Robert Hedley
Encyclopedia
Lieut
. Robert Shafto Hedley (17 January 1857 – 29 January 1884) was the captain of the Royal Engineers
team that reached the final of the FA Cup
in 1878
, where they were defeated 3–1 by the Wanderers
.
, Somerset
and educated at Reading School
. At Reading, he played for the school football XI from 1871 to 1873, including in a match against Reading F.C.
in its inaugural season.
According to the 1871 census, he lived with his mother, Catherine, at Easby Hall, Easby
, Richmond
in Yorkshire.
On leaving school, he joined the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. On 2 August 1876, he was appointed as Lieutenant
in the Royal Engineers
.
In 1878, his scoring ability helped the Royal Engineers to reach the final
of the FA Cup
with hat-tricks in the early rounds against the Pilgrims (won 6–0) and Druids
(won 8–0). For the final, played at Kennington Oval on 23 March, Hedley was captain for the Engineers. Wanderers won the match 3–1 although early in the second half, with the score 2–1, Hedley had a "goal" disallowed due to an infringement of the offside rule.
His goal-scoring for the Engineers brought him to the attention of the England
selectors who named him in the squad for the international against Scotland
on 2 March 1878, but he was not available to play. He was called up again for the Scotland international the following March, but this match was postponed because of bad weather and he was again unavailable for the re-arranged match.
Hedley was a member of the F.A. committee in 1878–1879.
on 29 January 1884, two weeks after his 27th birthday. He was out boating and landed on a rock offshore. At some point, his boat came loose and drifted away; Hedley tried to swim back to the boat, but failed to reach it. Eventually, his body was discovered by a search party who had been sent out to look for him.
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. Robert Shafto Hedley (17 January 1857 – 29 January 1884) was the captain of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers A.F.C.
The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
team that reached the final of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1878
1878 FA Cup Final
Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Post-match:...
, where they were defeated 3–1 by the Wanderers
Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
.
Early life and education
Hedley was born in TauntonTaunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
and educated at Reading School
Reading School
Reading School is a state-funded, selective academy school for boys in the English town of Reading. It is notable for tracing its history back to the school of Reading Abbey, making it one of the oldest schools in England. There are no tuition fees for day pupils, and boarders only pay for food and...
. At Reading, he played for the school football XI from 1871 to 1873, including in a match against Reading F.C.
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
in its inaugural season.
According to the 1871 census, he lived with his mother, Catherine, at Easby Hall, Easby
Easby, Richmondshire
Easby is a hamlet and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. Situated near Richmond its main attraction is the nearby Easby Abbey, which is in ruins as it was one of many dissolved by Henry VIII as part of the reformation...
, Richmond
Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
in Yorkshire.
On leaving school, he joined the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. On 2 August 1876, he was appointed as Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
.
Football career
Hedley played football for the Royal Military Academy and for the Royal Engineers. A centre-forward, he was described as "a useful centre, combining considerable speed and weight with no small amount of energy", although early reports suggested that "he should study shooting at goal".In 1878, his scoring ability helped the Royal Engineers to reach the final
1878 FA Cup Final
Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Post-match:...
of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
with hat-tricks in the early rounds against the Pilgrims (won 6–0) and Druids
Druids F.C.
Ruabon Druids F.C. were a football club based in village of Ruabon near Wrexham. The club was founded in 1869 as Plasmadoc F.C. by David Thomson and his brother, George, of Ruabon...
(won 8–0). For the final, played at Kennington Oval on 23 March, Hedley was captain for the Engineers. Wanderers won the match 3–1 although early in the second half, with the score 2–1, Hedley had a "goal" disallowed due to an infringement of the offside rule.
His goal-scoring for the Engineers brought him to the attention of the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
selectors who named him in the squad for the international against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 2 March 1878, but he was not available to play. He was called up again for the Scotland international the following March, but this match was postponed because of bad weather and he was again unavailable for the re-arranged match.
Hedley was a member of the F.A. committee in 1878–1879.
Military career and death
Hedley was posted to Ceylon where he drowned at TrincomaleeTrincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
on 29 January 1884, two weeks after his 27th birthday. He was out boating and landed on a rock offshore. At some point, his boat came loose and drifted away; Hedley tried to swim back to the boat, but failed to reach it. Eventually, his body was discovered by a search party who had been sent out to look for him.