About William Oldham
Lived 1887 – 1965 (aged 77). William Oldham was a British rugby union player.
William Leonard Oldham (15 June 1887 – 27 April 1965) was an English international rugby union player.
Born in Coventry, Oldham picked up rugby union at the city's St Peter's School, but the team was age limited so he could only play until the age of 12. He subsequently joined Coventry seconds and was still as teenager when he debuted for the firsts in the 1902–03 season. Two of his three brothers would also play for Coventry.
Oldham became Coventry's first international when he was capped for England against Scotland at Inverleith in the 1908 Home Nations. Later that year, Oldham toured Australasia with an Anglo-Welsh team (retrospectively considered a British Lions tour) and featured in the opening Test match against the All Blacks at Dunedin. He was capped one more time for England and from 1909 to 1913 served as captain of Coventry.
After being a workhouse master in Coventry, Oldham relocated to Hornchurch, Essex, where he was worked as the superintendent of a children's home. He retired in 1951.
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Important facts
People in William Oldham's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Oldham's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Oldham?
English rugby union player
When was William Oldham born?
William Oldham was born on 15 June 1887.
When did William Oldham die?
William Oldham died on 27 April 1965.
What was William Oldham's occupation?
William Oldham was a rugby union player.
What nationality was William Oldham?
William Oldham was British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Oldham (rugby union)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Oldham. https://biography.guide/william-oldham/
MLA: "William Oldham." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-oldham/.
Chicago: "William Oldham." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-oldham/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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