{{Short description|English footballer (1849–1898)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Use British English|date=August 2012}} '''Reginald Halsey Birkett''' (28 March 1849 – 30 June 1898) was an English footballer who played for Clapham Rovers, as well as the England national side. He also played international rugby union for England in 1871, in the first international rugby match. In this match he scored England's first try.

In 1898, Birkett was suffering from diphtheria. In an apparent state of delirium, he leapt from a window and fell {{convert|20|ft|abbr=on}} to his death. A verdict of suicide whilst delirious was returned by the inquest on his death. ==Early life== Reginald Halsey Birkett was born in London on 28 March 1849. He was baptised on 31 May 1849 in St Botolph Bishopsgate in the City of London.<ref>Board of Guardian Records, 1834–1906 and Church of England Parish Registers, 1813–1906. London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library Manuscripts, London.</ref> His parents were John Birkett (born 1816, Hackney, London) a surgeon, and Lucy Matilda Janson (born 1823 in Tottenham, London). Reginald got his middle name, Halsey, from his maternal grandfather Halsey Janson. He had a number of brothers and sisters including Percival (born 1851), Evelyn (born 1864), Arthus (born 1861) and Louis (born 1853).<ref>Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1871. Class: RG10; Piece: 95; Folio: 78; Page: 27; GSU roll: 824587.</ref>

He was educated at William Jacob's school in Calne<ref>Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1861. Class: RG9; Piece: 1286; Folio: 97; Page: 15; GSU roll: 542789.</ref> and Lancing College,<ref>''The Lancing College magazine'', Issue 2, Publisher C. Cull and Son, 1877</ref> for whom he later played club football. His brother was another rugby international, Louis Birkett.<ref name="Scrum" />

==Rugby career== {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Reg Birkett | image = EnglandRugby1871Rovers.jpg |caption = 1871 England rugby squad with Birkett highlighted | birth_name = | nickname = | birth_date = 28 March 1849 | birth_place = London, England | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1898|6|30|1849|3|28}} | death_place = Wimbledon, London | height = | weight = | ru_position = Forward | repteam1 = {{nrut|England}} | repcaps1 = 4 | reppoints1 = | ru_ntupdate = | repyears1 = 1871–1877 | years1 = | ru_clubupdate = | apps1 = | points1 = | clubs1 = Clapham Rovers | occupation = | school = William Jacob's school in Calne<br>Lancing College | university = }} Birkett was an important figure in the formation of the Rugby Football Union as well. Clapham Rovers were one of the twenty-one London and suburban football clubs that followed Rugby School rules that assembled at the Pall Mall Restaurant in Regent Street and formed the Rugby Football Union on 26 January 1871 and Birkett was not only present but also became one of the thirteen original committee members.<ref name="Game"/>

Birkett was selected for the first international rugby match for England vs Scotland in 1871. In this match he scored England's first ever try, although at the time a try did not gain points, but rather was the means by which a team was granted the opportunity of converting the try into a point scoring goal. His brother Louis and his son John later also played for England.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/1997/11/15/814211.html|title=Where there's a Will. . .|access-date=6 May 2008|date=15 November 1997|publisher=Lancashire Evening Telegraph|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080507090154/http://archive.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/1997/11/15/814211.html |archive-date=7 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goalkeepersaredifferent.com/keeper/personal.htm|title=Getting Personal|access-date=6 May 2008|publisher=Goalkeepers Are Different}}</ref> Of his rugby ability a near contemporary account states that he "''was very useful both forward and behind the scrummage, and had plenty of pace.''"<ref name="Game">Marshall, Francis, ''Football; the Rugby union game'', contribution by W Parker, (1892) (London Paris Melbourne, Cassell and company, limited)</ref>

