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Billy
Wedlock |
Bristol City FC
26 appearances, 2 goals
P 26 W 19 D
6 L 1 F 89: A
19
85% successful
1907-14
captain: none
minutes played: 2340 |
,%20Billy.jpg) |
|
Timeline |
| |
William John Wedlock |
|
Birth |
Thursday, 28 October 1880
'at the Nursery, North-street, Bedminster,' Somerset |
|
|
registered in Bedminster October-December 1880 Bedminster was part of the Somerset County Registration until 1889 |
|
Baptism |
Wednesday, 1 December 1880 in St. Francis' Church,
Ashton Gate, Bedminster |
|
|
Cannot be found on the 1881
census, but we know that William is born to Thomas James and Sarah (née
Cox). |
|
|
According to the
1891 census, William has two more younger siblings, making him one of
eight, living at 2 Ashton Place in Bedminster. His father is a general
labourer. |
|
First marriage |
to Rosina Maria Lilly, on Sunday, 20
May 1900 at St. John's Church, Bedminster, Gloucestershire |
|
|
registered in Bristol April-June 1900 |
Children
,%20Billy.png) |
Billy and Rosina Wedlock have seven children together.
Rosina Ellen (b.September 1900), William James
(b.22 December 1902), Thomas George (b.11 September 1904,
both sons born in Aberdare), James (b.24 March 1906), Lily (b.21 October 1907),
Ivy (b.December 1910) and Frederick George (b.28 June 1911). |
|
According to the 1901
census, William is a tanner married to Rosina, living at his parents home
at 172 North Street in west Bedminster. They have a daughter, six month old
Rosina. They live with his sister, Louisa and her husband and
children, as well as three unmarried siblings. His father is a watchman at
the Electric Light Works.
According to the Kelly's Directory of
Bristol, in 1906, William John is living at Garnet Street in Bedminster. |
|
His father
died in January 1909.
According to the 1911
census, William John is a professional footballer, still married, now with
five more children. Three sons, William, Thomas and James, two daughters, Lily and Ivy, all
living at 44 Exeter Road in Bristol.
His wife and mother both died
in October 1915. |
|
Second marriage |
to Ada
Louise Owen, on Tuesday, 16 April 1918,
at St. Francis Church Church, Ashton Gate, Gloucestershire |
|
|
registered in Bristol April-June 1918 |
|
Children |
Billy and Ada Wedlock have three children together.
Ada
(b.14 August 1918), Ronald William
James (b.25 March 1922)
and Dennis John
(b.8
November 1925) |
|
|
According to the
1921 census, William J. is now a licensed victualler and now married to
Ada. As well as the seven children from his first marriage, their is now Ada from his second marriage. They live at The Star
Inn at Ashton Gate. |
|
|
According to the 1939 register, William J., a
licensee, is still married, and still living at The Star Inn, 1 Bower Ashton
Terrace in Bristol. |
|
Death |
Sunday night, 24 January 1965 at 4 Clift House Road, Ashton Gate, Bedminster,
Gloucestershire |
|
aged
84 years 88 days |
registered in Bristol January-March 1965 |
|
Obituary |
,%20Billy.jpg) ,%20Billy.png) "Bristol's
Billy Wedlock is dead.
"Billy Wedlock, former
England and Bristol City, centre-half, is dead. He was 83. He was
Bristol's most famous footballer. No other Bristol-born player has gained
so many international honours. He played 29 times for England between 1906
and 1912, including 10 matches against overseas sides. Billy stood only
5ft. 4in., and never weighed less than 12st. He was nicknamed 'The
India-rubber man,' making up for his lack of inches by ability to jump
high into the air and his amazing powers of recovery.
"Bristol City
had their finest years under Billy Wedlock's captaincy. He took them into
the First Division in 1906 and in their first season in the top class City
finished runners-up. In 1909 City reached the Final of the F.A. Cup.
losing 1—0 to Manchester United at Crystal Palace. Led by Billy
Wedlock, they reached the semi-finals in 1919-20, losing to Huddersfield
Town.
"He retired after 15 years with Bristol City, when he was 40. In
1915, he took over the licence of the Star Inn, opposite City's ground, at
Ashton Gate, and was there for 49 years. He left in May last year to live
close by in Clift House Road.
"He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Ada
Wedlock, and his five sons and three daughters..." - |
|
Funeral |
"...The funeral is at Arno's Vale at 1.45
p.m. on Friday [29th], and, at the request of his widow, the funeral
procession will be routed past the Bristol City ground." -
Western Daily Press, Tuesday, 26 January
1965 |
|
Probate |
"WEDLOCK William John
of 4 Clift House Road Ashton Gate Bristol
died 25 January 1965 Probate
Bristol
27 July to Ada Louise Wedlock widow.
£1057."
[2025 equivalent: £17,933]. |
|
|
His second
wife, Ada, died 25 February 1978, and is buried with Billy, his first
wife, and one of his daughters, Rosina, who had died in 1930. |
|
|
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & |
|
Playing Career |
Club(s) |
Began his football
career playing with Masonic Rovers FC and Bristol Melrose FC. He joined
Arlington Rovers FC and played with them for four years, during which time
he had a trial (against Leicester Fosse) and then signed amateur forms with Bristol City FC. From the 1899-1900 season, Wedlock was
surplus at City and was allowed to become a part-time
professional with Aberdare Athletic FC, until Bristol City FC eventually
signed him for the 1905-06 season, and he remained until his retirement in
April 1921. He was offered the chance to become a City trainer, but
declined the opportunity, citing 'business pressures'. |
League honours
362 appearances, 17 goals |
Bristol City FC 1905-20
362
appearances, seventeen goals
debut
(division two): 2 September 1905 Manchester United FC 5 Bristol City FC 1.
last
(division two): 11 September 1920 Hull City AFC 2 Bristol City FC 0.
|
Club honours |
Welsh Cup
runners-up 1903-04, 1904-05;
Football League Division Two winners
1905-06 (38ᵃ 2ᵍ), third place 1920-21 (5ᵃ), Division One runners-up 1906-07
(34ᵃ 2ᵍ);
FA Cup runners-up 1908-09
(10ᵃ); |
|
Individual honours |
Gloucestershire FA
Football League
(three appearances) |
|
Distinctions |
The Wedlock Stand is named in his honour at Ashton Gate Stadium. |
|
Height/Weight |
5'
4½", 10st.
