
  
 
the first player to make four England appearances
the first player to make four consecutive England appearances
the fourth player to captain England
played with his brother, Frank - the second set of brothers to play together

Age 25
6 3 March 1877 - England 1 Scotland 3, The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington Fr Umpire
  

Age 26 trial  
one appearance - The Probablesc vs. The Improbables, February 1878

5 7 2 March 1878 - Scotland 7 England 2
Hampden Park, Glasgow
Fr AL   cf
  

the first player to make five England appearances
held the most appearance record until March 1880

  

 
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