Cuthbert Ottaway, first captain of the England football team 1850-1878

Cuthbert Ottaway matriculated on 20 May 1869, aged 18. He was a great sportsman, who was active in the College tennis, cricket and football clubs. In 1874 he captained the first ever Oxford vs Cambridge Association Football match and played in three successive FA Cup finals between 1873 and 1875. He had earlier captained the England team in the first international match played against Scotland in 1872.

He wrote a College Ale Verse in 1871, which included the lines: ‘For wherever in friendly strife, With cricket bat or with oar You’ll find that all through life The Nose is to the fore.’ Sadly, he died at a young age in April 1878.

The College Archive holds a small collection of Ottaway’s photograph albums and sketchbooks, which are listed here. Please contact archives@bnc.ox.ac.uk if you have any further questions about this collection.

 

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