Louis Birkett

Early life Louis Birkett was born in Southwark, London on 1 January 1853 and baptised at St Saviour, Southwark. 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). 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. 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 Edinburgh and was singled out as a "capital full-back and first-rate drop". He married Agnes Wreford on 26 April 1881 in Otford, Kent and they went on to have three daughters and two sons. The family moved to Chislehurst, Kent and Louis became a Wool Broker's Clerk and later a Manager of the same firm. On 15 July 1930, Louis received the Freedom of the City of London in the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers.

He and his wife Agnes later retired to Barnstaple, Devon where he died on 11 April 1943 having been married to Agnes for over 62 years.