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17 January 2025
 
 

Harry Ruddlesdin

The Wednesday FC

 3 appearances, 0 goals

P 3 W 2 D 1 L 0 F 6: A 3
83% successful
1904-05

captain: none
minutes played: 270

Timeline
  Herod Ruddlesdin
Birth Friday, 9 June 1876 at 3 Robinson Square in Birdwell, Worsbrough, near Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire.
  registered in Barnsley July-September 1876
Baptism Sunday, 2 July 1876 at St. Mary's Church, Worsbrough

According to the 1881 census, Herod is the fourth of six children to William Chapman and Harriett (née Wroe). His father is a coal miner and they all live at 3 Robinson Square in Birdwell.
 

According to the 1891 census, Herod is a colliery labourer with two more younger siblings. He is one of seven living at home with their parents still at 3 Robinson Square. His father is still a coal miner.
 

According to the 1901 census, 24 year-old Herod is one of four children still living at home with their parents at 3 Robinson Square. He is stated as being a professional footballer, his father, a hewer in the coal mine.
According to West Yorkshire Electoral Registers, between 1908 and 1910, Herod is living in Colt Lane.
Marriage to Sarah Ellen Walker, on Monday, 15 January 1906, at St. Peter's Church, Hoyland, West Riding of Yorkshire
  registered in Barnsley January-March 1906
Children Harry and Sarah Ruddlesdin had two children together, Annie (b.1 April 1906) and Eddy (b.3 September 1908).
Annie died just a few weeks short of her third birthday, on 17 March 1909.
"NORTHAMPTON NOTES. ..On the very brink of September, misfortune has overtaken us in the serious illness of Herod Ruddlesdin, the half-back secured from Sheffield Wednesday. He caught a cold whilst playing cricket at Whitsuntide, and influenza has developed." - Athletic News, 26 August 1908
Death Saturday afternoon, 26 March 1910 at his home at 64 Sheffield Road, Birdwell, West Riding of Yorkshire.
"News reached Sheffield on Sunday of the death of Herod Ruddlesdin at his home, Birdwell, near Barnsley. The deceased was a prominent member of the Sheffield Wednesday's half-back line. Consumption was the cause of his death. He would have been thirty-four in June next." - Gloucestershire Citizen, Monday, 28 March 1910
aged 33 years 290 days registered as Ruddlesden in Barnsley January-March 1910

Obituary
"The Death of Ruddlesdin.
"We regret to hear the death of Herod Ruddlesdin, who was chiefly identified with Sheffield Wednesday as a half-back. A native of Birdwell, he went from his village club into the ranks of the Wednesday, for whom he played seven seasons, prior to signing for Northampton Town, the Southern Leaguers. Originally engaged as a forward, he found his true position in the middle line, and he was at home on either wing. Honoured by the Association, he appeared against Wales and Ireland in 1904, and achieved the height of his ambition a year later, when he donned an English jersey against Scotland. Against the Principality he was left-back, but in the other engagements he filled a gap, because no other satisfactory half-back could be discovered. Ben Warren had not yet caught the eye of the selectors.
"Ruddlesdin was one of the meekest, mildest-mannered men ever seen in a football team. One of nature's gentlemen, he played with a high sense of honour and a measure of skill that was invaluable to his side. He eschewed all idea of self-advertisement. Content to do his duty, and do it well, without fuss or flourish, we wish he had more imitators. Northampton wished to have him, and he signed for them one spring. When  the hour came for him to fulfill his contract he had been overtaken by consumption—then in its incipient stage. The prospect was appalling for a man—broken down in health and with small resources. He told the Northampton folks how sorry he was that he had taken their summer wages and placed them in such a dilemma. He offered to return all the money he had received from the club. Northampton refused to listen to such a proposal, but Ruddlesdin was so insistent that they accepted a small sum, so that the poor fellow should keep his honest pride.
"Northampton never forgot either him or his wife at Christmas time, although, of course, he never donned their jersey. Ruddlesdin dragged along his weary days in sanatoriums and other places, far from the busy haunts of a bustling world. Passing away at an early age of 34, he has left a widow and a child. Ruddlesdin was the type of professional who commands respect. Never a great player, he was sufficiently clever for practical purposes. But he was a true sportsman. And there is none better." - The Athletic News, Monday, 4 April 1910.
"The Funeral
Wednesday 4pm, 30 March 1910
 St Mary's, Worsbrough
...took place at Worsbro' on Wednesday afternoon, in the presence of a large concourse of sympathisers. Amongst the mourners were Mr. A. J. Dickinson, hon. secretary, Wednesday Football Club, and 16 members of the team. Many old players also followed, and, in addition, nearly 100 members of the Birdwell Working Men's Club. There were a large number of wreaths, including one from the committee of the Birdwell working Men's Club, and a tribute from the members of the Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. The Rev. F. C. Stock officiated." - The Barnsley Chronicle, Saturday, 2 April 1910

