About Charles Meysey-Thompson
Lived 1849 – 1881 (aged 31). Charles Meysey-Thompson was a British association football player.
Charles Maude Meysey-Thompson (; 5 December 1849 – 11 September 1881) was an English clergyman who, as an amateur footballer, won the FA Cup in 1873 with the Wanderers. He also played in the 1876 FA Cup Final for the Old Etonians and for the Scottish XI in the last representative match against England in 1872.
Family and education Born in York, he was the son of Sir Harry Meysey-Thompson, 1st Baronet (1809–1874) and Elizabeth Anne Croft.
His brothers included Henry (who succeeded to his father's title), Albert and Ernest (who became M.P. for Birmingham Handsworth from 1906 to 1922).
Thompson was educated at Eton College before going up to Trinity College, Cambridge where he matriculated in 1868. He graduated in 1872 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and was awarded his Master's degree in 1876.
Football career Thompson played football (as a forward) at Eton College and Cambridge University. Whilst at the university, he was selected as a late replacement for Henry Primrose to represent Scotland in a match against England on 24 February 1872. It would appear that his only connection with Scotland was that the family owned property "north of the border".
Thompson followed his brother Albert and joined the Wanderers, for whom he made his first appearance on 14 February 1872 in a 6–1 victory over the Civil Service. Despite having only played one other match for them, he was selected for the Wanderers in their defence of the FA Cup in the 1873 FA Cup Final played at Lillie Bridge on 29 March 1873. In the final, the Wanderers defeated Oxford University 2–0, with goals from Arthur Kinnaird and Charles Wollaston.
Thompson played a further four games for the Wanderers at the start of the 1873–74 season and played seven matches for them in total. Two other pairs of brothers played in this match; Francis and Hubert Heron lined up for the Wanderers, while the Etonians' team included Hon. Edward Lyttelton and his brother Hon. Alfred Lyttelton. This is the only occasion that two or more pairs of brothers have played in the same FA Cup Final. The match ended in a 1–1 draw and was replayed a week later; neither Charles nor Albert were selected for the replay (Charles being injured)
Honours Wanderers FA Cup winner: 1873
Old Etonians FA Cup finalist: 1876
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Important facts
People in Charles Meysey-Thompson's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Charles Meysey-Thompson?
English footballer (1849-1881)
When was Charles Meysey-Thompson born?
Charles Meysey-Thompson was born on 5 December 1849 in York.
When did Charles Meysey-Thompson die?
Charles Meysey-Thompson died on 11 September 1881 in Peoa.
What was Charles Meysey-Thompson's occupation?
Charles Meysey-Thompson was an association football player.
What nationality was Charles Meysey-Thompson?
Charles Meysey-Thompson was British.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Charles Meysey-Thompson
· DBpedia: Charles Meysey-Thompson
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Charles Meysey-Thompson. https://biography.guide/charles-meysey-thompson/
MLA: "Charles Meysey-Thompson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/charles-meysey-thompson/.
Chicago: "Charles Meysey-Thompson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/charles-meysey-thompson/.
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