==Football career== {{Infobox football biography | name = Reg Birkett | image = Reg Birkett.jpg | image_size = 200 | fullname = Reginald Halsey Birkett | birth_date = {{birth date|1849|3|28|df=y}} | birth_place = London, England | death_date = {{death date and age|1898|6|30|1849|3|28|df=y}} | height = | position = Goalkeeper | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = | clubs1 = Clapham Rovers | caps1 = | goals1 = | nationalyears1 = 1879 | nationalteam1 = England | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0 }} When Reg Birkett was playing association football and rugby football, the two codes had not long been separated and the term 'football' could still apply to either. Whilst at school, he played both codes and was a member of Lancing's senior soccer team in 1866–67. He then joined Lancing Old Boys,<ref name="EF"/> and then on to Clapham Rovers FC, a club that played both codes of football and had distinguished itself in both. Birkett also represented Surrey FC.<ref name="EF"/>

In 1879, Birkett had a season in which he both reached the FA Cup final and was selected to play for England. In the 1879 FA Cup Final, played at Kennington Oval on 29 March 1879, Clapham Rovers were runners-up to Old Etonians F.C. Birkett was the goalkeeper and was beaten at close range by a shot from Charles Clerke.<ref>{{cite web|title=Old Etonians 1 Clapham Rovers 0|url=http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1879.html|work=FA Cup Final 1879|access-date=21 April 2018}}</ref> However, despite letting in the only goal of the match, Birkett's prowess as a keeper was well respected and he went on to be selected for the England vs Scotland friendly international a week later, on the same ground.<ref name="EF">{{cite web|title=England Players: Reg Birkett|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersB/BioBirkettRH.html|website=englandfootballonline|access-date=21 April 2018}}</ref> Despite conceding four goals, he was on the winning side, England prevailing 5-4.<ref name="EF"/>

The following year, Clapham Rovers once again made it to the FA Cup final. The opposition this time was Oxford University A.F.C. Clopton Lloyd-Jones scored for Clapham and combined with Birkett's clean sheet, Clapham prevailed 1-0.<ref>{{cite book|last=Warsop|first=Keith|title=The Early F.A. Cup Finals and the Southern Amateurs |year=2004 |publisher=SoccerData|page=50|isbn=1-899468-78-1}}</ref>

==Personal life and death== Reginald married Lizette Crunden in 1881 in Cuckfield, West Sussex. They had at least two sons, Gerald (born 1883) and John (who would later captain the England rugby union side) (born 1884).

A skin and fur broker by profession,<ref name="Scrum">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/player/233.html|title=Reginald Halsey Birkett|publisher=ESPN scrum}}</ref> he died at the age of 49 at his Wimbledon home following an accident; whilst suffering from diphtheria, he leapt from a window while being helped into his bed and fell {{convert|20|ft|abbr=on}} to his death – at the inquest, a verdict of suicide whilst delirious was returned.<ref name="EF" />

==Honours== '''Clapham Rovers'''<ref>{{cite book|last1=Warsop|first1=Keith|title=The Early F.A. Cup Finals and the Southern Amateurs|date=2004|publisher=SoccerData|isbn=1-899468-78-1|page=63}}</ref> *FA Cup winner: 1880 *FA Cup runner-up: 1879

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Englandstats}} *[http://www.thefa.com/england/seniorteam/archive/?i=7337&pf=p&searchname=(Reginald%20Halsey)%20Birkett&ap=p Player profile at the FA.com] {{dead link|date=April 2018}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110526112107/http://www.iffhs.de/?29da15a85b556bdb95289b95285fdcdc3bfcdc0aec70aeedb0ae14 iffhs article]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birkett, Reg}} Category:1849 births Category:1898 deaths Category:1898 suicides Category:19th-century English sportsmen Category:English men's footballers Category:England men's international footballers Category:Clapham Rovers F.C. players Category:English rugby union players Category:England international rugby union players Category:People educated at Lancing College Category:Rugby union forwards Category:Men's association football goalkeepers Category:Suicides by jumping in England Category:Suicides in Wimbledon Category:Rugby union players from London Category:Sportspeople from the City of London Category:Footballers from London Reg Category:Deaths from diphtheria