7lbs [1909]. |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]. |
|
England Career |
|
Player number |
One of five who became 321st players
(322) to
appear for England |
|
Position(s) |
Centre-half |
|
First match |
No.
89, 16 February 1907, England 1 Ireland 0, a
British Championship match at Goodison Park, Walton, Liverpool, aged
26 years
111 days. |
Last match
7 years 28 days |
No. 118,
16 March 1914,
Wales
0
England 2,
a British Championship match at
Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff, aged
33 years 139 days. |
|
Major tournaments |
British Championship 1906-07, 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-10,
1910-11, 1911-12, 1913-14; |
|
Team honours |
British
Championship shared 1907-08, 1911-12, winners 1908-09,
1910-11; |
|
Individual honours |
The Professionals
(one appearance, December 1906);
The
South (three appearances, January 1907-January 1909);
The Whites (three appearances, January 1910-January
1912);
England Trial (one appearance, November 1912
(withdrew in January 1913));
FA Tour of South Africa
1910 (including the three tests). |
|
Goalscoring honours |
England's Joint-Top Goalscorer 1914 (1) - the second non-forward to top the list. |
|
Distinctions |
Held the record for
record number of consecutive England appearances
(25, 1907-12). He was also the oldest goalscorer from March 1914
until May 1923.
Acted as one of the linesmen in the England Ladies vs.
France Ladies fixture, 1 June 1936 in Bristol (Knowle Stadium). |
|
Beyond England |
|
A stone mason by trade. After leaving
football he was for many years a licensee of The Star Inn, near the Ashton Gate
ground, on the Bower Ashton Terrace. Later renamed Wedlocks. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.264. |
|
The Numbers |
|
parties |
Appearances |
comp. apps |
minutes |
| goals ave.min |
comp. goals |
captain |
|
28 |
26 |
19 |
2340 |
2 |
1170
min |
2 |
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 |
|
26 |
19 |
6 |
1 |
89 |
19 |
+70 |
1 |
10 |
3.423 |
0.731 |
84.6 |
+18 |
Venue Record
|
Venue |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
Home |
9 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
17 |
4 |
+13 |
0 |
5 |
1.889 |
0.444 |
83.3 |
+6 |
|
Away |
17 |
13 |
3 |
1 |
72 |
15 |
+57 |
1 |
5 |
4.235 |
0.882 |
85.3 |
+12 |
Competition Record
|
Competition |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
British Championship |
19 |
12 |
6 |
1 |
41 |
12 |
+29 |
1 |
8 |
2.156 |
0.632 |
78.9 |
+11 |
| Friendly |
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
48 |
7 |
+41 |
0 |
2 |
6.857 |
1.00 |
100.0 |
+7 |
Opposition Record
|
Opposition |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
Wales |
7 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
18 |
2 |
+16 |
0 |
5 |
2.571 |
0.286 |
92.9 |
+6 |
|
Ireland |
6 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
17 |
4 |
+13 |
0 |
2 |
2.833 |
0.667 |
91.7 |
+5 |
|
Scotland |
6 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
=0 |
1 |
1 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
50.0 |
=0 |
|
Hungary |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
4 |
+15 |
0 |
1 |
6.333 |
1.333 |
100.0 |
+3 |
|
Austria |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
25 |
3 |
+22 |
0 |
0 |
8.333 |
1.00 |
100.0 |
+3 |
|
Bohemia |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
+4 |
0 |
1 |
4.00 |
0.00 |
100.0 |
+1 |
Tournament Record
|
British Championship Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC
1906-07 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
0 |
1 |
1.00 |
0.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
|
BC
1907-08 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
3 |
+8 |
0 |
0 |
2.667 |
1.00 |
83.3 |
+2 |
|
BC
1908-09 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
+8 |
0 |
3 |
2.667 |
0.00 |
100.0 |
+3 |
| BC 1909-10 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
-1 |
1 |
1 |
0.50 |
1.00 |
50.0 |
=0 |
|
BC 1910-11 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
+4 |
0 |
1 |
2.00 |
0.667 |
83.3 |
+2 |
|
BC 1911-12 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
2 |
+7 |
0 |
1 |
3.00 |
0.667 |
83.3 |
+2 |
|
BC 1913-14 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
+2 |
0 |
1 |
2.00 |
0.00 |
100.0 |
+1 |
|
BC All |
19 |
12 |
6 |
1 |
41 |
12 |
+29 |
1 |
8 |
2.156 |
0.632 |
78.9 |
+11 |
|
All Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC |
19 |
12 |
6 |
1 |
41 |
12 |
+29 |
1 |
8 |
2.156 |
0.632 |
78.9 |
+11 |
|
19 |
12 |
6 |
1 |
41 |
12 |
+29 |
1 |
8 |
2.156 |
0.632 |
78.9 |
+11 |
Match History
|
apps |
match |
match details |
comp |
res. |
rundown |
pos |
|
|
