About John Hawley Edwards
Lived 1850 – 1893 (aged 42). John Hawley Edwards was a British association football player and cricketer.
John Hawley Edwards (21 March 1850 – 14 January 1893) was an English footballer who played as an inside forward. He made one appearance for England in 1874, before going on to play for Wales in 1876. He was a member of the Wanderers team that won the 1876 FA Cup Final.
Career Edwards was born in Shrewsbury, educated at Shifnal Grammar School, and was a qualified solicitor, being admitted in 1871. He played from 1873 to 1880 for Shropshire Wanderers, of which he was a founder and captain, when they reached the semi-final tie of the FA Cup in 1874–75 and were defeated by the Old Etonians. He made his solitary England appearance on 7 March 1874 against Scotland, playing as an inside forward. After "a most competitive game", Scotland won 2–1, with Robert Kingsford scoring England's consolation goal.
He was also a member of the Wanderers team, making his first appearance on 4 March 1874, scoring in a 4–0 victory over Westminster School. In 1876, he only made two appearances for Wanderers, both in the Cup Final when he played at centre forward against the Old Etonians. In the first match, played at Kennington Oval on 11 March 1876, Edwards scored the first goal, turning in a cross from Charles Wollaston. The Old Etonians equalised through Alexander Bonsor, so the match went to a replay, which the Wanderers won 3–0, thus winning the trophy for the third time in five years.
Edwards had been instrumental in helping to establish the Welsh Football Association, serving as its first treasurer in 1876. A week after the FA Cup Final replay, Edwards played for the Wales national team in their inaugural match, played at Hamilton Crescent, Partick on 25 March 1876. The match ended in a 4–0 victory for the Scots. Edwards was one of two players to play at full international level for both England and Wales, the other being Robert Evans, who made ten appearances for Wales and then played four times for England. He also played in representative matches for North Wales and Staffordshire. and served the club as secretary, while convalescing from throat infection at Old Colwyn in Wales
Honours Wanderers FA Cup: 1876
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Important facts
People in John Hawley Edwards's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was John Hawley Edwards?
Footballer (1850–1893)
When was John Hawley Edwards born?
John Hawley Edwards was born on 21 March 1850 in Shrewsbury.
When did John Hawley Edwards die?
John Hawley Edwards died on 14 January 1893 in Old Colwyn.
What was John Hawley Edwards's occupation?
John Hawley Edwards was an association football player and cricketer.
What nationality was John Hawley Edwards?
John Hawley Edwards was British.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: John Hawley Edwards
· DBpedia: John Hawley Edwards
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Hawley Edwards. https://biography.guide/john-hawley-edwards/
MLA: "John Hawley Edwards." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-hawley-edwards/.
Chicago: "John Hawley Edwards." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-hawley-edwards/.
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