England Football Online
Players Index Page Last Updated
17 February 2025
 
"Pocket Hercules"
 

Bernard Wilkinson

Sheffield United FC

 1 appearance, 0 goals

P 1 W 1 D 0 L 0 F 1: A 0
100% successful
1903-04

captain: none
minutes played: 90

Timeline
  Bernard Wilkinson Pickles
 Wilkinson is originally his middle name, at some point in his adulthood, he dropped his surname Pickles
Birth Tuesday, 12 March 1878 in Thorpe Hesley, West Riding of Yorkshire.
  registered as Wilkinson Pickles in Rotherham April-June 1878
Baptism Sunday, 14 April 1878 in Thorpe Hesley
 

According to the 1881 census, Bernard (Pickles) is the seventh of eight children to Joseph and Elizabeth Ann (née Hancock), his younger brother is six month old William Herbert. His father is a school teacher. They live in the Thorpe Street area of Thorpe Hesley, next to the Mason's Arms.
 

According to the 1891 census, Bernard (Pickles) is a twelve year old scholar living at school. His parents are the schoolmaster and school mistress, two of his older brothers and older sister are also teachers. He also has two more younger sisters, now being seven of ten. They live in Church School House, on Thorpe Road in Thorpe Hesley.
"DEATH OF A  SCHOOLMASTER AT THORPE HESLEY.
"The villages of Thorpe and Scholes sustained a serious loss yesterday by the death of Mr. Joseph Pickles, the respected master of the Church School, Thorpe Hesley, a position which he had filled for upwards of 25 years." - Sheffield Independent, Monday, 13 November 1893
 

His mother died on 5 May 1897.
According to the 1901 census, Bernard (Wilkinson) is boarding with his brother, William Herbert at John and Eliza Parkin's house. He is a steel manufacturing clerk, living at 161 Steade Road in Ecclesall Bierlow.
Marriage to Gertrude Dobson, on 22 July 1907 in Scholes, West Riding of Yorkshire
  registered as Wilkinson Pickles in Rotherham July-September 1907
"SHEFFIELD UNITED  PLAYER'S WEDDING.
"Bernard Wilkinson, the popular Sheffield United half-back, is to be married to-day at Scholes." - Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Monday, 22 July 1907
Children


There was another Thorpe Hesley-born Bernard Wilkinson, b.1885, and died in the area in 1955.		 Bernard and Gertrude Wilkinson-Pickles had one daughter together. Amy (b.1 November 1908)

Living at 77 Percival Road since the time of Amy's baptism, 20 December 1908.
From at least 1910, The Hallamshire Electoral Registers state Wilkinson is still living at 77 Percival Road in the Wentworth area of Sheffield.
According to the 1911 census, Bernard (Wilkinson) is married to Gertrude and the have one child, Amy. He is a clerk and they live at 77 Percival Road in the Ecclesall Bierlow.
From at least 1912, The Hallamshire Electoral Registers state Wilkinson is living at 167 Hunter House Road in the Wentworth.
A !913 newspaper report states that Wilkinson is in the employment of George Bott, a fish Salesman, on King Street, Sheffield.

The White's Directory of Sheffield (1919) confirms Wilkinson as living at 167 Hunter House Road, he is a clerk.
According to the 1921 census, Bernard is a wholesale fish salesman, still married, and with their daughter, they live at 167 Hunter House Road.
According to the 1939 register, Bernard, a fish and game salesman, remains married to Gertrude. They live at 43 Ecclesall Road South in Sheffield with their daughter.
Death Saturday, 28 May 1949 at his home at 43 Ecclesall Road South, Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire.
aged 71 years 77 days registered as Wilkinson in Sheffield April-June 1949
"WILKINSON Bernard of 43 Ecclesall-road-south Sheffield died 28 May 1949 Probate London 25 August to Gertrude Wilkinson widow and Amy Wilkinson spinster. Effects £4618 0s. 5d." [2024 equivalent: £238,454]

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

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Began playing football with his local junior club, Thorpe Hesley FC juniors. Stepped up to Shiregreen FC before joining Sheffield United FC on 19 July 1899, he eventually made club captain following the retirement of Ernest Needham. He resigned his captaincy after being left out of a cup tie in January 1912. At the end of the following season, Wilkinson was placed on the transfer list, with an asking price of £350. Wilkinson successfully appealed the fee at a tribunal, and shortly after, despite various offers from a number of clubs, he signed with Rotherham Town FC to become their right-half on 13 June 1913, in order to pursue his business interests in the area.
League honours
373 appearances 14 goals		 Sheffield United FC 1900-13 373 appearances, fourteen goals
debut: 24 March 1900 Sheffield United FC 1 Preston North End FC 0.
last: 7 April 1913 Blackburn Rovers FC 3 Sheffield United FC 1.
Club honours Football League Division One runners-up 1899-1900 (1ᵃ);
FA Cup runners-up 1900-01 (0ᵃ), winners 1901-02 (9ᵃ);
Individual honours None
Distinctions Played for Yorkshire Council CC, rejecting an offer to play for Yorkshire CCC.
Brother of William H. Wilkinson (Sheffield United FC & Yorkshire CCC).
Height/Weight 5' 5½", 10st. 6lbs [1902], 5' 6", 11st. 0lbs [1904], 5' 5", 10st 4lbs [1910]
Source

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

England Career
Player number One of four who became 298th players (299) to appear for England.
Position(s) Centre-half
Only match No. 82, 9 April 1904, Scotland 0 England 1, a British Championship match at Celtic Park, Kerrydale Street, Glasgow, aged 26 years 28 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1903-04;
Team honours British Championship winners 1903-04;
Individual honours The North (one appearance, January 1903);
Distinctions Died 26 days after Sid Bishop and 27 days after Fanny Walden

Beyond England
Subsequently a successful Sheffield business man, apparently became a director for George Bott (Sheffield) Ltd in 1938. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.268/9.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
2 1 1 90 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
1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1 0 100 +1
His only match was 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 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1 0 100 +1

Match History

 Club: Sheffield United F.C. - one full appearance (90 min) F.A. International Select Committee - one full appearance (90 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 24 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, January 1903;

Age 25
79 4 April 1903 - England 1 Scotland 2, Bramall Lane, Sheffield BC HL reserve
 

Age 26
1 82 9 April 1904 - Scotland 0 England 1
 Celtic Park, Glasgow		 BC AW   ch
 

one of four who became the 298th player (299) to appear for England
the fifteenth Sheffield United FC player to represent England

  

 
cg