Louis Birkett (1 January 1853 – 11 April 1943) was an English rugby union player who played for Clapham Rovers and was also selected to play for England. He was the younger brother of Reg Birkett and uncle of John Birkett.
Early life Louis Birkett was born in Southwark, London on 1 January 1853 and baptised at St Saviour, Southwark.London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P92/SAV/3018 His parents were John Birkett (born 1816, Hackney, London) a surgeon, and Lucy Matilda Janson (born 1823 in Tottenham, London). He had a number of brothers and sisters including Reginald (born 1849), Percival (born 1851), Evelyn (born 1864), and Arthur (born 1861).Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Class: Rg 9; Piece: 42; Folio: 25; Page: 16; GSU roll: 542562. His older brother Reginald was the famed dual code international who scored England's first international try.
Rugby union career Louis followed his brother into playing for Clapham Rovers.Marshall, Francis, Football; the Rugby union game, p152, (1892) (London Paris Melbourne, Cassell and company, limited) At that club he played both association football and by the rugby code. He was selected in March 1875 to play for England in the Scotland vs England match in EdinburghESPN profile of Louis Birkett and was singled out as a "capital full-back and first-rate drop". His selection meant that he and his brother, Reg, had become the first pair of brothers to have both played for England in the same match. Later that year, the Bryden brothers, Henry and Charles, became the second set of brothers to have played for England (albeit in separate matches) when Charles made his debut - both sets of brothers having come from Clapham Rovers. Louis played twice more for England two seasons later in the Ireland and Scotland encounters of the 1876–77 Home Nations rugby union matches.
Career and later life Louis was working as a commercial clerk in 1881 and was based at his parental home.1881 England census, Class: RG11; Piece: 93; Folio: 11; Page: 15; GSU roll: 1341021 He married Agnes Wreford on 26 April 1881 in Otford, KentKent Archives Office; Maidstone, Kent, England; England, Kent, Parish Registers, 1538-1911 and they went on to have three daughters and two sons. The family moved to Chislehurst, Kent and Louis became a Wool Broker's ClerkCensus Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 632; Folio: 26; Page: 1; GSU roll: 6095742 and later a Manager of the same firm.1901 England census, Class: RG13; Piece: 693; Folio: 7; Page: 5 On 15 July 1930, Louis received the Freedom of the City of London in the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers.London, England, Freedom of the City Admission Papers, 1681-1930, London Metropolitan Archive; Reference Number: COL/CHD/FR/02/2775
He and his wife Agnes later retired to Barnstaple, Devon where he died on 11 April 1943 England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 having been married to Agnes for over 62 years.England, Andrews Newspaper Index Cards, 1790-1976
References