According to the 1911 census, Sarah Ellen is widowed with one child, Eddy. The census reveals that they had another child. They live in 64 Sychar Villas on the Colt Lane in Birdwell.
"Personal. MRS. HEROD RUDDLESDIN desires to THANK all Friends for kind sympathy shown in her sad bereavement. Also for flowers sent." - Sheffield Daily Telegraph/Daily Independent, Friday, 8 April 1910
Probate "RUDDLESDIN Herod of Sheffield-road Birdwell Barnsley Yorkshire died 26 March 1910 Probate Wakefield 16 November to Sarah Ellen Ruddlesdin widow and Joseph Walton labourer. Effects £490 3s. 9d." [2024 equivalent: £48,970]
  Sarah Ruddlesdin will remarry in 1912 to John H. Butterworth, and she would die herself in 1963.
Source

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

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Began his football career with local side, Birdwell FC.
"...having been hotly pursued by both Barnsley and Wednesday. In fact, everything but the signature had been definitely arranged by the Barnsley people, but Ruddlesdin could not be found on the morning of May 1st when his home at Birdwell was visited, and he reached Sheffield during that morning, via Penistone, where he had spent the night, and attached his signature to a Wednesday form, doing an admirable morning's work for himself and for the club" - Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Friday, 23 March 1906
Joined The Wednesday club ahead of his local senior club on 1 May 1898 as a left-sided forward. After ten years, Wednesday chose not to retain Ruddlesdin, and Southern League side Northampton Town FC signed him on 3 May 1908. But he was too poorly to fulfill his contract, and his contract was cancelled on 20 August 1908.
"He caught a cold whilst playing cricket at Whitsuntide, and influenza has developed. It will be impossible for him to turn out in the early matches, and he offered to return his papers. The officials of the club have accepted the offer" - Athletic News, 26 August 1908
League honours
259 appearances 7 goals		 The Wednesday FC 1898-1907 259 appearances, seven goals
debut: 10 September 1898 The Wednesday FC 2 Nottingham Forest FC 1.
last: 19 October 1908 The Wednesday FC 2 Aston Villa FC 3.
Club honours Football League Division Two winners 1899-1900 (34ᵃ 3ᵍ); Division One Champions 1902-03 (34ᵃ 2ᵍ), 1903-04 (30ᵃ), third place 1905-06 (32ᵃ 2ᵍ);
FA Cup winner 1906-07 (1ᵃ)
Individual honours None
Distinctions Also a seven-handicap golfer
Height/Weight 5' 7", 11st. 0lbs [1903], 11st. 2lbs [1905].
Source

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

England Career
Player number One of seven who became the 290th players (292) to appear for England.
Position(s) Left/right-half
First match No. 80, 29 February 1904, Wales 2 England 2, a British Championship match at The Racecourse, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged 27 years 265 days.
Last match No. 85, 1 April 1905, England 1 Scotland 0, a British Championship match at Sports Arena, Crystal Palace, Sydenham, London, aged 28 years 296 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1903-04, 1904-05;
Team honours British Championship winners 1903-04, 1904-05;
Individual honours The North (one appearance, February 1904);
Distinctions None

Beyond England
Had once been a collier. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.214.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
3 3 3 270 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
3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 0 1 2 1 83.3 +1
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 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
Away 2 1 1 0 5 3 +2 0 0 2.50 1.50 75.0 +1

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 1904-05 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 0 1 2.00 1.00 83.3 +1

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 0 1 2.00 1.00 83.3 +1
3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 0 1 2 1 83.3 +1

Match History

 Club: The Wednesday F.C. - three full appearances (270 min) F.A. International Select Committee - three full appearances (270 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 27 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, January 1904;

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

one of seven who became the 290th player (292) to appear for England
the eleventh Wednesday FC player to represent England

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

Age 28
3 85 1 April 1905 - England 1 Scotland 0
Sports Arena, Crystal Palace		 BC HW   rh
 


  

 
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