HARRY TUFNELL (1886 - 1959 )

The Scorer of Barnsley's F.A.Cup Winning Goal 1912

Photograph by Lambert Jackson

Family History Library Film  1341723 PRO REF: RG11 Piece / Folio 3028 / 93 Page Number 37

Adolphus was a House Painter Journeyman. (A family tale recalls that  when Adolphus had been paid for painting or decorating a house, he being fond of a drink, would have one too many and fall in the canal on the way home. He was regularly rescued and bought home drunk and wet. He was also fond of bloaters for his tea, and afterwards would wipe the grease off his hands on his hair.)

He married his wife EMMA in the September quarter of 1878 (Vol 6D Page454) in Aston, Birmingham Sometime after the births of their first two sons Frederick and Adolphus they moved to Horninglow in Derbyshire where they lived at 48, Charles Street and 49, John Street. (1891 Census RG12/2205 entry 224) By 1891 there were six children - Frederick (William),Adolphus,Ernest, Harry,Arthur and Alice. The 1901 Census shows the family living at 17 PRINCESS STREET, HORNINGLOW, BURTON, STAFFS. (GRO ref RG13/2645entry 22) Adolphus, who was one month old at the time of the 1881 Census, is now a Brewer's labourer whilst his father is still pursuing a living painting houses. The eldest son William Frederick was no longer with the family and it looks as though their eldest daughter Alice must have died in the interim. The younger Adolphus married in the September quarter of 1903 

In 1910 they were living at 2, Jersey Road, Saltley, Birmingham  It was at this time an epidemic of meningitis broke out and killed some of their children.

Grenville Firth in the Official History of Barnsley FC has Harry Tufnell as coming from Buxton in Derbyshire but his great nephew has confirmed that he was in fact born in Burton (or more specifically Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire). As the 1901 Census shows Harry Tufnell was working as a 15 year old greengrocers assistant in the Burton suburb of Horninglow. 

The records show Harry served in the Royal Army Service Corps between 1915–1919, his army record shows he was an electrician before army service. In 1918 he was sent to Basra in southern Iraq where he contracted Malaria. Harry was discharged from the Army in 1919.

After he left Barnsley FC, Harry had spells as manager of  Wakefield City and Doncaster Rovers (1 August 1921 - 31 May 1922) . Sometime after leaving Doncaster, he joined the training staff at Oldham Athletic (see above photograph).  Harry died December 1959 aged 73 in Oldham Infirmary with no family shown on the death certificate. The cause of death was a fractured skull that occurred after a fall at home. The certificate stated that he  a "cotton mill labourer". 

IF ANYONE READING THIS PAGE CAN PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON HARRY TUFNELL OR HIS FAMILY PLEASE COULD THEY CONTACT ME OR JIM WHITAKER BY EMAIL.

• In April 2005, I was contacted by one of Harry's granddaughter's who added fascinating detail to the story

"I am one of three granddaughters of Harry Tufnell.  

Harry had three children, one boy (Harry) and two daughters (Elsie & Hilda).  Elsie died at age 15 and Hilda was my mother.  There are two surviving granddaughters, four great granddaughters and one great grandson.  There are also two great great grandsons and one great great granddaughter.
My sister has my grandfather's FA cup medal and a medal awarded to him after playing a charity match for the survivors of the Titanic in 1912"

• A few days later I received some further information about Harry from another of his descendents, 

"I can add something to the story. Harry married Sarah Jeffcoat Locker in 1907 in Long Eaton, Derbyshire. Sarah was my grandfather's sister. Harry was a very popular chap as my grandfather organised charabanc (horse-drawn coach) trips to take friends and family to see Harry play his various games (the Locker family had a carriers business at the time). My late father told me about the 1912 cup final when grandad organised the trip to see the cup final which finished in a draw and it had to go to a replay. It caused him no end of bother to organise another one at such short notice, but everyone wanted to go and cheer Harry on. He also said that Harry played for England, but I have not found that information anywhere I have researched. My dad recalled visiting "the family in Oldham" (as he referred to the Tufnells) when he was young."

Pat, Jim and Sharon are all interested in the TUFNELL family and so if anyone can help please contact me or any of the three descendents.

• In May 2016 I received this information from another descendent of Harry's

"I am one of Harry's great grandchildren. My mum, his granddaughter Carole Wright, had his FA Cup Winners Medal but recently sold it to Barnsley Football Club. Harry now has another descendent - a great, great granddaughter."

Sources

The Daily Telegraph Football Chronicle (1995)

Barnsley's Sporting Heroes' by Annie Storey (Wharncliffe Publishing 1997)

The Official History of Barnsley Football Club 1887 - 1979 - Grenville Firth

Jim Whitaker

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This page was last updated on 02/04/18 09:53

Notes

Frederick William the son of William and Maria born in Hitchen, Herts - the brother of Adolphus Tufnell.(1856 -