Elias Owen

Elias Owen (1863 – 20 September 1888) was a Welsh amateur footballer who made three appearances as a goalkeeper for the Wales national team in 1884. He killed himself while depressed over the outcome of his college final examinations.

Family and education Owen was born in the first quarter of 1863 at Llanllechid, near Bangor where his father, also Elias, was headmaster of the National School. Elias Jr. was one of 13 children of the marriage between Elias Sr. (1833–1899) and Margaret Pierce (1839–fl.1901). Later in life, Elias Sr. was a schools inspector and an eminent antiquarian.

Elias's elder brother, William Pierce Owen, also played for Wales, as did his cousins, Morgan and Hugh Morgan-Owen.

Owen attended Ruthin Grammar School between 1880 and 1885 before going up to Lampeter College, where he studied theology. on 24 June 1888.

Owen retained his place for the next match six weeks later against England. The Welsh team "had few answers to the skilful England forwards" who won the match 4–0, including two goals from William Bromley-Davenport. Despite the defeat by the English, Owen was praised for "acquitting himself admirably . . . in important contests it will be a difficult matter to entrust the important task of defending goal to a more competent player". Although the scores were level 1–1 at half-time, the Scots ran in three goals in the second half, including two from John Kay, the only Queen's Park player in the Scottish side, and the match ended in a 4–1 victory for the Scots.

By the next round of international matches a year later, Owen had been dropped from the selectors' plans, with Robert Mills-Roberts being preferred.

Date Venue Opponent Result Goals Competition 9 February 1884 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 6–0 0 British Home Championship 17 March 1884 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 0–4 0 British Home Championship 29 March 1884 Cathkin Park, Glasgow 1–4 0 British Home Championship WinDrawLoss

Death In September 1888, Owen returned from Lampeter College to the family home at Efenechtyd. Official sources say that he was depressed over the results of his final examinations, although family sources claim that he was depressed because his wife was having an affair. At the coroner's inquest, the jury found that "the deceased committed suicide during temporary insanity" brought on by "great depression of spirits".

Following the suicide of his father and the disappearance of his mother, William was brought up by other members of the Owen family. In 1922, he and his wife emigrated to Western Australia where they settled on a farm south of Fremantle. On Christmas Day 1937, William was killed when he was gored by a boar.

Eva was sent to live with family friends, Robert and Maria Jones, at Llanfwrog before "entering service" at Llanbedr Hall (home of the Calvert family), near Ruthin. Llanbedr Hall later became a tuberculosis sanatorium where Eva worked as a nursemaid. In 1914, she married Maurice Robert Jones; the couple had seven children. Maurice died at Wrexham in 1946 and Eva in 1972.