Richard Thomas Dutton Budworth

On September 25th 1935 a letter from Richard Budworth was published in the The Times newspaper.
FOOTBALL MEMORIES
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES
Sir.- After reading your correspondent’s “Football Memories” in your issue of September 19 various old memories came to me.
I can recall the time when in Rugby Football matches there was no referee, and each side appointed its own umpire. This led to various complications of course. I can recall a match in which the visitors’ umpire disallowed a try by the home XV., though he was at the moment unable to see what had happened owing to a large oak tree that grew just on the touch-line. Afterwards he was always known (by supporters of the home team) as “the umpire who could see through a tree.” I can also remember the delightful story of a match between two famous Yorkshire XV’s. This was after referees had been instituted. The referee could blow his whistle, but only if one or both umpires waved his flag. On this occasion nothing had been scored up to nearly the call of time. Then suddenly one of the home team dropped a brilliant goal, to the huge delight of the many hundred spectators, but to their horror the referee blew his whistle and the goal was disallowed! When asked what the objection to the goal was, he said that he had seen Mr.___, the home team’s umpire, waving his flag, and felt sure that unless some very gross breach of the rules had taken place, Mr.___ would never have raised an objection. He had seen nothing that could invalidate the score. As a matter of fact, Mr.___ had waved his flag in sheer delight at his own team’s success!
Later on, of course the system was changed, and the referee was given the absolute decision, and the umpires being relegated to the touch-line.
I am, &c.,
R.D.BUDWORTH
Budworth spent his last days as Vicar in Horspath, Oxfordshire and died in London on 7th December 1937. He was in London to see Varsity match.
His obituary appeared in The Times on 11th December 1937, and said
CANON R.D.BUDWORTH
The funeral of Canon R.D.Budworth took place at Horspath, Oxford yesterday. The service was conducted by Prebendary L.J.Percival, Precentor of his Majesty’s Chapels Royal and Domestic Chaplain to the King, the Rev.R.N.Douglas and the Rev.O.S.E.Clarendon. Family mourners and others present.

A memorial service for Canon Budworth was held yesterday at Durham School Memorial Chapel. The robed clergy present were the Bishop of Durham (Dr.Henson), the Rev.H.K.Luce (Headmaster), who officiated, the Rev.M.J.Ellingsen, and the Rev.F.A.Youngman. The Dean and Canons of Durham were absent, attending Evensong in the Cathedral, at which reference was made to the death of Canon Budworth.
On Saturday July 14th 1973 at the annual reunion dinner of the Old Dunelmian Society the headmaster of Durham School, Mr.M.W.Vallance, announced that the sports centre was to be named after the late Canon R.D.Budworth.

Captain Philip John Budworth was born on the 27 December 1817. His father was the Revd. Philip Budworth (died 1861), who was rector of High Laver. He had taken over as rector from his father Revd. Richard Budworth, who had been granted the living from his brother-in-law in 1778, holding it until his death in 1805.

The Budworths had originated from Cheshire, but had previously resided in Middlesex for several generations, and were connected by marriage to the Cleeve family who had acquired Greensted Hall in 1695.

Philip (the son) was educated privately, but then studied at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1839 with a B.A. degree. [M.A. 1843].

From Jesus College he kept terms at the Inner Temple, but was never called to the Bar. In 1840 he stood unsuccessfully as a parliamentary candidate for the Borough of Sandwich. For eight years he travelled in Europe, returning home in about 1848 as a result of the French revolution and the resultant political unrest throughout Europe.

Whilst in England he met and married Blanche Trimmer (born 1820), in 1850 and the couple were to spend a year on their honeymoon travelling through France, Germany and Italy.

On their return the couple lived at the Wilderness, situated in Ongar High Street, before moving to Greensted Hall, which is father had acquired in 1837.

Captain Budworth became a Justice of the Peace in 1850 and was for many years sat as a magistrate for the Ongar Petty Sessional Division. He was High Sheriff for Essex 1878-1879.

He served in ‘G’ Company (Ongar and Epping) 1st Volunteer Battalion Essex Regiment,

Blanche died in 1862 within a few days of giving birth to his first child. He re-married four years later to Annie Emily Thomas (1842-1921), and had four more children.

Although in poor health he remained in public life until his death on the 9 January 1885, aged 67 years. He was buried in Greensted churchyard.

Captain Budworth’s grave in Greensted churchyard

His lasting memorial is of course the Budworth Hall, in High Street, Ongar which was opened in February 1887.

His five children were:

Philip Henry Cresswell Dutton Budworth born 1862 (died 1939)
Richard Thomas Dutton Budworth born 1867 (died
Charles Edward Dutton Budworth born 1869 (died 1921)
David Philip Dutton Budworth born 1871 (died 1941)
Anne Blanche Dutton Budworth born 1873

His son Richard achieved fame playing rugby for England and his biography was covered in our journal ..

Charles Edward was also to lead a distinguished life:

Maj.-Gen. Charles Edward Dutton BUDWORTH

Born on the 3rd October, 1869; he was the third son of Captain Budworth.

He married Winifred, daughter of Sir Patteson Nickalls. Sadly she died in 1914 and there were no children. He married secondly in 1918, Helen, daughter of Major General W. E. Blewitt, of Langley Hill House, King’s Langley, Hertfordshire. They had two sons.

He joined the Royal Artillery in 1889, and served in the South African War 1899 – 1901 (mentioned in despatches); First World War, 1914–17, (mentioned in despatches ten times).

He was formerly Adjutant of the Honourable Artillery Company and Chief Instructor of the Royal Horse and Field School of Gunnery;

M.V.O. in 1903, C.B. in 1916, C.M.G. in 1917. Commander of the Legion of Honour; Croix de Guerre; Order of St Stanislaus

He died on the 15th July 1921, whilst in the post of Inspector General of the Royal Artillery in India. He is buried at Simla cemetary.

There is a memorial to him in Greensted church.

Richard Thomas Dutton Budworth was born on the 17th October 1867 at Greensted, Essex. He died on the 7th December 1937 in London.
He attended Brecon College and Magdalen, Oxford. His father was Philip John Budworth, a magistrate, and unsuccessful parlimentary candidate for the Borough of Sandwich in 1840, who settled at Greensted Hall, Essex in 1854 where he lived until his death in 1885. His mother was Annie Emily Thomas, daughter of David Thomas. She was his fathers second wife, the first was Blanche Trimmer who he married in 1850 but she died in 1862.
His parents married in 1866. His Grandfather was Revd. Philip Budworth who originally bought the manor of Greensted in 1837.
He was selected to play rugby for England while playing for Blackheath.
Richard Budworth was an Oxford Blue in 1887-9. He scored his England try against Wales on 3rd January 1891. One of the original members of the Barbarians Club, Budworth was a clergyman, being ordained in 1902. He taught at Lancing College, Clifton College (1898 until 1907), was headmaster at Durham School and served in World War One. He became Canon at Durham Cathedral and retired in 1932. Budworth’s first match for England was the first game England had played after the international dispute. The game started in controversy when England had been unable to field their star half-back, Fred Bonsor of Bradford. He had captained the side the previous season against the ‘Maoris’, but was thought to have deliberately withdrawn at a late hour from the game so that his Bradford co-half, Wright, could win his first cap for England. Well, Wright secured the coveted cap, but neither he nor his colleague ever appeared in England colours again.